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The W, R, T, Y, U, O and Enter keys don't work after a water spill. I have to login to backup and maybe send it for repair. I know that Enter can be entered as Ctrl ^j, but I don't know what to do about the other keys. My password includes some of the non-working keys. How can I enter my password without having to use those keys?

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  • 9
    And why would another keyboard be insufficient?
    – Daniel B
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:04
  • What OS are you using? Windows has the onscreen keyboard . . .
    – ernie
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:06
  • 1 dont have other at hand. 2 Linux, Ubuntu. LXDE
    – dani jean
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:10
  • 7
    A spare keyboard will solve more issues than you can imagine. Don't be cheap.
    – Wutnaut
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:39

5 Answers 5

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All of these answers are weak. A Real Super User doesn't simply get a new keyboard when some of his keys stop working. No, that would be far too easy. He edits the registry and changes his entire keyboard configuration so he can type those letters.

This of course requires a lot more research, but you could start here.

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In Ubuntu if you tap the Accessibility icon (a man figure) on the login screen you can choose the on-screen keyboard - it may be in one of the menus on the login screen. I've also just read that if you press Ctrl + S this should bring up the on-screen keyboard.

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  • I'm using ubuntu and that isn't an available menu option, and CTRL + S doesn't do anything.
    – user201262
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:41
  • What ubuntu version?
    – Kinnectus
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:42
  • The latest stable, 14.04
    – user201262
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:42
  • Have you installed a stock install? Nothing messed with such as login options?
    – Kinnectus
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 16:44
  • 1
    -1: in Ubuntu there is no on-screen keyboard
    – Quora Feans
    Commented Jun 16, 2014 at 18:39
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There's a virtual keyboard installed with ubuntu, try follow this guide: https://askubuntu.com/questions/369621/how-to-get-the-onscreen-keybord-to-apper-on-login

If it's a laptop, I would recommend just get a spare standalone USB keyboard and attach to it.

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Keyboard Broken?

Assuming that you are working on a computer that has a windows operating system and the mouse IS still working, the following steps can be tried to input keyboard data.

  1. Click on the Windows start icon ball, open menus, click on "Switch User"

  2. This screen gives a list of options in the middle of the screen, however, you'll want to go to the gear icon in the LEFT lower corner of the screen. Hover mouse over icon. A talking and visual menu will open.

    1. Select the option that says Keyboard Pop-up. This keyboard is designed to be used with mouse clicks, for people unable to type. If the keyboard is visually in the wrong location, click, hold, move keyboard, let-go of mouse.

Hope this helps. : )

Kaspersky Security Software also has a pop up keyboard.

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  • 2
    They're using Ubuntu, so unfortunately this is not useful.
    – meatspace
    Commented Feb 10, 2015 at 18:29
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You could type any letter with Unicode composition. However you may be limited to what you can type if you are missing any key in the hexadecimal range (0123456789abcdef).

Lets say your "g" is broken. You can still type it by:

  • pressing ctrl + shift + u together and release them
  • a underscored u should appear
  • press 0067
  • press enter -> a "g" appears

The list of codes for the letters you can find at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unicode_characters (e.g. U+0067 for the "g").

See also: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ComposeKey#Unicode_composition

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