When I hold down a key or try to repeat a letter, it will not move without a long pause.

Open Keyboard in Control Panel
on the speed tab make changes
To adjust the amount of time that elapses before characters repeat when you hold down a key, drag the Repeat delayslider.
o adjust how quickly characters repeat when you hold down a key, drag the Repeat rate slider.

You may have hit a certain combination of keys on your Gateway laptop and turned on the NumLock function accidentally. The result is that the rectangle of keys from the 7 key down to the question mark key have become a number-entry keypad. Worse, Gateway manuals don't discuss this function.

Hold down the "Fn" key on the bottom row of the keyboard, and press the "NumLk" key. Type the letters UIO. If they come out as numbers, move on to the next step. Hold down the "Fn" key and press the "F11" key. Type the letters UIO. If they come out as numbers, move on to the next step. Hold down the "Fn" key and press the F11 key and "Scroll Lk" key simultaneously. Type the letters UIO. If they come out as numbers, move on to the next step. Hold down the "Fn" key and press the "F9" key. Type the letters UIO. If they come out as numbers, move on to the next step. Hold down the "Fn" key and press the "Scroll Lk" key. Type the letters UIO. They should come up as letters. If none of these help, then it's probably a keyboard malfunction and you'll need to get it repaired.

Are you typing on your laptop and notice the text has become illegible? What should be letters, have become numbers or symbols. This odd behavior can probably be explained be peering a little closer at your keyboard. Those little numbers on the keys. These numbers and symbols normally become active when you hold down the function key, usually labeled as the "FN" key. The "FN" key is similar to the Shift key, activating a second function assigned to a key. It can become active seemingly on it's own because a key is locked in the on position.

Before performing numerous key combinations, try the simple thing of lightly tapping the "FN" or "Num Lock" 5 to 6 times. There may be a small particle of something logged under the key that you can loosen, move, or crush down. Do not bang the keys, just press normally. Next focus on the "Numlock" key which usually located with the "Print Screen" and "Pause" key on the top right of your keyboard. Press the "Numlock" key, then press a scrambled key to see if it's normal. Older model laptops may require you hold down at the same time, the "Ctrl-Shift-Numlock" keys. Newer models may require holding down the "Shift" key and pressing the "Numlock" key. Turn off the Function key with the following combinations. Hold down the "FN" key and hit the "Numlock", Hold down the "FN" key and hit the "Scroll" key and Hold down at the same time "Fn+F12+Num Lock"

Are you typing on your laptop and notice the text has become illegible? What should be letters, have become numbers or symbols. This odd behavior can probably be explained be peering a little closer at your keyboard. Those little numbers on the keys. These numbers and symbols normally become active when you hold down the function key, usually labeled as the "FN" key. The "FN" key is similar to the Shift key, activating a second function assigned to a key. It can become active seemingly on it's own because a key is locked in the on position.

Before performing numerous key combinations, try the simple thing of lightly tapping the "FN" or "Num Lock" 5 to 6 times. There may be a small particle of something logged under the key that you can loosen, move, or crush down. Do not bang the keys, just press normally. Next focus on the "Numlock" key which usually located with the "Print Screen" and "Pause" key on the top right of your keyboard. Press the "Numlock" key, then press a scrambled key to see if it's normal. Older model laptops may require you hold down at the same time, the "Ctrl-Shift-Numlock" keys. Newer models may require holding down the "Shift" key and pressing the "Numlock" key. Turn off the Function key with the following combinations. Hold down the "FN" key and hit the "Numlock", Hold down the "FN" key and hit the "Scroll" key and Hold down at the same time "Fn+F12+Num Lock"

Keyboards on Windows computers can repeat letters when key press sensitivity is too high. This problem can be rectified by adjusting your keyboard's repeat frequency. Once this is lowered, key presses will occur slower and you will not have the letters repeated instantly.

Click"Start," then "Control Panel." Click "Hardware and Sound," followed by "Keyboard." Move the "Repeat delay" slider further to the left below the "Character repeat" option. The further left the slider moves, the longer the delay will be before a character repeats.

Disable Filter Keys in Windows 7 and Work.If Filter Keys has turned on in Windows 7 and your keyboard is no longer responding as you would like, follow these directions:

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel
3. Click the Ease of Access heading.
4. Click Change how your keyboard works.
5. Remove all the check mark in the box next to "Turn on Filter Keys".

Enjoy :)
~ Vikrant (India)

Try to press Fn key, hold it down and press the Numlock key.

Have you tried to adjust in keyboard settings?

It sounds like the volume button on the keyboard may be stuck in the volume down position. Your "c" key may have similar issues. You may want to have a tech check the keyboard connections for those buttons and clean beneath them...