I am unable to select random pictures while pressing the control key. it seems to grab everything in its path!! diagonal or otherwise.  this happens in explorer as well as photoshop.
this is my laptop, centrino 1.4 ghz, windows XP pro

I don't use the laptop much, just for slideshow presentations and photoshop tutorials. its a year old and has a 3 year warranty.
is this a windows problem or something I've done?

my friends think I may have accidentally set some other function to that key, but I have no idea where to look.

Hilli:

Are you using a wireless USB mouse or the laptop's touchpad?  Are you sure you are not using the Shift key?

Dochello out there! thanks for coming to my rescue! nope, not using the shift key.  I am using a usb laptop mouse... and it happens with both of my wacom tablets, with mouse or pen.
I've been searching all night on the web for answers... I deactived sticky keys.. I tried using a list or icon mode then holding the shift key while opening the thumbnail mode.... ( found that re: missing file names, ..don't have that problem)
I have deactivated the keypad, and reactivated the touchpad.... it does the same thing! I have reset all the clicks and speeds many times.   the frustration level is high!    I have tried squirming the cursor up between the pics hoping it won't touch any of them.
I do have the cursor set for one click, and it highlights the file by just passing over, no click.
my desktop is set up that way with no problems...I use the control key all the time!
I sure hope somebody can solve this mystery.I had the same problem with a desktop COMPUTER.  It took me what seemed forever to figure out the Shift key was sticking.  Replacing the keyboard fixed the problem.  That's not an option with a laptop, but you might want to have a qualified repair TECH take a look at your laptop's keyboard.

DocTo figure out whether or not the laptop's keyboard is at fault, try the laptop with an external keyboard.  Do you get the same behaviour?thanks for those two suggestions.  I will give them a try.  it seems so silly sice I have used this thing so seldom.

the laptop keyboard isn't impossible to replace!!! the acer factory/repair depot is only a few kilometeres from here.... they replaced a keyboard on my friends identical laptop as we watched.!
I still have this on warranty, but at least now I might not be so embarassed to ask them to look at it.

someone suggested it was a windows glitch, not an 'acer '  problem.

I will try the DIFFERENT keyboard thing first!

great forum! thanks guys!     Quote

thanks for those two suggestions...someone suggested it was a windows glitch, not an 'acer '  problem...