Studio 1537 left Ctrl key

Question

I just purchased a new Dell 1537 with Vista Ultimate (4g of ram) with a backlit keyboard.  I have noticed an odd behavior in the left Ctrl key.  I use this key often by holding it down and left mouse clicking to highlight non-contiguous items I want to apply an action to (iTunes songs, icons, explorer items, etc.).  However only the right Ctrl key works as it should.  When I hold down the left Ctrl key every time I click a new item the previous item unhighlights.  Again no proplem with the right one as I can continue to hold it down and have it work.   The left key WILL work if you press it each time you highlight.  A USB keyboard plugged in works properly.   After a support call, Dell ordered a new keyboard for me, but when the tech came he noticed that they sent the wrong one (no backlight).   We plugged it in just to test, and the odd behavior followed to that keyboard as well.  We'll see if the correct keyboard also misbehaves, but I have to think that it would.  Which would mean that the problem is possibly with the interface for the keyboard on the Motherboard. I am hesitant to go further and tear out the motherboard just to fix something so small (of course who knows what else is wrong). Anyone have any thoughts on this?  Is this a purposeful behavior that support just didn't know about?? Ken

MdRck · Accepted Answer

I fixed it by installing the updated alps touchpad driver 7.2.303.107 as suggested in the thread linked above. Left Ctrl will now non-contiguous select like normal after the updated driver was installed. Way to go Dell, sending out a faulty driver like this....

MdRck · Answer

I just got a Dell Studio 1737 with 4gb ram and backlit keyboard, Vist Prem Home, BIOS A04. This computer has the exact same issue with the left and right ctrl keys. The left ctrl will not allow non-contiguous item selection. I push down on left crtl and begin selecting different intems, at the 3rd try of a selection, all previous selections get wiped out. This has made me very very upset today. I have to use the left crtl key to select like this ALL THE TIME for major productivity reasons. The right ctrl key works as it should when selecting/deselcting individual files items, but it is too difficult to use for this, because I push the ctrl key with my left hand and use the track pad with my right. If this issue can not be fixed this will be a deal breaker for me and I may have to RMA the laptop.

MdRck · Answer

May be bug in driver....see...   http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19244312/19378810.aspx

kenp2002 · Answer

Latest I was able to find was 7.2.303.101 at Toshiba (after much searching) but that did the trick!  Thanks!   Ken

djamps · Answer

Thanks MdRck-- my system has got the same issue.  Spent a long time chatting with a Dell agent last night and they didn't know the answer to this-- I should have looked here first!

rushedblue · Answer

Has anyone had this problem with any of the recently-bought Dells? I just received mine yesterday and it's doing the same as described - the left ctrl doesn't work to highlight multiple items (and 75% of the time doesn't work when I ctrl+click to open a new tab, or copy/paste). The driver it came with is the most recently available one on Dell's support website, so updating won't help...

leosa · Answer

heloo.. same problem was at my dell1535,,solved with resinstaling new alps driver7.2.303.101,,now works great

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