I have a Dell laptop and I think I hit some combination of keys that turned off the keyboard. I ran the diagnostic in XP and it says they keyboard is working but I can't type on it.

It shut off right after I accidentally rolled my hand over the left side of the keyboard where the alt, Fn and cntl keys are...

Anyone know the keys to hit to reactivate it?

If this is a software problem and not a failure of the hardware (keyboard), then it is probably a "FN" key combination (Function).

See this page You didn't mention the model of Dell Laptop that you have, so I just picked a model at random. You can navigate to your specific model from the linked page, or log-in under your own identify here.

If the problem is not a FN key problem, try the following procedure in Safe Mode. At Boot-up, repeatedly press and release the f8 key until you see the Windows Start Menu. Choose Safe Mode from the list. If the keyboard will not work to do this, then I believe there is a hardware failure that will require replacing the keyboard with a new one.

If the problem is not a FN key problem, then you can try removing the software for the keyboard in the Hardware Device Manager tool and restarting your computer. The system should automatically detect the new Hardware (keyboard in this case) and reinstall the driver for the keyboard. This might fix the problem if the original driver file has become damaged or corrupted.

You can access the Hardware Device Manager by right clicking on the "My Computer" icon. Then go to Hardware and "Device Manager". Depending on which Operating System you're running, you can either click the + sign to the left of the "Keyboard" entry, or right click on it and choose "Properties". Select the keyboard entry and click the "Remove" button. Restart the computer.

I hope something here will help!

P.S. I just remembered, some time ago I saw a system that had a similar keyboard failure. It turned out to be a stuck Ctrl key. Pressing and releasing both the left and right Ctrl keys freed it and the system then worked correctly.

Dwight

Hmmm... none of those things seem to have worked.

I will continue to hunt and see if I can find something.

This may unjam something?
Have you tried if the ALT -CTRL-Delete key sequence (to reset) works on that side of the keyboard?
Or the Windows key on that side to bring up the Start menu?
The reset method is the better of the 2 as you always press the keys firmly to make the stop message appear
Ps can you remember if the FN And/OR the F1 keys bring up the Help window? (I'm trying to eliminate all possibilities)
Try also CTRL plus these letters (some only work when online)A D E F G
Any results then the keys are Working
I am not familiar with the FN key It's only a shifted F Key? such as F1 to F12 on a desktop Keyboard?

well... nothing on the keyboard seems to work at all. I hit every key and nothing happens. It still says that the keyboard is "working properly".

It's an INspiron 2650.

I swear I hit some combination of keys that just caused it to stop working. I can't find anything useful in tech support though. Gonna give up for now... thanks for the help though!

"Working properly" means there is no stuck circuit as far as the connector which links the Keyboard to the Mainboard
My guess is the link has moved so you are not getting any juice to the keys
This means that somebody will have to open the case up and push the connector into the socket!
Cause of the problem? The case got jolted and the connector had been assembled loosely, thus moving at the first big bump? hence no keystrokes!
I think its impossible to crash a computer in the manner you describe unless the wiring was perished under the keyboard and then you'd still have some keys working
And think, where do ALL the wires meet at a common place? The keyboard connector link (Which is the obvious weak link! )

I am new at this…

I found your discussionKeyboard Problems by doing a google search for problems with the Inspiron 2650 and the keyboard not working. I was wondering what aminator2002 did to correct the problem.

I was hoping because the post was dated over a year ago that it might have been resolved.

I have the same laptop Dell Inspiron 2650, and as I was playing a computer game my keyboard just up and quit in the middle of it. I have to plug an external one in to finish the game. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling and every Fn and key combo you have listed here. I will be taking the laptop apart today but I thought that you might have an answer for me. It won’t even work to get into the BIOS settings or to get me to the Safe Mode screen.

Thank-you

Leah

Hi Leah
First off have you tried just resetting off the Reset button or just clicked the On/ Off switch and seen if anything happens when it restarts? (such as an odd bleeping sound) or does is go to the Bios screen without the memory check running? (I had this the other day)
Cause was a Memory board failure plus my browser not running properly
Had to reset several times to get onto a login screen
And I had to swap around the Ram Chips until I found a combination that worked (Bad news if
you only have 1 chip installed ) Worth splashing out for a Memory upgrade(quite cheap) and you have a safety net to fall back on if the computer suffers a Memory board Failure

Back to yours...If you are running Anything other then Windows XP the Operating system often locks the Keyboard without warning though Microsoft had to wait until XP to Improve the issue (Still there but happens perhaps once per week) The other OS's all would go POP several times per week without warning especially when using Instant Messenging

And I forgot to say Welcome to Answerpool

The other member has posted 100's of replies since this posting was made.
And We don't mind in the least by you adding to this old post to freshen it. Have just seen another been brought up from 2002 (when this site was starting out)
Only thing we frown on is People bumping their own Postings to get our attention (Against site rules)

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the possibility of the keyboard internal cable becoming unattached. That is what happened to my Dell laptop. I had to remove the screws from the bottom of the laptop to loosen the casing and then lifted the keyboard out. There is a cable that attaches to the hard-drive and fits in to the underside of the keyboard. Chances are it either got yanked out, has a loose connection, or bent prongs.

My keyboard just magically started working again about 3 months after this post. Not sure what was wrong with it, but it's worked for awhile now without any problem. I cleaned the keyboard, banged on the keyboard, hit every key combination... nothing worked. I suspect it was something like what Georgia mentioned.

One day I just decided to give the keyboard a try again and to my surprise it was working. No real explanation... sorry.

My best recommendation is to try banging because at least it gets frustration out.

I have always used the PUSH theory on anything electronic, and it works far more often than not.

The PUSH Theory

Pick Up Shake Hard

quote:

Originally posted by DorianGreyed:
I have always used the PUSH theory on anything electronic, and it works far more often than not.

The PUSH Theory

Pick Up Shake Hard

LOL
My Dad did that with a malfunctioning TV ...It went Bang!(Massive short circuit) Still connected up to the Power

Seriously I expect it was a damp build-up inside the casing(keyboard membrane?) that caused the malfunction , and being stored in the dry air has dried up over time restoring the connection
Still worth looking inside and wrapping some tape (thin paper tape is OK) around the keyboard lead and plug joint to prevent moisture getting onto the Pins
And Keep it stored in a warm place

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bedstor,

I didn't say that there wouldn't be occasional drawbacks.

And Dorian? Ever pushed a button so hard it has fell into the innards (I've done this several times!) Awkward to retrieve especially if its on a vehicle dashboard

It's even harder while driving said vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by aminator2002:


My best recommendation is to try banging because at least it gets frustration out.

I thought I saw you testing your keyboard out mildly Frustrating isn't it?

Thank you all for your suggestions

Just to let you know all the PUSH theory got me was a cleared screen (etch-a-sketch).

When I did get it apart and pulled out the keyboard used a high powered dust blower thingy cleaned it all out connected it again and voila.. it worked...

Just wanted to say thanks for all the help.

You were right Georgia85

Thanks all

he he he PUSH theary ha ha
thats great i love it. i needed to laugh today thanx ive got to remember that one

The latest update on the PUSH theory as it is applied to the Dell Inspiron 2650 keyboard failure:

A few hours ago I had the same keyboard failure on my 2650, exactly as described by Aminator2002 and Leah. I wasn't playing though; I was typing something in a text editor when the keyboard suddenly decided to call it a day. And I could swear that I accidentally hit some combination including the "Fn". After successfully using the PUSH theory to resurrect the keyboard, I'm not that sure that I really hit any "magic combination" -- this may as well be my mind just trying to find a logical explanation to an absurd situation. But let's not jump to the end of story and tell it in chronological order.

1) So, the keyboard died, I got upset (especially because I had work to do), called my laptop a "goddamn piece of crap", and set off to fix it.

2) Believe it or not, I actually called to the Dell Support center and had a nice little chat with a guy with a heavy Indian accent who tried to sell me some completely idiotic recipes, which attested ether to the level of his incompetence or his beliefs in the general customer stupidity. It was obvious even for me with my less-than-basic knowledge of computers that none of these would work, so I asked him: "Honestly, you probably have no idea how to fix it?" And he promptly replied: "It's probably a hardware failure." Which was a polite form of saying "Bugger off!” because if it's a hardware glitch, then... you get the idea. So, I hanged up on him.

3) Next step was the dreaded Windows help and hardware troubleshooting. As it could have been anticipated, it advised to remove the keyboard driver and restart. I had serious doubts about it because if it doesn’t work at boot time (F2-to enter the BIOS setup prior to starting up Windows), why should the driver reinstallation work?

4) A Google search for “Dell 2650 keyboard failure” returned this discussion board among other links, and the simplicity of the PUSH theory was so appealing (remember the Occam’s razor, eh?) that I decided to give it a whirl. I shot down the laptop, disconnected cables, and tossed it in the air spinning it at the same time to give some angular momentum as well
Although I was tempted to let it crash (and get rid of the goddamn-piece-of-**** for good), I did catch it, and then shook it gently. After that, I started it up, and (surprise-surprise!) the keyboard was back to life.

So, the PUSH theory was confirmed once again, so was the fact that the quality of Dell laptops is… well, they are crap, basically

One good thing came out of it though --- I made a backup of my HD (just n case), the thing I ignored for too long. Next time it try to pull something like this on me, I’ll simply throw it away, and I’m sure I’ll make me much happier. Thanks to everyone for suggestions.

And oddly enough, my keyboard has worked perfectly since 2005.