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Lightly used M3800 keyboard problems
Hi
I'm wondering if anyone can provide me with some guidance here. I'm using an older M3800 which has had very light use and the keyboard has almost never been used.
That said, typing on this thing is a nightmare. Half the time keys don't register reliably. I've found that the striking force is very high to ensure that they register.
Is this a known issue with this laptop? I have had this problem in both windows and linux, and it seems that the issue is with the hardware itself.
DELL-Jesse L
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March 7th, 2018 04:00
cfaber,
There are no known issues with the keyboard that I can find in our knowledge base articles. I cannot verify that if you replaced the keyboard that it will be different.
jdyer2000
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November 10th, 2018 06:00
I have the same issue.... Not sure if I should try to replace the keyboard or just get a new laptop. Shame really, because I love everything else about it.
Randell04
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February 9th, 2019 19:00
I have been having the same issue for quite some time now, however, I do not want to risk buying a new keyboard and it's not a hardware issue
GJLjohn
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April 24th, 2019 01:00
My M3800 keyboard is also progressively failing. I've had it about four years. Started failing about a year ago. I have almost always used an external keyboard. The failure does not seem to be related to the amount of use of the keys. In fact, I first noticed it after an extended period of exclusive use of an external keyboard. I'm guessing a new keyboard would solve the problem. But, I don't know. Only Dell could tell us.
On the other hand other manufacturing problems are getting worse. Several screws on the bottom and inside have been falling out since it was new. The battery swelled, and in the end the (plastic) threads in the case have been stripped from my repeated attempts to get the screws to stay put.
Other than the bad keyboard and the lack of screws holding the case together, I've had no hardware problems. (Except fan noise, which is normal wear.)
glxatdell
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March 15th, 2021 13:00
we have similar erratic response from integrated M3800 keyboard. Laptop has been used for five years with external keyboard, and now that we want to use this laptop with the built-in keyboard we cannot rely on it.
Ckellenb
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December 20th, 2021 13:00
I have had the same issue with a 3800 and the keyboard registering for some time. Stopped using the laptop and replaced with a Surface due to the keyboard and battery swelling issue. Was going to wipe and donate the laptop. Is there a fix or anyone replaced the keyboard and had it work correctly?
Studeni
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September 10th, 2022 12:00
I have replaced internal M3800 keyboard twice (both times done with professional service) and still keyboard can’t be used (use external keyboard instead; defeats the purpose of having laptop for portability).
I am convinced the problem is not actual keyboard but something inside this laptop that keyboard replacement can’t fix
So your options are to either use external keyboard or get new laptop (I got another Precision after this one, M5520, and this one does not have keyboard issues).
It must be a bad batch of M3800 that is plagued with keyboard problems