HELP!!! Keyboard Issue on Aspire v

I am not exactly sure how to ask the question, so I will instead list the problem:

- whenever the latptop restarts, the keyboard does not work...I can use f2 to enter bios, but as soon as it gets to the log-in screen, the keyboard does not work.
- I can use the on-screen touch keyboard to log in
- when I log in the keyboard will not work
- I leave the laptop "on" and then close the screen. When I open the screen back up and the laptop "wakes up" the keyboard is working.
- after this strange process of logging in/closing the screen/opening the screen the keyboard will will work BUT there are random "/" while I type.  Sometimes there is just one when I hit the space bar, sometimes there are a zillion because it just randomly runs off as though the "/" key was stuck. When I hit another key, it tends to stop running away with the "/"
- when I use an external keyboard I can log in. If the keyboard on the laptop decides to be working while an external keyboard is plugged in, the "/" stroke continues to take over

What I have tried to fix this:
- updating driver
- uninstalling driver and re-installing
- the hard re-boot/unplug battery/etc. thing.
- restoring the laptop
- turning on and off sticky keys thing

Nothing has ever been spilled on the keyboard, it's never been dropped....I just don't have the foggiest clue what could be causing this.  It is so strange to me that the keyboard will not work to log in, but then it will work just fine after some weird and random process of closing and opening the screen (well, except for that annoying "/" that crops up in most of my sentences).

So, please. Can anyone help?  Is there anyone out there experiencing this same issue?

Thanks in advance for your help