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The keyboard lights are off what to do. What to do if the buttons on the keyboard do not work

Doors, windows

Fortunately, at the moment, the keyboard is such a popular device that you can even buy it in a regular supermarket, not to mention specialized stores. Despite the simplicity of this gadget, problems and malfunctions can arise with it. One of the more well-known problems goes something like this: "The keyboard has stopped working." that's just stopped and that's it. Today I will talk about why this can happen and how you can deal with the problem. It should also be added that in this case we will talk about a computer keyboard, and I will sit down on a laptop keyboard next time, since there is a very big difference between them.

Causes of problems and solutions

Where should you start? First of all, you shouldn't panic. Yes, that's right, because in 90% of cases your problem is very easy to solve.

  • If you have a pet that loves to climb everywhere, I recommend that you take a look at the back of the system unit. It is possible that a cat passing by touched the keyboard plug and it simply fell out of the nest.
  • The next possible option is a glitch that occurred in the operating system. For such cases, there are two solutions to the problem. Firstly, unplug the plug for a few seconds and plug it back in, and secondly, you can restart your computer if the first option did not help. After restarting the PC, the device starts working in 90% of cases.
  • If you are using a PS / 2 keyboard, take a close look at the connector itself. The fact is that his legs could be bent, which must be aligned, otherwise he will not work. For this, tweezers (ideally) or something sharp, such as knitting needles, will work for you.
  • Most modern keyboards (like) are connected to a PC based on a modern USB system. It is recommended to change the USB port and check the device is working properly. Ideally, it is better to check its performance on another PC or laptop.
  • It is theoretically possible that the keyboard has ordered a long life, in other words, has fallen into disrepair. However, in practice, this happens very rarely, moreover, often only one or several buttons fail. It's easy to check - connect the device to another computer or laptop.

  • One of the funniest problems associated with entering numbers - users complain that the right side of the gadget, where the numbers are located, does not work. In fact, it connects on demand with the Num Lock button, which is located above the numbers. This is done so that you do not accidentally click on the numbers.
  • Often on the keyboard, in those places where the buttons are located, the rubber band, which is located inside the case, slips. Sometimes various crumbs and other small objects fall on it. To get rid of them, the keyboard must be disassembled and cleaned. By the way, large crumbs can get under one of the keys and it will stop pressing. In this case, it is sufficient to remove only one key, which, fortunately, is very easy to do.
  • If you have a fairly expensive keyboard with a lot of extra buttons, you probably need to install separate drivers. Without them, the keyboard can and will work, but apart from individual buttons. It is necessary to install the drivers for the device, which can be found on the official website of the manufacturer.
  • By the way, about the drivers. In some cases, the problem arises not with the keyboard itself, but with the driver that is responsible for its operation. It may have been damaged. This problem can be solved in two ways: either we update the drivers to the latest version, or a few days ago, when the keyboard worked.
  • If you just purchased a computer and have never used it before, try entering BIOS - perhaps keyboard support is disabled. In the BIOS menu, you need to find an item called USB Keyboard Support and translate it from Disabled to Enabled.
  • In case you are using a wireless device (keyboard) that runs on batteries, do not forget to charge it. It probably just ran out of power, and therefore stopped working.
  • Also, users often complain that the keyboard does not work in games or programs. Fortunately, in most cases, fixing this problem is easy. The fact is that, by default, the control is programmed for certain keys, which you can change at your discretion. To do this, you need to go to the game settings. The same fully applies to and.

Finally, let me remind you once again that in most cases you can solve the problem with the keyboard yourself. Well, if she still refused to work, then she will have to spend money on buying a new one, because the repair of this device is usually unjustifiably expensive.

Every PC user sooner or later faces certain problems. Most often they relate to connected devices. For example, with the failure of the keyboard to work. This phenomenon is not very common, but it does occur. Today we will figure out why the computer does not see the keyboard and mouse. What actions need to be taken to restore the functionality of these devices? To what extent is the problem under study dangerous for a PC? After answering all these questions, it will be safe to say that the failure of the keyboard from work will no longer cause trouble!

Device types

First you need to understand that today you can find several types of studied devices. The algorithm for solving the problem will change depending on the type of keyboard.

To date, the following devices are distinguished:

  • USB keyboard (wired);
  • wireless models;
  • with PS / 2 socket.

The first two keyboards are universal. They can be connected to any PC and laptop. The latest device is considered obsolete. It usually connects to stationary computers.

Causes of problems

The computer can't see the keyboard? Why it happens? There are many reasons for this phenomenon. Predicting them is very problematic.

Nevertheless, among the main reasons for the failure under study, there are:

  • missing / damaged drivers;
  • the need to update the keyboard / mouse driver;
  • incompatibility with the OS and other connected devices;
  • mechanical damage to the connectors;
  • keyboard malfunction;
  • damage to the nests;
  • viral infection of the PC.

Driver problems

Let's start with the most common problem - missing, broken or outdated drivers. It is this software that gives users a lot of trouble.

You can check for the presence of a driver through the device manager. To do this, you need to click on the "My Computer" icon with the right mouse button, then select "Properties" - "Device Manager". Now you need to go to the "Keyboards" item and look at the connected devices that appear.

If there are no keyboards in this window, then the PC really does not see them. There are no drivers on the computer. Otherwise, double-click on the line with the connected device and go to the "Drivers" section. To update them, the user will have to click on the corresponding button. To bring the idea to life, you must first connect the Internet.

The computer can't see the keyboard? In this case (if the device is not displayed in the manager), you will need to go to the device manufacturer's website, select the keyboard / mouse model there and download the drivers. Then install them by running the downloaded software package. The problem should go away.

Incompatibility

In some cases, the keyboard is also incompatible. Situations like this are rare, but they do occur. It's no secret that all PC devices have their own system requirements. Inconsistency with them leads to malfunctions of devices. There is a software conflict with a peripheral device and is not recognized.

The incompatibility cannot be eliminated. The maximum is to change the operating system used or replace an incompatible device. This is the only way to get the mouse and keyboard working.

Damage

But that is not all! The computer can't see the keyboard? If the user is sure that the device is compatible with the operating system being used, and there are drivers on the PC, he will have to look for the problem elsewhere. For example, in the device itself.

To avoid damage, the user must:

  • check the integrity of the nests;
  • make sure that the cable (if any) is intact;
  • double-check that the devices are connected correctly.

If any damage is found, you will either have to take the PC and keyboard for repair, or use new connectors for connection, or buy new peripherals. In practice, damage is quite common, but it is not difficult to fix it.

Viruses

The computer can't see the keyboard? It is possible that there are some viruses in the operating system. Not a single user is insured against them.

What to do? Necessary:

  1. Scan your PC for viruses. This requires an antivirus program. You can pay attention to Dr. Web or NOD32.
  2. Scan your computer for spyware. SpyHuter will cope with this task.
  3. Try to cure everything This operation is performed by clicking on the "Cure" button in antivirus software.
  4. Anything that could not be cured must be removed. For this, antivirus and spyware scanners will have separate controls.

Once all the steps listed have been completed, you can restart your PC and watch what is happening. Most likely, the PC will recognize the mouse and keyboard. If this does not happen, it is recommended to reinstall / update the drivers.

About connection

Many are wondering, This is in most cases easier than it seems. Especially when it comes to wired models.

All actions must be performed with the PC turned off. Next, the user just needs to take a wire from the keyboard and connect it to the appropriate connector. For example, a USB keyboard needs to be connected to a USB jack. It is very convenient! The same should be done with devices of the PS / 2 type.

You will have to act somewhat differently when it comes to wireless devices. In this case, many people think about how to customize the keyboard. Usually, these devices do not require additional configuration, they start working immediately after installing the drivers.

The connection goes like this:

  1. Insert the battery (batteries) into the device.
  2. Connect special receivers to the PC. They need to be connected to the USB connector.
  3. Flip the switch on the keyboard to the "On" position.
  4. Turn on the computer. Activate Bluetooth on it.
  5. Wait for the devices to sync.

That's all. Now it is clear how on a computer with a wireless connection. Everything is much simpler than it seems.

conclusions

We figured out why the computer does not see the keyboard. It is worth noting that there are many options for the development of events. Most of them come down to either buying a new device or reinstalling drivers. In only a few cases, a keyboard failure is a sign of a serious problem.

Every device has its own lifespan. And it must be taken into account when connecting to a PC. Typically, keyboards wear out with active use 5 years after they were purchased.

Mostly users of old OS and new devices face software incompatibility with the device. Also, a similar problem now occurs on Windows 10 computers.

On a computer, few people will envy. And, as often happens, such troubles most often happen exactly when the submission of reports is "burning", a set is performed during the battle for the fate of the world in the next computer game, etc.

On the other hand, the question “why the keyboard does not work on the computer” is not often asked, since with the beginning of the “USB era” many “childhood diseases” in this area of ​​computing devices have become a thing of the past. In light of this, the breakdown of the keyboard is a reason for a kind of pride in their "luck".

Connection

All modern keyboards use a USB serial bus interface to connect to the motherboard. It has a number of advantages over the discontinued PS \ 2 standard, among which the possibility of "hot swapping" can be especially noted. That is, the user can theoretically connect and disconnect the corresponding free connector when the system unit is turned on. And many people use it, especially the owners of portable computers. In this case, there are two negative points. First, it was noticed that frequent switching of the device leads to the fact that the spring-loaded contacts in the plug lose their elasticity, as a result of which the performance is disrupted (the power or data line disappears).

Unsurprisingly, this is followed by the question "why is the keyboard not working on the computer." Thus, with frequent connection, the plug will wear out and need to be replaced. Secondly, sometimes when hot-swapping the device, it failed, so this feature should not be abused. To check the contacts, you need to disconnect the keyboard plug and carefully reconnect it, gently shaking it in the connector. Sometimes the contacts can be returned with a needle to their previous spring-loaded state.

Electrical problems

Like any other USB device, the keyboard is powered directly from the port. And since the features of the internal implementation of the bus are such that several connectors are connected to one control microcircuit at once, then when powerful devices (with a current of 500 mA) are turned on, their performance is not guaranteed. The solution is simple: if the question arose "why the keyboard on the computer does not work", then you need to disconnect all USB devices, except for the most necessary ones, and check the functionality.

With a large number of simultaneously used USB peripherals, you need to use an intermediate splitter with an external source. Also, quite often the problem with USB is observed in old computers and laptops, power supplies and other elements of which have exhausted their resource and do not give out the required voltages. The solution is similar to the above. And, of course, do not forget that the malfunction may be in the connector itself: to check, you need to connect the plug to another USB port.

Software glitch

Modern operating systems use a driver control program to interact with the keyboard. Sometimes it stops working correctly. As a result, the user cannot understand why the keyboard on the computer does not work. You need to use the mouse to go to the "Device Manager" and try to update the driver in the "Keyboards" item. If it does not help, then you need to remove the device using the appropriate command and reconnect the keyboard to the computer - the Plug & Play mechanism should work.

An incident of settings

In modern BIOS motherboards there is an item that allows you to abandon the use of USB by setting the Disable mode. If for some reason this happened, then you need to find an old PS / 2 keyboard, use it to go into BIOS (Del button immediately after turning on the power) and enable USB. Another option is to reset the settings to their initial state by closing the corresponding Clear CMOS jumper on the board (its exact location is indicated in the instructions). Beginners sometimes face the fact that the keyboard on the right does not work. This can be caused by accidentally pressing the NumLock button to toggle between the modes of the right number pad. If the indicator of the same name is on, then it is necessary to switch it to another state by pressing the button again.

It often happens that you are getting ready to do some important work, and then bam - and the keyboard on the computer does not work. What to do in this case? How to deal with this problem? It will not be difficult to understand this and find solutions. This article will address a question that often arises from novice home PC users or already experienced professionals. Yes, it's all about the keyboard - it works, then it doesn't, but the work needs to be done. There can be many reasons for such problems, and most of them can be solved by the user himself, without leaving his workplace. The question of buying a new device can be postponed until the resource of the existing "capricious" girlfriend is completely exhausted. In addition to attention and the ability to correctly perform actions, special skills from the user in the process of solving the problem will not be required. For any model of any manufacturer of a computer keyboard, the reasons for refusal to work and the ways of their qualitative elimination in a short time will be given.

Possible reasons for the inoperability of the device

Using the method of the legendary Sherlock Holmes - the method of "deduction" - you can determine what is broken or what prevents the keyboard from doing its work. Factors of such problems include:

  • human, that is, the breakdown is caused by the actions of the user himself;
  • iron, in other words, equipment failure;
  • software - violation of settings and necessary programs and their complexes.

To understand why the keyboard on the computer does not work, what to do in this case, you can study and sort out the possible reasons. Based on the selected factors, the following situations can be the reasons for device malfunctions:

1. If the user by his own actions or inaction has led to problems in working with the keyboard:

  • the integrity of the connection ports of the device is violated, or its cable is broken (transmitted);
  • Moisture entering the input device due to a spilled cup of tea, coffee, or direct rain from outside;
  • Excessive contamination of the internal parts of the keyboard with dust, animal hair, food crumbs and other debris.

2. If the problem is in the equipment itself:

  • the keyboard was not originally working;
  • the electronic component of the keyboard or its individual elements are out of order and require the intervention of service center specialists;
  • short circuit or power surge, caused by both problems with other elements of the iron part of the computer (power supply, motherboard), and failures in the centralized electrical network.

3. The main reasons for software failures in the keyboard are:

  • failure of device drivers;
  • the main settings of the motherboard (BIOS) have flown;
  • disabled for some reason in the operating system itself.

In more detail, all the reasons given and options for their solution are discussed further.

Broken cable or port

How to find out if there is a given reason for why the keyboard on the computer does not work, what to do if confirmation of this particular problem is found? You can answer this question after a certain simple diagnosis has been carried out. To do this, the user needs to do the following.

1. To check the integrity of the cable:

  • Look at the indication on the keyboard itself and try to turn on / off the "Caps Lok" and "Nam Lok" buttons. If the LEDs are on, then the cable is most likely not the cause.
  • If the LEDs are off, connect the keyboard to another free port (YUSB or PS / 2, depending on the type of device). LEDs lit up - reason found. The problem is a broken port.

2. How to check the keyboard connection port for operability:

  • Take any other device with the same type of connection and try to connect it to this port - if it works, then it’s not the port, but the keyboard cable or its electronic component.
  • If the other device does not work, then you need to recheck the settings of the motherboard (BIOS) for the disconnected power for the specified port.

After such a check, there should be a result that gives an understanding of what is broken, or makes it possible to understand that the problem is not in the cable and keyboard port. Elimination of the problem of a broken cable or port is possible only with the help of professionals in the centers for the repair of computer and office equipment.

Defective device

Although this is rather funny, there are times when the user tries to connect a "dead" keyboard and is very nervous that it does not work. This happens out of forgetfulness and out of ignorance. Anyway, after going through all the points of the analysis, you can easily figure everything out.

Just a little bit spilled

How to understand why the keyboard on the computer does not work, what should I do? But at the same time peaks and blinks lights (or just beeps)? In this case, a common cause of the problem is the ingress of liquid into the device: tea, coffee, drinks or just water. All of this liquid is conductive, and therefore leads to a short circuit, which can cause burnout of the sensitive electronic elements of the keyboard itself or the port controllers on the motherboard.

In order not to buy a new device, the user can carefully disassemble the keyboard and dry all the elements. With a probability of 50 percent, he can be expected to be successful that the girlfriend "comes to life."

Trash woke up, or Oh, these cats

Eating food in the workplace as well as having pets with hair is very bad for a PC's input device. And then the question arises: "The keyboard does not work on the computer, what should I do in this case?" The answer is simple - just like with a liquid-filled device, it is necessary to completely clean its interior. If you are lucky, the lumps and bundles of dirt did not have time to short-circuit the elements, and then everything will work again.

Factory marriage, or Time takes its toll

The keyboard as an electronic technique can be assembled with defects, leading to its early failure. In this case, it is necessary to send it to the manufacturer's service center for repair. If the warranty period has already expired, then you need to compare the prices for repairs in paid workshops and a new keyboard, choosing the best solution for yourself. You can identify such problems in a way similar to diagnosing the device cable and connection port.

Power surge, or computer electrical failure

If the keyboard on the computer does not work in this case, what should I do? When loading, you need to pay attention to how the computer itself behaves: everything goes as usual, or the launch happens (does not happen) with a failure. The result of a PC startup failure may be a voltage surge in the electrical network or a failure of the power supply, which, in turn, can affect both the operation of the keyboard and the performance of the entire computer device as a whole. To determine the malfunction of the keyboard, in this case, you need to connect it to another computer and test it.

Drivers flew

None of the above worked. The keyboard on the computer does not work, what should I do? Windows 7 Genius sees keyboards well and, if possible, picks up drivers for them. But it happens that a device from another company or with special multimedia capabilities, then their separate installation is required. If suddenly such a keyboard stopped working, it is possible that the drivers for it simply flew off. It's easy to check in the "Device Manager" - if the keyboard has a yellow question mark icon, then these are the drivers.

BIOS lost settings

If the keyboard on the computer does not work, what should I do? Windows 8, like other earlier versions of the OS, stubbornly refuses to connect the device. In this case, you need to restart the computer and look into the settings of the motherboard (BIOS) by pressing "Divide" or "F2" (for some computer devices) at startup. Among the table settings, you should first compare the date and time with the real one (if it shows a very old one, then you may need to replace the battery on the motherboard), and then find the line indicating the power supply to the ports (YUSB or PS / 2). If disabled, enable. You can also simply reset the settings to factory defaults by selecting them from the menu provided.

Antivirus, or OS protection programs

It happens that the keyboard on the computer does not work, what should I do? But the virus picks up and at the same time gives a message about the found Trojan or malware. In this case, most likely, the drivers or the keyboard key control program were mistaken for a virus, which led to the blocking of the device's access to the operating system and, accordingly, to its inoperability. Here you will need to create an exclusion rule for the antivirus in its settings, indicating to it the path to find the installed drivers or programs.

It also happens that the keyboard on the computer does not work, what should I do? The virus can infect the drivers and device management programs themselves, and therefore you cannot create an exclusion rule. First, you need to reinstall the damaged files, and then conduct a full scan of your computer for malware.

The problem when the keyboard does not work on a computer or laptop is not uncommon. This situation is faced by both beginners and experienced users who have been working at a computer for more than one year. Let's see how you can find a solution to the problem when the keyboard stops working, keys stick or does not respond to pressing.

What could be the reasons for the breakdown and their solutions

I decided to write an article in the form of points so that you can go through them and find out why the keyboard does not work.

The blog has information when the keyboard in the laptop refused to work: "".

  1. Novice users usually immediately rush into panic and forget about the most commonplace things. The very first thing to check if the keyboard is connected to the system unit (directly to the motherboard).

  1. Disconnect the keyboard for a while (5-10 seconds) and reconnect it.
  1. If your keyboard suddenly stops working, try restarting your computer. Sometimes restarting Windows helps.
  1. It is now very popular to use wireless keyboards and mice. If you have used wired keyboards before, but at the moment you have a wireless one, then I remind you that the batteries are running low and you need to recharge them from time to time.

  1. All modern keyboards are connected through a special connector called a USB port. If there is a free USB port, try plugging your keyboard into it. In the event that all ports are busy, unplug the printer or any other device to test the USB port for operability by connecting a keyboard there.
  1. If you have children at home, then it makes sense to check for unnecessary items, in the connector or in the system unit (motherboard) itself. Once I witnessed a situation when there was paper or gum in the USB port, and therefore the keyboard stopped working.
  1. It is possible that the keyboard has already worked its way. To check if you have it working, you can go to your neighbors with a request to connect your keyboard to their computer. If the keyboard works, then something is related to your computer. Perhaps you have a spare keyboard, then plug it in to your computer.
  1. If the keyboard does not print only partially, you may not be able to type the numbers that are on the right side of the keyboard. If so, then press the "Num Lock" button.

  1. What should I do, the keyboard does not work, but you have already done all the above methods? If you have an old-style keyboard called PS / 2 (write in half), then pay attention to the legs. They can be bent or one of the legs is completely absent. These legs can bend when connecting the device in a hurry, they do not bend by themselves. If there are no legs, then you will have to change the keyboard, if it is curved, then you can correct it with improvised means, for example, with a screwdriver or a knife.

For the future, you should know that the purple connector is designated as the keyboard, and the green is the mouse.

  1. If there are crumbs of food in the keyboard, or you simply dropped it or hit it, then it makes sense to disassemble it. If you use the keyboard for a long time or if you hit it, the rubber band inside may slip. When you disassemble the keyboard, you need to tweak and clean the gum if necessary.

Wipe the rubber band with a dry cloth, and the keyboard itself can be wiped with a damp cloth.

When disassembling the keyboard, it is important for novice users to remember where all the keys were. In order not to get confused in the location of the keys, you can find a photo on the Internet that will be identical to your keyboard. Also, when parsing, you can put the keys on the table in the order they were, or take a photo with your cell phone.

  1. If the USB keyboard does not work, then you can look in the BIOS to see if it is disabled. But there is one caveat, in order to enter the BIOS we need a keyboard that will work on this computer. There is an exit. You need to get a PS / 2 keyboard or a USB to PS / 2 adapter. By connecting PS / 2, you can now work with the keyboard. Go to BIOS and switch USB Keyboard Support to Enabled. We also see that the USB Controller is Enabled.

  1. Another reason for the failure of the keyboard is, perhaps the driver stopped working on the computer, which is responsible for the correct functioning of the keyboard. In such a situation, there are a number of steps you can take to try and fix the problem yourself.

First, you can do a system restore or roll it back to the date when the keyboard worked normally. Stretch your memory to remember the approximate date;).

Second, try updating your keyboard driver. To do this, go to the "Device Manager" and find our keyboard. Right-click and select "Update drivers ..."

  1. If when buying a keyboard it came with a CD with drivers, then you need to install them. Remove old drivers before installation.

When the keyboard does not work: what to do and how to find out the cause, you now know. Just in case, go over all the points, you may have missed some of them.

Keys don't work in a program or game

Users who like to play games sometimes face a problem when some part of the keys does not work.

If the keyboard works, but after entering the program or any game, some keys refuse to work. In this case, it will be appropriate to first look at the assignment of the keys. If you are not satisfied with how they are displayed, then look for their setting in the game itself. In some games, all changes need to be saved, so do not forget about it.

Usually all hotkeys in programs are the same, but there are exceptions. To change them, find the key setting in the program itself. Change the part of the hotkeys that does not suit you to the ones you are used to.

If your keyboard does not work, and you tried everything that I told you here, then you can buy the most ordinary keyboard, since their cost is not great.

Do you like to eat over your laptop? Then this video is for you: