Please ex2c3use stry letters and num7bersZ!
This afternoon,8 our keyboard was perfec3tly normal.9 Now it is.9.9.9.9.9NOT.9
I’m7 sure the c3hild has pressev4d som7e keyboard shortc3ut thing,8 but I c3an’t figure out whay.9 HELP pleaseZ!Z!Z!’
When I type the alphabet it looks like this
abc3defghijklm7nopqrstuv4wx2yz1 and then the num7bersZ! z1x2c3v456m7,8,.9
How c3a I fix2 m7y keyboard??
Pretty pleasev4 :|)
The numbers roughly correspond to the order of the letters on the bottom row, but other than that, I have no clue. 
First diagnostic step: reboot the machine
If the condition persists, pick up the keyboard, turn it upside down and shake it, then drop it (flat, right-side-up again) from about two inches above the desk.
If that doesn’t help, I’d try plugging in a different keyboard if you can borrow one from somewhere.
If it isn’t that, I’d be searching for spurious processes; sounds like there might be a ‘joke’ program running in the backgroound. Maybe run HijackThis or just Windows Task Manager to see what is running.
Check the keyboard and language settings in the control panel.
You should have either the US english or UK English keyboard selected unless there is a particular NZ option that I am not aware of.
Languages should also be self-evident and easy to spot if it has been changed.
If you are using XP, right click on the taskbar and select the language bar, see what is selected there and kill it if it is wrong.
I hav4e shaken and dropped :>(
GRRRRRRRRR
The keyboard is set on NZ! English still.9 GRRRRRRRRRRR BLODY C#HILDZ!
I hav4e rebooted and unplugged/replugged the keyboard sev4eral tim7es.9
Does this not look like som7e keybioard shortc3ut weird thing?
Not that I’m familiar with. If it’s a problem in the keyboard, at least they’re cheap to replace.
Yeah, I was coming in here to say spend a few bucks and swap out the keyboard.
Are the number/letter patterns consistent and reproducible, or are they random?
If they can be reproduced, I’d agree with your assessment about some kind of shortcut, but if it’s random you need a new keyboard.
Ha, this is like some weird brain teaser. As Tabby_Cat noticed, some of the keys from the bottom row appear to be “fused” with a corresponding key from the number row, i.e. z1, x2, c3, v4, m7, .9. So when you press either from each pair you get both. Pressing the shift key shifts both characters. How amusing (sorry). I might have guessed that the keyboard got wet or something, but I think clusters of fused keys would be more likely in that case.
Anyway, yeah, it’d probably be easier to just get a new keyboard.
Dunno; I’d imagine the observed pattern is quite consistent with the sort of coding errors that might occur if the keyboard is faulty or shorted somewhere.
I’d also say it’s a short. Using foreign language keyboard default settings might replace the “q” and “w” with an “a” and “z”, or replace some punctuation and symbols with accented characters.
IIRC, Australian and NZ keyboard layourts follow the US/English Canadian standard. UK layouts are slightly ifferent; a pound symbol, different arrangement of punctuation and characters, and a big square “Enter” key instead of the L-shaped or double-width version found on US keyboards.
If the keyboard and language settings check out it is my guess that the keyboard controller is knackered. Try a new keyboard - borrow a friends/neighbours perhaps - or nick one from work overnight?
I experience similar results when typing but it is the operator, not the keyboard, at fault.
This isn’t one of those stupid programmable Gateway Anykey keyboards, is it?
If it is, the little one may have accidentally programmed it. You can clear it as described here: http://www.md4pc.com/questions/08.htm
Is it a laptop keyboard?
Is it a programmable keyboard?
Is it a wireless keyboard?
What brand/model of keyboard is it anyhow?
I was going to say it sounded like wireless interference, but it’s not quite random enough, and you imply a button may have been inadvertantly pressed, so…
Its a plain old C#om7paq keyboard and it is still fuc3kedZ!Z!Z!
BUM&Z!Z!Z!
See I probably c3ould bac3kspac3e and delete the am7axz1ing appearing num7bers,8 but then you c3ouldn’t share m7y GRRRRRRRRRRZ!
I am7 fairly sure nothing has been spilt on the keyboard,8 I was hoping the c3hild had just pressed som7e random7 key,8 that deliv4ered the num7ber hell.9
It seem7s I hav4e to wait till pay day and buy a new one or just bac3kspac3e A LOTZ!
Thanks for the help :|),8 GRRRRRRR 
>(that sm7iley required bac3k spac3ing|)
Just how tight is your budget? Many small shops around here sell a decent, usable keyboard for as little as USD $6-9. A friend with a closet full of old computer equipment is likely to give you one if you ask nicely and plead poverty.
Are prices that much higher in New Zealand?
Tight.
Thanks for the thoughts. I will backspace for a couple of days. I swear the child did something though.
I had a perfec3t keyboard one m7om7ent then
this letter/num7ber hell the nex2tZ!
Oh and $6-9 keyboard? Not so much.
Yus. Ut huz no vowels. 