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x17 R1, keyboard not working
Today I started having a problem with my x17 R1. The keyboard is not working. I plugged in a USB keyboard and the computer does recognize that, and using it, could boot into BIOS. Funny thing is, after booting into BIOS, the arrow keys and enter key on the computer keyboard did work, so the computer does recognize its keyboard. I couldn't find anything amiss in BIOS. So I booted back up and used the USB keyboard to input the password once Windows 10 booted up. I looked up the drivers and re-installed the HID device driver, but no luck. I think this is a driver problem. Any idea how to fix this? Backlit keypad works, BTW. One other thing I noticed this morning - the FN keys work. If I press FN+F1, for example, the computer goes into full power mode or whatever it is. If I press FN+F7, I can change the keyboard lighting intensity. But I can't type letters or numbers or use the up/down keys or enter key.
Thanks!
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
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March 14th, 2024 16:15
* For this out of warranty May 2022 invoiced x17 R1, go here
* Click CATEGORY
* Click Show All
* Scroll down to System Utilities
* Download and install the "Alienware Per Key keyboard firmware" released on November 23, 2022
* When done, restart the x17 R1
The84Lion
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March 15th, 2024 00:26
@DELL-Chris M Thanks, I tried this, but it came back with a Result of FAIL and Return Code of 3. And my keyboard still doesn't work.
EDIT - Latest update: I removed the Alienware Command Center and all Alienware apps per the Dell instructions. Then I rebooted and tried the keyboard and it still did not work. Then I tried the "Per Key" app and this time it came back with a "PASS" and Return Code of 2. Then I rebooted, and at reboot, the main keyboard worked! Well, at least enough to let me enter my password. But then once it booted up to the desktop, I opened the Google browser and the keyboard once again did not work. :( I re-did the "Per Key" app, and that worked, but upon reboot, the keyboard still does not work. So it seems that the keyboard is OK, the problem appears to be some sort of software issue that is manifesting itself after the boot-up process. Since I no longer have any Alienware programs to uninstall, I can't try that route again. Any ideas?
(edited)
madiron
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March 20th, 2024 06:08
Same problem here hopefully they get this figured out seems that a lot of people have this issue with the software but Dell just wants to charge you to send it in rather than help on a laptop that costs three to $5000 already.
Moxley52
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March 30th, 2024 18:09
Same issue, along with lots of other people on the forums here. Have done the fix suggested by Dell support several times, but no change. Seems like they stop replying though after suggesting the first fix.
Pretty awful support after paying this much for a “high end” laptop.
Nick218
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April 30th, 2024 01:44
I have the same issue on my M17 R4. Try going to device manager and see if you have a unknown usb device descriptor failure. If so delete it put your computer into rest and wake it back up. I've tried everything anyone suggested online and this workaround is all that has worked. Benn doing this for months now. And some of the people who have sent in there computer for hardware replacement the issue returns. Randomly the keyboard will work without doing that but that's very rare and it always returns after a shutdown. First and last dell product I'm buying.