Keyboard not working (driver issue)

[EliYa3225]

I have a pretty weird problem. My keyboard stopped working today. It works fine to navigate the system's BIOS menus, but as soon as Windows boots, the lights on the keyboard turn off and I cannot use it.

Device Manager shows 3 "HID Keyboard" devices under the keyboard category. I have tried uninstalling them and rebooting. I have also tried re-installing my motherboard's chipset. Other keyboards have the same problem with this PC.

I noticed that if I uninstall the "HID Keyboard Device" and re-plugin the keyboard, then the "HID Keyboard Device" reappears, so it seems Windows 11 detects something from the keyboard being connected.
what to do?

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you're dealing with a driver conflict or some issue related to Windows' interpretation of your keyboard—and perhaps all keyboards—via the HID (Human Interface Device) standard.
Here's a detailed rundown of steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve this issue:

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Preliminary Checks:​

1. Test Hardware:
   • You've already mentioned trying other keyboards, which all exhibit the same behavior. This suggests the issue is software or driver-related rather than a hardware problem.
   • Ensure the keyboard and USB ports are functional by testing the keyboard on another PC and testing other USB devices on this PC.
2. Windows Safe Mode:
   • Boot into Safe Mode to see if the keyboard functions there. If it works, it’s highly likely a software (driver or service) issue in your regular Windows environment.

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Step 1: Update or Roll Back Drivers​

1. Manually Update the Driver:
   • In Device Manager, right-click "HID Keyboard Device" and select Update Driver → "Search automatically for updated drivers."
   • Alternatively, choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and check Windows' internal folder (C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore).
2. Force Older Driver Versions:
   • Go to the keyboard manufacturer's website (or your motherboard manufacturer) and download any driver available for your model or chipset.
   • Manually install the driver by selecting "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer."
3. Roll Back:
   • Right-click the keyboard in Device Manager and choose Properties. If the Rollback Driver option is available under the Drivers tab, give it a shot.

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Step 2: Clear Corrupt Drivers​

Using the Command Line:

1. Disconnect your keyboard.
2. Open Command Prompt as Admin.
3. Execute the following commands:
   

    pnputil /enum-drivers

   Look for a driver related to HID/keyboard. If it appears problematic (e.g., repetitive or mismatched versions), you can uninstall it:
   

    pnputil /delete-driver oemXX.inf /uninstall

   Replace oemXX.inf with the actual identifier of the driver.
4. Reconnect the keyboard and let Windows attempt a clean reinstall.

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Step 3: Install or Reconfigure USB Host Drivers​

1. Check the Universal Serial Bus controllers section in Device Manager.
2. Right-click on USB Root Hub entries and uninstall them.
3. Reboot your PC to let Windows automatically reinstall USB drivers.
4. This might reset the HID detection mechanism.

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Step 4: Disable Power Management​

1. In Device Manager:
   • Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
   • For each USB Root Hub, go to Properties → Power Management tab → Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
2. Repeat this for all HID Keyboard Devices in the Keyboards section.

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Step 5: Check Windows Services​

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Locate Human Interface Device Service.
3. Ensure the service is running and its Startup Type is set to Automatic.
4. Restart the service if necessary.

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Step 6: Registry Fix​

Caution: Be careful with registry changes.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to:
   

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class

3. Find the key {4D36E96B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} (this corresponds to keyboards).
4. In the right pane, check for and delete the following values if they exist:
   • UpperFilters
   • LowerFilters
5. Restart the PC.

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Step 7: Windows Update and Check for Corruption​

1. Run Windows Update to install any optional or keyboard-related updates.
2. Check for system file corruption:
   • Open Command Prompt as Admin.
   • Run the following commands:
     

      sfc /scannow
     dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

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Advanced Step: BIOS/UEFI Settings​

Since the keyboard works in BIOS but not in Windows, ensure the following:

1. USB-related options like Legacy USB Support and XHCI Hand-off are enabled in the BIOS.
2. Update the motherboard's BIOS or firmware to the latest version if applicable.

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Last Resort: Perform a Windows Repair​

1. Create a bootable installation media for Windows 11 (using Microsoft Media Creation Tool).
2. Boot the system using the installation media and select Repair your computer.
3. Choose Startup Repair or System Restore (if a restore point is available).

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Let me know the results of these steps or if you'd like me to clarify any specific suggestions. There’s no problem too weird if we break it down methodically!

 

[EliYa3225]

nothing worked

 

[ChatGPT]

Alright, it's time to escalate things! Considering that none of the previous steps resolved the issue, we're likely dealing with either deeper system corruption or an obscure conflict within Windows itself. Let's explore more advanced troubleshooting techniques:

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Step A: Isolating the Issue with a Fresh User Profile​

1. Create a New User Account:
   • Press Windows + I to open Settings → Accounts → Family & other users.
   • Click Add account → I don’t have this person’s sign-in information → Choose Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   • Create credentials and log in as the new user.
2. Check if the keyboard works correctly in this environment. If it does, the issue might be related to a specific configuration in your primary profile. Migrating to this new account (and copying user data) may solve the problem.

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Step B: Check for Conflicting Software​

Some third-party drivers or software might corrupt HID functionality. Take a look at these:

1. Uninstall Potential Culprits:
   Common offenders include:
   • Gaming software like Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse, SteelSeries Engine.
   • USB utility tools or drivers from utilities like Driver Booster or third-party driver managers.
2. Clean Boot Mode:
   • Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and hit Enter.
   • Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
   • Go to the Startup tab in Task Manager and disable all items.
   • Restart the computer and verify if the keyboard works. If it does, re-enable startup programs one at a time to locate the problematic service.

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Step C: Reset HID Stack​

Forcing the HID subsystem to reset can eliminate low-level conflicts.

1. Restore the HID Service and Dependencies:
   • Open Command Prompt as Admin, and execute:
     

      sc config hidserv start= auto
     net start hidserv

   • Reboot your system.
2. Clear the Plug-and-Play ENUM Database:
   WARNING: This forces Windows to reinitialize connected devices.
   • Open Registry Editor (regedit).
   • Navigate to:
     

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB

   • Backup the registry key (File > Export).
   • Right-click the USB key and delete entries related to previous keyboards (check by their VID or PID, if known). Reboot. Windows will reinstall drivers upon device reconnection.

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Step D: Perform an In-Place Upgrade Repair of Windows​

This will repair your system files while keeping your programs and data intact.

1. Prepare Installation Media:
   • Use the Media Creation Tool to create a Windows 11 bootable USB/DVD.
   • Run Setup.exe from within Windows (not by booting from the USB).
   • Choose Upgrade this PC now and select Keep personal files and apps when prompted.
2. Let the repair complete. Test again once you're back in Windows.

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BONUS CHECK: Investigate BIOS Versus Windows​

Given the keyboard works in BIOS:

1. Revisit BIOS/UEFI Settings.
   • Check for a setting related to Windows keyboard wake-up or USB support override. Try toggling these settings.
   • If new firmware is available for your motherboard, update it.
2. Test Another Bootable OS:
   • Create a bootable Linux drive using tools like Rufus. Boot from this USB and see if your keyboard works. If it does, the issue 100% stems from your Windows installation/configuration.

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Detection Hypothesis: Rootkits or USB Conflicts​

If there’s been no improvement at this stage, there’s a slim possibility of rootkits, malware, or deep USB driver conflicts. Consider:

1. Running a scan for malware using tools like Malwarebytes or ESET Rescue Disk.
2. Investigating USB port firmware against hardware damage (rare, but theoretically possible).

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Last-Ditch Option: Clean Install​

If every method fails (including in-place upgrade), a clean installation of Windows 11 should fix this. Back up your data and start fresh.

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Let me know how you'd like to proceed or if you'd prefer further elaboration on any of these strategies. You're in the home stretch—this problem will lose before you do!