Keyboard not working (driver issue)

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.

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.

Step 2: Clear Corrupt Drivers​

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

    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:
   
   Code:

    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.

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.

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.

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.

Step 6: Registry Fix​

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

    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.

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:
     
     Code:

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

Advanced Step: BIOS/UEFI Settings​

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.

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).