Area-51m R1, keyboard stops working

Question

Hey everyone. So I just got a refurbished Alienware Area-51m R1 laptop from the Dell Outlet website just last week. I've had a problem where all the keyboard keys will completely stop functioning randomly. The touchpad will still work, as will an external keyboard, but the keyboard just will not work unless I restart the laptop. They will work in bios, and I tested the keys within the support assist menu and they work, but they stop working at random when I've started up windows A dell hardware technician was sent. He found that nothing was wrong with the keyboard hardware. He recommended I go through a clean install with a support line, but I knew how to do it myself so I did a complete clean, custom re-installation of windows 10 and re-downloaded all the drivers from scratch. Unfortunately, the issue still persists even after I did that. My option now is to call Dell when they are open and get a refund to buy another refurbished laptop since I have exhausted all options. But I noticed that a few other people within other threads have had the same issues with this laptop, over months of trying to get it fixed. It seems the only solution so far has been to get the entire board placed. In my device manager, everything works fine except two USB devices that have a yellow caution signs next to them that says the USB devices not found. I don't have any usbs plugged in, so it seems to be an issue with hardware or software. I noticed other people have this issue as well. If anyone has any further insight on this situation, please let me know. This seems to be a ridiculous issue for lots of people with no good fix in sight.

Florinspain · Answer

Hi! I have the same problem. After some randoms stops... i have no light on any key...only the touchpad...the rear and the 2 alien heads. The real problem is with the Command Center. I tried to install from the 1st version of AWCC ,compatible with my Alienware area 51m ,since the last. No luck. When the AWCC is installed it request to install aditional software...as OC Control ...Fx 2 etc. Starting then.... the keyboard stop functioning 20 seconds after entering Windows. And no chance to lit a single key ...the keys are with no light at all. I tried to reinstall fresh copy of windows... nothing. The bios version is the latest on dell support page. I can use the laptop without any light ... and without Command Center ...meaning without the OC support... any suggestion guys?

AW Area51m i9 9900k 64gb Ram 2080 rtx....

DarkAliens · Answer

i figured it out how to get it to work

DarkAliens · Answer

Hi so i figured it out how to get it to work, the problem is not with the keyboard its stupid there is nothing wrong with the keyboard the problem is Dell has Faulty Software in Alienware Command Center and they obviously cant fix it so the work around is replacing the keyboard and that will work but i am sure with another update that will fail as well so what they are going to keep on replacing the keyboard thats silly the work around is deleting and uninstalling the add on OC Controls which is part of the Alienware Command Center thats how you will get to be able to use your machine without any issues and without having to get your Keyboard Replaced i mean hopefully dell releases an update soon for this. i wish i could tell everyone how to do it

chewbakaats58 · Answer

I've been having a similiar problem but instead of all the keys not working it is just certain ones:  left ctrl, FN, windows key, and esc-F7.  I opened it up and the cable looks fine that goes from the keyboard to the mobo and no pinching is happening.  I tried doing what the previous user said and uninstall OC controls but still same result.  Any suggestions?

robbo20082008 · Answer

Hi did you fix this as I'm having the same problem

A51-06 · Answer

It's a software issue like he said above with the command centers upda5es.

TheCinACCisForCancer · Answer

@Alienware Area-51 ALX 2006 Ok, and? If if is a software problem what is the fix? Reinstalling CC doesn't work.

crimsom · Answer

Hi @DarkAliens  that is good advice, many users are reporting problems having installed AWCC updates. If users do not use AWCC (and OC Controls) delete this troublesome optional application. In Device Manager, AWCC also uses HID USB drivers and uninstalling the AWCC application should remove all these yellow warning triangles.

A51-06 · Answer

I have a suggestion for Alienware.

hear me out,

What about adding updates to the older command center for alienFX and Macro Key plus Overclocking while the newer one holds your games and stuff like that?

I actually noticed that the older one was way more responsive when it came to properly setting things up like colors and macro keys.

Alienware

Area-51m R1, keyboard stops working

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