Keyboard issues for Inspiron 7537 after Windows 8.1 update

Hi,

Press Windows Key + X, then choose the Mobility Center.  You can select the behaviour of the Function keys in that utility.

Does your keyboard light switch on and off with the Fn+F10 toggle?  Mine doesn't. :-(  Reading some other threads it seems the keyboard light doesn't work properly after the 7537 is updated to Windows 8.1?

Peter

Thanks Peter,

I have tried mobility center but whenever the system restarts/wakes up the behaviour is changed. FN keys are swapped i.e. either the Fn works or the default goes to the F10, I can't lock the functionality somehow.

Also the backlit gets turned on upon every restart or wakeup from sleep. I didn't have this problem until I have formatted the drive and reinstalled everything and now this issue doesn't go away even with updated drivers!

Cheers.

Regards,
Saj

Saj,

Have you changed the setting in the BIOS?  That should force it to default to function keys every time it starts up.  It works for me.  See picture below.

That is how mine is set.  How to enter the BIOS is detailed here <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>.

I've read a few other comments about back light and sleep.  When you say you have upgraded drivers - does that include the BIOS.  I think A10 is the latest level for a 7537 unit?  The latest BIOS could help?

I did have some problems with the laptop not waking up properly from sleep. But these seemed to be fixed when I moved to A10. 

Peter

I got my problem fixed.  Turned out that the smaller of the two keyboard cables had been fitted upside down.  Once the cable was fitted the correct way up, the keyboard light worked!

Doesn't say a lot for the control of the build and the testing before the product is despatched to customer.  But I'm glad it works now.

Have you fixed your Fn key problem?

Peter

Hi Peter,

No it' still the same even though I have installed A10 for Bios before and tried again but no luck, still the backlit turns on wheever I turn it on and Fn keys functionality is keep swapping either on Fn or F10. It's all to do with Windows 8.1 for sure..... Dell support is not help at all!

Guess have to wait for some new BIOS update, got no choice.

Thanks Peter

Hi,

the fn issue is solved in BIOS. But the Backlit problem no idea! anyone solved it?

When the backlight wire on my 7537 was disconnected (connected the wrong way up), if I went to the Mobility Center, there was no option for the Keyboard Brightness - because the PC could not detect the backlight.  Once the keybaord was correctly connected, the option appeared, as shown in the 2nd diagram.

If you can see the option in the Mobility Center, then you must have a diffrerent problem.  Good luck.

Thanks Ray, yes I have a different problema, mine is same as described by sharj77 

"every time when I close the lid the system is gone to sleep mode (which is fine) but when I resume back the back keyboard light is turned on and I have to turn it off to make it go away."

Just to let you guys know whoever is struggling with this issue, I been with customer support over the phone and updated the BIOS drivers and all but the issue has returned!!!

even updating the BIOS doesn't help, after 5-6 hours sleep when I turned my Laptop back on the back light was turned on! along with Fn key keep swapping the functionality i.e. multimedia key at times goes directly by pressing the related key or at times by pressing the Fn key!

Must say DELL support and updating the drivers doesn't even help

Hey everyone, I'm also struggling with the Fn issue. I try to solve this problem with Dell support but it was useless!! A technician told me that probably is a window issue and they can't do anything about it. It's really anoying!! Hopefuly someone will come up with a real solution!!  Shame on you Dell. 

Hi mate,

Dell is not being supportive in this matter, I spent an hour with a support person over the phone, updated all the drivers again from chip to keyboard (even though it was all done by myself) but no use at all!

every time I switch on the laptop the keyboard backlit is on and have to manually turn it off and also the FN key switching the functionality (i.e. sometimes have to use FN key for the multimedia or at times it allows access without pressing FN key)

It's certainly a DELL issue not having proper drivers for Windows 8.1for 7537

Are you having keyboard backlit issues as well?

After fixing the computer's internal wiring fault, my 7537 is still working OK in this respect.

I'm now using the latest Bios level A12.

The latest version of the Quickset can be found here.  It states that it is the version for 8.1.(The Quickset contains the Mobility Center application.)

I have just tried a couple a reboots and toggled the function key settings(Function Key / Multimedia Key) and verified that if I change the setting in the Mobility Center, the change is reflected in the BIOS; and vice versa.

The function key setting always remains after sleep, hibernate or shutdowns.

I frequently change the backlighting setting, so I don't know if that setting is held after sleep, hibernate or shutdown. 

Good luck!

Peter