Broken Key causing bleeping/preventing boot-up

The Comma key (,<) is broken and a keyboard error prevents the computer booting - It beeps continuous and pressing Esc can stop the beeping and enter boot, but the comma key still doesn't work.
I have taken all of the keys off and cleaned every layer of the keyboard internals, so it's not dust.
There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the circuit either.
Any ideas what else to try?

 

You could try an external keyboard and disconnect the built-in keyboard to insure it is the keyboard and not something else. I know sometimes memory can cause beeping and can interfere with booting.

 

Thanks. I tried unplugging the Acer keyboard and the beeping went away. It loads fine without the inbuilt keyboard. It seems to be a problem with the comma key that is causing a short. I read somewhere that the constant beeping is a sign of a short.
The keyboard still works (I'm using it here).
It reminds me of those BIOS "Halt on all errors" that you can disable. The Acer has nothing in the BIOS and it seems it just wants to keep beeping

 

It seems to me that the only option left is to either go into the keyboard printed circuit board and remove the out put of the comma key or replace the keyboard. For replacement you could try and find a replacement or you could look for a broken or dead computer like yours and cannibalize the keyboard.

 

Good idea. I will try that - thanks...
Shame I can't get the comma working - it's quite a crucial key for typing. Semi-colons from now on then

 

You don't mention your model, but replacement keyboards are fairly cheap on eBay.

 

The model is ZG5 - 8gig SSD
Something else I noticed - which is REALLY bizarre - is that the left shift/K doesn't work. Right shift/K works fine and so does lower case. Caps Lock also lets me do a capital k.
The opposite - Right shift/L doesn't work either - which are both above the comma key on my keyboard. Left shift/L works fine and again with caps lock on.
Worth mentioning is that it also fails in opposite - Caps Lock/Right Shift/l.

 

Well, for less than $14 and free shipping, you can be as good as new....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Keyboard-fo ... 2eb8de860b

 

Thanks. Replacement is looking like the best option.
Still curious as to why it broke the way it did though. It seems to defy logic.

 

Did you perhaps spill a liquid on it at some time in the past? I did that once and the keyboard malfunctioned over a month later. It was part of a gin martini. Wasn't much but it appeared to have a delayed effect on the keyboard!

 

Lol. I did the same thing with another laptop. Poured beer all over it when hammered and tried turning it straight back on, which it didn't like and died an instant death.
It's a good suggestion, but I've had all of the keys off and cleaned the circuit well and it must be working for the shift/K shift/L to work on opposite sides. I don't think I spilled anything on it this time. There were a couple of keys that were dodgy and needed a few hits to make it work. /? was one of the keys, which again is close to the LK,
I think I will take the keys off again and plug the circuit in without the keys etc..