Symptoms:
No keys work apart from F1, F7, F12 function keys such as keyboard brightness, touchpad enable/disable.
Keyboard RGB works okay and might be adjustable.
VERY occasionally it may function but most of the time it is dead.
The fault is down to the USB data lines not going low when the bus is idle. The keyboard connects over USB, so the issue on the USB data bus causes it to stop functioning.
The fix is to fit a 1K resistor to the daughterboard that the keyboard + trackpad connect to. The daughterboard is located beneath the battery. The resistor is fitted adjacent to the ITE controller. It presumedly pulls down the faulty data line so it is regulated correctly.
Step 1: Remove back cover of the laptop.
Step 2: Remove battery completely from laptop. If the laptop is facing up, the daughterboard is located in the bottom left - a small square maybe 3 x 3 inches, with a black plastic film covering it.
Step 3: Disconnect all flex cables, and remove the 2-3 screws holding it down. Remove the plastic film covering it.
Step 4: Fit a 1K Resistor between the two pads shown in the images below.
Step 5: Reassemble, and enjoy your functioning keyboard again.
Before:
After:
After fitting this 1K resistor the keyboard functions correctly now, and a number of users have confirmed this to be the case.
All credit to "mbzzz" on Dell forums for this discovery and solution.
No keys work apart from F1, F7, F12 function keys such as keyboard brightness, touchpad enable/disable.
Keyboard RGB works okay and might be adjustable.
VERY occasionally it may function but most of the time it is dead.
The fault is down to the USB data lines not going low when the bus is idle. The keyboard connects over USB, so the issue on the USB data bus causes it to stop functioning.
The fix is to fit a 1K resistor to the daughterboard that the keyboard + trackpad connect to. The daughterboard is located beneath the battery. The resistor is fitted adjacent to the ITE controller. It presumedly pulls down the faulty data line so it is regulated correctly.
Step 1: Remove back cover of the laptop.
Step 2: Remove battery completely from laptop. If the laptop is facing up, the daughterboard is located in the bottom left - a small square maybe 3 x 3 inches, with a black plastic film covering it.
Step 3: Disconnect all flex cables, and remove the 2-3 screws holding it down. Remove the plastic film covering it.
Step 4: Fit a 1K Resistor between the two pads shown in the images below.
Step 5: Reassemble, and enjoy your functioning keyboard again.
Before:
After:
After fitting this 1K resistor the keyboard functions correctly now, and a number of users have confirmed this to be the case.
All credit to "mbzzz" on Dell forums for this discovery and solution.
