control key problem on Inspiron 1545

I also have a new Inspiron 1545 and am having the exact same problem. It happens in both Word and Internet explorer.  I found another reference to this issue on the fixya.com site but i have not seen any solutions . Anybody have an idea how to fix this problem?

Same problem here, except I'm having it on the Studio 17.  Just got it yesterday... It's a little discouraging.  It happens fairly frequently.

Here are more of the same problem.

For the Studio 1737, there is a driver update that fixed my problem:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&dl=true&docid=67BB2841D6DCC6B5E040AE0AB6E11A82&journalid=6DD41AE4D114C678E040AE0AB5E1648D&l=en&s=dhs&servicetag=9q9z6k1

Unfortunately, a cursory search revealed no similar driver for the Inspiron 1545, so I can't help there.

Have the same problem with control key randomly going off when I donèt press it.  Now all my punctuation characters like è and É (supposed to be single quote and question mark) are appearing as è and É.  Dell rep, please email me with a solution to these problems, this is unacceptable.

Its the touchpad causing the issue. Go into the touchpad properties and turn off the zoom in/out feature.  Basically the left side of the touchpad is configured like the right side, except instead of scrolling up and down, its set to track zooming in and out. Every time you rest your palm  and you get the slightest touch on the touchpad, the keyboard registers CTRL key presses (that is how the zoom feature works).

I had the same exact problem, and this fixed it.

Its the touchpad causing the issue. Go into the touchpad properties and turn off the zoom in/out feature.  Basically the left side of the touchpad is configured like the right side, except instead of scrolling up and down, its set to track zooming in and out. Every time you rest your palm  and you get the slightest touch on the touchpad, the keyboard registers CTRL key presses (that is how the zoom feature works). I had the same exact problem, and this fixed it.

THANK YOU! I wasn't having the same exact problem, but I was having problems selecting multiple files using CTRL + left-click in Windows Explorer. Unchecking "Zoom" fixed it.

It's actually a driver problem for the touchpad.  I was having the same issue and even when you disabled zooming, touching the middle left side of the touchpad was the equivalent of holding down ctrl.  It must have been a driver issue, i.e. that feature wasn't properly disabled.  I downloaded the new driver and it works like a charm now.  Here's the URL for the new driver from ALPS.....fyi, after you download, install, and restart, you will need to go in and deactivate the zoom/scroll features again....then the control issue should be fixed:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=2684&l=en&s=pub&releaseid=R213504&SystemID=inspiron1545&servicetag=HHH68H1&os=WV64&osl=en&deviceid=16519&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=2&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=17&fileid=301884

Its the touchpad causing the issue. Go into the touchpad properties and turn off the zoom in/out feature.  Basically the left side of the touchpad is configured like the right side, except instead of scrolling up and down, its set to track zooming in and out. Every time you rest your palm  and you get the slightest touch on the touchpad, the keyboard registers CTRL key presses (that is how the zoom feature works). I had the same exact problem, and this fixed it.

PDXgeek, thank you. I was going INSANE.

I have had the same issue with my Vostro 3400.  Just spent 30 mins on the chat to Dell Support and he's ordered a technician! 

I finally found out (on my own after the consultant)  that it was the bottom left corner of the trackpad making the difference and that it was only happening when the Scroll function was on.  Googled this and found myself here with pdxgeek's explanation of why this happens.  Thanks dude

Now, how to cancel that technician...?

My Inspiron doesn't have a named "Num Lock" key but my husband gave me the fix: while holding the function key, press the 'print screen' key. (on many keyboards the num lock is listed here, too). That's it! Works fine now.

Woops! I didn't mean to suggest this as an answer. I merely wanted to enthuse about PDXgeek's solution above. It works!

Hey Peeps,

Its good to see other users are having this very anoying problem.  When typing and for no apparent reason, it seems like CTRL has become depressed and new tabs, or printer windows are opened.  It has been happening at least 3 or 4 times a day.  I am using the new Latitude.

I see that new touchpad drivers have helped.....well not for me, because I have the most recent up to date drivers.   I also use an external keyboard and mouse and as a result I have the touchpad deactivated, yet I am still getting the problem as described in this post.

As all of you know that have had this problem, it is Damn anoying.  So far the only way I have found to get out of this problem is to restart my machine.  I am a business user and restarts are not a good thing to be doing several times a day.....

Dell seem to think that by sending out a technician tomorrow, to replace the motherboard, keyboard and touchpad, this will fix my problem....I am very doubtful this will sort the problem.

Does anybody else have the same problem, but is also using the most up to date drivers and also has the touchpad switched off....?    If do, and you know of a solution, please let me know.   Dell are going to send a technician tomorrow, but cannot tell me when...sometime between 9am and 17:30.....  great service Dell...

Also, aside from this......how do you make a complaint to Dell...?     It seems that they do not want complaints as there is nothing at all on the Dell website on how to raise a complaint, nor does the website tell you about the complaints procedure...?

Thanks very much!  It was scroll lock for me.  fn + numlock.

Even when I plugged in an external keyboard I had this control problem.  But now it's fixed!

On a Vostro 3500, about 4yrs old.