Aspire A515-54G the keyboard gone crazy

Hey there my fellow Aspire owners - big problem in paradise, after the latest windows update (two days ago) sadly I discovered that the keyboard gone crazy - more specific, after a reboot or a wake from sleep mode first time when I touch any button but off-button the system commute instantly to the login page, going back on my screen I find opened already the settings window, a my computer window and a run cassette having in " *[\ " text, from this moment the keyboard refuse to give any sign of being active until next reboot or wake from sleep. I've checked if keyboard works when I'm in bios - no signs of being active as well, yet using a wireless external keyboard is working like a charm. I have discovered that, without my knowledge, it was updated my bios, before update I know for sure it was v1.12 and now I have v1.22 (latest one).

Accepted answers

JackE

OK. Thanks.

All comments

JackE

Shut the machne off. Unplug the charger. Insert a paperclip into reset pinhole on bottom for 30 seconds. Plug charger back in. Then turn machine on and immediately start tapping the F2 screen to re-enter the BIOS menu. Press F9 to load defaults. Then F10 to save settings and exit the BIOS menu. Then re-test the keyboard after boot is complete.

William_mk2

Petre01

Since you are facing the problem after an update.

Try window + x . It will show you a menu - go to device manager
Expand keyboard
Right click on keyboard driver - uninstall
Restart the computer.

If it is still not working you can try to do a system restore

Tried windows x - click on command prompt admin or power shell admin
click on yes
type rstrui on the blue or black window
chose the date to restore
click on next , next , finish, yes
Restore the computer to an earlier date on which it was working fine..

Before trying these two steps. Kindly do the power drain test and bios defaults.

Kindly follow the steps given below..

Turn off the laptop. Disconnect or unplug the charger cable, devices or any other cables connected to your laptop. Close your laptop. Turn it upside down. On the bottom of the laptop, you can find a pin hole. It is a tiny hole. You can a find a battery symbol indicator next to the hole. It is like a + and - sign symbol as though somebody is trying to shift the battery out. Insert the pin on to the hole for 30 seconds. Remove the pin. Flip the laptop. Connect the charger cable, turn on the computer. Only on laptops where the battery is inbuilt you can find the battery reset hole on the back of laptop.

If you dont find a pin hole on the back of laptop then you might be using removable battery. There is no need to unscrew anything to remove the battery. Turn off the laptop. Disconnect or unplug the charger cable, devices and any other cables connected to your laptop. Close your laptop. Turn it upside down. On the bottom of the laptop, please look at the top or bottom depending on the way you look at it. You can find a long door. It is a battery removable door. Just below that you can find a latch. If you move the latch you can remove the battery door. Once the battery is removed, flip the laptop. Open the top cover, press and hold the power button for 1 minute. Connect the battery back on the back of computer. Connect the charger cable back and then turn on the computer.

While turning on the computer, tap f2. It will go to bios. Press f9 once. It will show load bios defaults with a yes or no popup. Press enter. Popup screen will disappear. Press f10 once. It will show save changes popup with yes or no. Press enter. Computer will restart and it will load into windows.

Hit 'Like' if you find the answer helpful!
Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

Petre01

Thank you much for answers - none of these solutions were working, it has exactly same symptoms, maybe you know a way in order to reflash somehow the bios

JackE

>>>I've checked if keyboard works when I'm in bios - no signs of being active as well,>>>

Time to take the bottom cover off and try reseating the KB mainboard connector a few times to help clean its contacts.

Easwar

Hi Petre01,

# Try to get the BIOS page.

1. Turn OFF the unit.

2. Press and hold the F2 key and turn on the unit.
3. You will be in setup utility page.
4. Once you got the screen release the F2 key.
5. Tap on F9 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
6. Tap on F10 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
7. Your unit will restart by itself.

Check this T/S and post the result.

Petre01

JackE said:

>>>I've checked if keyboard works when I'm in bios - no signs of being active as well,>>>

Time to take the bottom cover off and try reseating the KB mainboard connector a few times to help clean its contacts.

Did that already, no changes

Easwar said:

Hi Petre01,

# Try to get the BIOS page.
1. Turn OFF the unit.
2. Press and hold the F2 key and turn on the unit.
3. You will be in setup utility page.
4. Once you got the screen release the F2 key.
5. Tap on F9 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
6. Tap on F10 key and hit enter key without changing the option.
7. Your unit will restart by itself.

Check this T/S and post the result.

after I did that every time when reboot I get blue recovery page showing 0xc0000e error (a required device isn't connected or can't be accessed) - getting in bios then f10 let me get back in windows

IMG_20210624_070027.jpg

JackE

>>>I know for sure it was v1.12 and now I have v1.22 >>>

>>>maybe you know a way in order to reflash somehow the bios>>>>

Do you want to try to go back to v1.12? Also has risks of undesireable side effects.

Easwar

Hi Petre01,

Reset this PC and keep my files
1. Shutdown the unit. Press and hold alt+F10 key. Then turn ON the unit.
2. You will get a blue screen. Choose the option troubleshoot.

3 Ways to Reset Acer Laptop to Factory Settings without Password

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3 Ways to Reset Windows 10 Computer to Factory Settings Password Recovery
3. Select Keep my files to refresh your PC and reinstall your operating system without removing your personal files. Click Next to continue. Important If you have apps installed on your PC, they will be removed. Recovery - 25
4. Resetting the PC will reinstall Windows, change settings back to their factory defaults and remove all preinstalled apps and programs without removing your personal files. Click Reset to continue.
5. You will be shown the reset progress on the screen. The screen will turn off during the reset process.
6. The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows. Your PC will restart several times during the reset process.
7. Follow the process until it completes.
8. When your PC has completed the reset process, Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files.

Petre01

Easwar said:

Hi Petre01,

Reset this PC and keep my files
1. Shutdown the unit. Press and hold alt+F10 key. Then turn ON the unit.
2. You will get a blue screen. Choose the option troubleshoot.
3. Select Keep my files to refresh your PC and reinstall your operating system without removing your personal files. Click Next to continue. Important If you have apps installed on your PC, they will be removed. Recovery - 25
4. Resetting the PC will reinstall Windows, change settings back to their factory defaults and remove all preinstalled apps and programs without removing your personal files. Click Reset to continue.
5. You will be shown the reset progress on the screen. The screen will turn off during the reset process.
6. The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows. Your PC will restart several times during the reset process.
7. Follow the process until it completes.
8. When your PC has completed the reset process, Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files.

Hi Easwar, bios cannot see the keyboard

Petre01

JackE said:

>>>I know for sure it was v1.12 and now I have v1.22 >>>
>>>maybe you know a way in order to reflash somehow the bios>>>>

Do you want to try to go back to v1.12? Also has risks of undesireable side effects.

Already I experience undesirable side effects from upgrading (not with my permission), you are right, the fact that bios can be accessed from windows is an abomination, do you have a better solution?

JackE

Do you want to try to go back to 1.12 from 1.22? It might fix the issue but not guaranteed. It is riskier than going to 1.22 from 1.12.

Petre01

JackE said:

Do you want to try to go back to 1.12 from 1.22? It might fix the issue but not guaranteed. It is riskier than going to 1.22 from 1.12.

I have to try something... it is possible as well that by coincidence while updating the keyboard simply got sick, or the keyboard controller from the motherboard got burned. For now I'm trying to find a method (by schematics or by someone's experience) to check if the keyboard is healthy measuring its connector with a common tester (if you can help me for this one it would be great). So, i have to do something, reverting the bios firmware, replacing keyboard or motherboard or simply buying a new laptop, the only thing I want is to make sure that my action is effective

Anyway, if you know best method for flashing BIOS - please send me in details - be sure that will be the last stand I'll use - I know that is very dangerous action

JackE

Download 1.12 and follow these steps. https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/814627/#Comment_814627

Before you try it, be interesting to see responses you get from this test. http://en.key-test.ru/

Petre01

Thank you! once I get back home (monday morning most probably) I'll record the key test

Petre01

JackE said:

Download 1.12 and follow these steps. https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/814627/#Comment_814627

Before you try it, be interesting to see responses you get from this test. http://en.key-test.ru/

Really sorry for delay, I had a really busy week. You had really good idea with the keyboard test, check please the picture attached, that's the result no matter which key I press (excluding of course the power key which seems to work just fine) - so computer thinks always that I press at once four keys, TAB+Windows+Y+Z, what could that mean?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/ba/aoof3fsblmya.jpg

JackE

Not sure yet. Open Control Panel. Search 'restore point'. Click 'create a restore point' in the left pane. Is System Protection turned on in the box that pops up? If it is, click System Restore button. Click next. Do you see an automatic restore point dated on or about June 18th?

Petre01

JackE said:

Not sure yet. Open Control Panel. Search 'restore point'. Click 'create a restore point' in the left pane. Is System Protection turned on in the box that pops up? If it is, click System Restore button. Click next. Do you see an automatic restore point dated on or about June 18th?

I have no restore points - I remind you that the keyboard is not working even when I'm in bios, there are two possible situations, keyboard is physically broken or bios update issue

update - there could be a third situation, keyboard controller chip (motherboard) broken

JackE

Yes, I know, but you also originally suggested that without your knowledge the latest Windows update (June 18th) somehow updated your bios from v1.12 to v1.22 (latest one). This is highly unusual as all the claims I've seen for this kind of Windows update behavior is for BIOS versions that are not yet published on the ACER download site. Also, if there are no restore points, does this mean System Protection was not turned on? Because it's also unusual for the June 18th update restore point to be already deleted after only 2 weeks when no other restore points are apparently taking up any drive space.

I think you should either leave well enough alone with the external keyboard or assume the risks of going back to v1.12 using the method shown in this link. Because at this point I think it's more likely to be a corrupted or buggy v1.22 firmware issue than a keyboard hardware issue especially since you already tried re-seating its mainboard connector.

( 1) Unzip the v1.12 download.
( 2) Run the executable EXE file.
( 3) Keep error message box open.
( 4) Then open FileExplore.
( 5) Search C:\users folder and subfolders for a 'H2O*.EXE' file.
( 6) Copy entire subfolder with the H2O*.EXE file to some other place on the HDD or SSD. Don't forget where you put this copied folder.
( 7) Close error message box in step ( 3).
( 8) Open copied folder from step ( 6)
( 9) Open initialization INI file with notepad.
(10) Edit format section from XN.NN to XN.DD.
(11) Save INI file
(12) Run the executable H2O*.EXE

Petre01

JackE said:

Yes, I know, but you also originally suggested that without your knowledge the latest Windows update (June 18th) somehow updated your bios from v1.12 to v1.22 (latest one). This is highly unusual as all the claims I've seen for this kind of Windows update behavior is for BIOS versions that are not yet published on the ACER download site. Also, if there are no restore points, does this mean System Protection was not turned on? Because it's also unusual for the June 18th update restore point to be already deleted after only 2 weeks when no other restore points are apparently taking up any drive space.

I think you should either leave well enough alone with the external keyboard or assume the risks of going back to v1.12 using the method shown in this link. Because at this point I think it's more likely to be a corrupted or buggy v1.22 firmware issue than a keyboard hardware issue especially since you already tried re-seating its mainboard connector.

( 1) Unzip the v1.12 download.
( 2) Run the executable EXE file.
( 3) Keep error message box open.
( 4) Then open FileExplore.
( 5) Search C:\users folder and subfolders for a 'H2O*.EXE' file.
( 6) Copy entire subfolder with the H2O*.EXE file to some other place on the HDD or SSD. Don't forget where you put this copied folder.
( 7) Close error message box in step ( 3).
( 8) Open copied folder from step ( 6)
( 9) Open initialization INI file with notepad.
(10) Edit format section from XN.NN to XN.DD.
(11) Save INI file
(12) Run the executable H2O*.EXE

My past experiences taught me that reverting to a restore point only apparently heals the problem and the best solution is format/full fresh windows install so that always I turn off this feature, for now I'm going to keep using external keyboard - once I get some spare time I'll do the bios revert, I'll let you know how that worked - thank you much for help!