I bought this HP laptop around 2021 mainly for studying, watching lectures, and typing. It has had very light use, with only a few applications installed and no gaming. Recently, I've noticed several problems: the Backspace key stopped working a few years ago; the forward-slash key sometimes types continuously by itself when the laptop starts; the cursor occasionally becomes unusually slow and difficult to move; double-clicking an application does not open it unless I first click once; and Windows Security opens to a blank screen that takes a long time to load. I'm not very familiar with troubleshooting computers and would like to understand what might be causing these issues and how to diagnose them safely. I can provide the laptop specifications if needed.
1 Answer
These problems may not all have one cause. The Backspace failure and the slash key typing on their own strongly suggest a physical keyboard problem. Try connecting a USB keyboard and see whether those symptoms disappear. For the cursor and double-click issues, testing with an external mouse would help determine whether the touchpad or its settings are responsible. Windows Security not loading is probably a separate Windows issue. Start with Windows Update, then check that the Windows Security and Microsoft Defender services are running. You can also open Command Prompt as administrator and run `sfc /scannow`. I’d test the external keyboard and mouse before considering a Windows reinstall.
I tested the on-screen keyboard, and Backspace works there, so the laptop’s physical keyboard may be the problem. I don’t currently have a mouse to test with. Windows Update’s troubleshooter previously found and fixed something related to updates, so I’ll run Windows Update and the troubleshooter again first.