Acer Switch SW512-52: Keyboard stopped working. Attaching it, PC goes to tablet(!) mode

stefan444

Keyboard stopped working a few weeks ago.

Obviously the system detects when keyboard is attached or detached, as an icon shows up for a few seconds.

However, in both cases (detaching ans attaching!) it is the tablet mode icon that is displayed.

So even with keyboard attached, neither keyboard nor touchpad are working.

I took following steps to fix (from various older entries in Acer community), nothing helped so far:

1) Updated BIOS to 1.09

2) Updated Intel Kabylake ME drivers

3) Updated Intel Kabylake Virtual Button drivers

all above downloaded from Acer support page for my switch model

In order to enforce a reinstallation, I deinstalled following drivers, then rebooted:

4) HID / GPIO-DockMode-Indikatortreiber

5) HID / GPIO -Laptop/Slate-Indikatortreiber

6) HID / Microsoft Input Configuration Device

I cleaned the Pogo pins at Keyboard connector multiple times.

Now I give up w/o further help.

Using an external keyboard, my Switch is definitely no more a mobile device.

Thanks for any help

Commodore_1995#

Hi! Is there a driver with a problem in the device manager?

stefan444

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1164974#Comment_1164974

yes, there is, and I forgit to mention:

There is an unknown device shown in group "Other Devices", named "Detection Verification"

It shows a yellow sign with exclamation mark.

I did a little search for that, but ranked it low to be part of the problem (maybe my mistake), as the search hits say it is related audio drivers.

Beyond that I did not find any suspect thing in device manager.

Many thanks for for following up!

stefan444

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1165204#Comment_1165204

Hello egydiocoelho,

I found one more, after scanning through all entries (thanks for highlighting):

Message is in german, so I translate it here (pls. expect it is not literally same as english error message):

Icon name in device manager: Unknown USE-Device (Link in SSinactive)

Property window:

Device type: USB Controller

Supplier: (Standard-USB-Hostcontroller)

Memory location: Port_#0002.Hub_#0002

Status: This device was stopped because of an error (Code 43)

The high speed connection to the USB device soon reaches error status "SSinactive".

billsey

The keyboard sits on an internal USB port, and likely that's the hub that handles it.

sri369

@stefan444

Try creating a live usb for say some Linux distribution and boot up to it. And then see if the keyboard is still working or not. If it works, issue can be narrowed down to Windows drivers and could be possibly resolved with a clean installation of Windows.

billsey

It's easier to just boot into the BIOS instead of trying to get a Linux system up and running. I expect the keyboard will work in the BIOS though, since I believe it to be a Windows issue.

sri369

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1166565#Comment_1166565

I am not telling to install Linux. He could have a live USB for linux and boot into it to verify if it works in Linux to isolate if its a Windows only issue. Live booting into Linux wouldn't need linux to be installed.

stefan444

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I do understand the concept of a live USB, and it is a smart idea to get rid of potential Windows and driver influence. However, it would take me a while to get familiar and prepare it, so I tried the approach with starting BIOS setup by pressing F2.

Outcome: No reaction when F2 is pressed during startup, tried multiple times.

I tried the same with external USB keyboard connected and PC shows immediate reaction: Start logo goes blank for a second or two, then BIOS top level menu appears.

So I´d conclude it is clearly a hardware issue 😥 (I did not expect this at all, or maybe was just hoping it is not the case).

Now I am left with the question whether problem is on PC side or keyboard. If I just knew it is the keyboard, I´d buy a new one right away. But without narrowing down to PC versus keyboard, it might be wasted money and time.

Question: Can someone provide me with the pinout of the connector to the keyboard? Leftmost pin shows +3.3V versus all other pins, I´d conclude that supply is likely not the problem.

Thanks for your help and suggestions

sri369

Can you access BIOS? When within BIOS can you use the keyboard? If you can use both keyboards from within BIOS it shouldn't be a hardware issue.

billsey

Does Fn-F2 get you into the BIOS? That's not an uncommon thing for systems with the media type keyboards.

stefan444

I tried the following:

1) boot with ext. keyboard and ext. mouse, F2 brings me to BIOS menu. => I can navigate with the ext. mouse and leave BIOS with ESC on ext. keyboard

2) attached the original keyboard while in BIOS menu: Neither touchpad nor keys work.

3) disconnected hub with ext. keyboard and mouse (keep original keyboard connected from pervious step), still in BIOS menu => mouse pointer disappears. No reaction on touchpad and keys

other experiment:

I rebooted with original keyboard attached, pressing Fn-F2 (instead of just F2) at logo screen => also no effect.

I think I will gamble and buy a new keyboard ...

Commodore_1995#

Maybe it's a problem with the keyboard connector. Have you tried cleaning with isopropyl alcohol?

stefan444

Problem solved!

I bought a new keyboard and I was lucky - everything works now.

Obviously keyboard electronics or wiring is broken. I really did not expect.

Thanks you all so much for your hints. Without, I´d probably got stuck finding a Windows driver problem.

Merry Christmas