Some keys randomly work or don't - keyboard issues PH317-51.

EllyElenna
EllyElenna Member Posts: 28 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
edited May 2022 in Predator Laptops
Hello, been posting a lot in the last year about issues I encountered with my laptop, a Predator Helios 300 PH317-51. It's like it was programmed to get defected after running out of warranty. Starting with battery issues, been replacing the original one, but the led for the battery still blinks and the battery stands constantly on 96% even plugged in. When gaming, the led is turning red, but it is charging and is not causing me any issues or battery drains. Strangely, when I drain the battery and put it back to charge, it is turning blue and has no blinking until the next day. 
Now, some days ago, I was playing a video game when suddenly my left SHIFT key stopped working. I looked over the whole internet (videos, articles, etc) and today I just realized when playing, that together with the SHIFT, the keys F1 and F2 are also not working. 
Tried everything, uninstalling the driver, updating it, rebooting my pc, I even opened it and checked the keyboard contacts but nothing seems amiss. Even after turning it back on, the shift was still not working and then after some time, I was writing something in a doc file and it simply started working again. Also, today was randomly working in the game too, until it just stopped completely. Right now is dead, probably after some time, it will come back. 
My W key is also working slightly interrupted. sometimes my character just simply stops from walking even though I'm holding the key pressed. Does this mean my laptop motherboard is somehow dying? or my m2 hard drive? which is the main, though my game runs on an additional SSD. 
Can someone give me some advice, please? I'm running out of ideas and nothing found on the internet seems to work. I even read something about ghosting keys but that is not the case. I disabled sticky keys too and toggles and all that kind of stuff, but I don't know what else I can do. Even writing something is annoying now, cause that shift button is quite handy there.
Thank you in advance!

(Thread was edited to add model name to the title)

Best Answer

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,889 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    >>>Overwritten with blanks, maybe that's why they don't work. Would something like this exist? >>>

    Doubtful. I'm now about ready to replace my own keyboard again apparently due to not being able to remove offending cat hair & crumbs on some of the switches under the key covers. The last time it was primarily my up/down arrow keys and D & R keys. This time it's mainly J & K keys that are intermittent and increasingly not responding. I use this key test site to track the progression of the problem. If I bang on the problem keys often enough they sometimes start responding again for a while. I probably should start using a keyboard protector or SaranWrap again. But they don't feel right when pounding on the keyboard.

    Anyway, a new replacement KB is about $40usd for your gamer. For my workhorse netbook, only $12. Sorry, but replacement is about the only practical way to fix an annoyance like this.



    Jack E/NJ

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,889 Trailblazer
    Use a soft facial blush brush to gently dig under the affected key covers to help loosen hygroscopic debris (eg, food crumbs) that accumulate on and affect operation of the key switch mechanism. Blow air or use canned air to help remove the debris when loosened. Don't dig to aggressively with the brush to avoid popping the keycover off the keyswitches as they can be difficult to get back on. 

    Jack E/NJ

  • EllyElenna
    EllyElenna Member Posts: 28 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    JackE said:
    Use a soft facial blush brush to gently dig under the affected key covers to help loosen hygroscopic debris (eg, food crumbs) that accumulate on and affect operation of the key switch mechanism. Blow air or use canned air to help remove the debris when loosened. Don't dig to aggressively with the brush to avoid popping the keycover off the keyswitches as they can be difficult to get back on. 
    Hi, i tried that, but it is still not working. I thought that maybe I activated something by a key combination and wanted to enter BIOS, but guess what... the F2 key that opens the BIOS is dead even after shut down. Does this mean that these 3 keys are done for good? The shift from the external keyboard is working all 3 keys are good, so that means there is no problem with the cables inside the laptop. Any other suggestions?
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,889 Trailblazer
    Try pressing & holding the FN key while tapping F2 to try to enter the BIOS menu on startup.

    Jack E/NJ

  • EllyElenna
    EllyElenna Member Posts: 28 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    JackE said:
    Try pressing & holding the FN key while tapping F2 to try to enter the BIOS menu on startup.
    Hi again, it didn't work that way either :( i managed to enter BIOS via the external keyboard, loaded the default for the bios, but this changed nothing. When i logged back into my account and tried the keys, they are still unresponsive. Is it possible that there is something that overwritten them? I checked for viruses none like that, and neither i installed anything that day, was just doing the usual. If by any chance they got... Overwritten with blanks, maybe that's why they don't work. Would something like this exist? 
    Thank you!
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,889 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    >>>Overwritten with blanks, maybe that's why they don't work. Would something like this exist? >>>

    Doubtful. I'm now about ready to replace my own keyboard again apparently due to not being able to remove offending cat hair & crumbs on some of the switches under the key covers. The last time it was primarily my up/down arrow keys and D & R keys. This time it's mainly J & K keys that are intermittent and increasingly not responding. I use this key test site to track the progression of the problem. If I bang on the problem keys often enough they sometimes start responding again for a while. I probably should start using a keyboard protector or SaranWrap again. But they don't feel right when pounding on the keyboard.

    Anyway, a new replacement KB is about $40usd for your gamer. For my workhorse netbook, only $12. Sorry, but replacement is about the only practical way to fix an annoyance like this.



    Jack E/NJ

  • EllyElenna
    EllyElenna Member Posts: 28 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    JackE said:
    >>>Overwritten with blanks, maybe that's why they don't work. Would something like this exist? >>>

    Doubtful. I'm now about ready to replace my own keyboard again apparently due to not being able to remove offending cat hair & crumbs on some of the switches under the key covers. The last time it was primarily my up/down arrow keys and D & R keys. This time it's mainly J & K keys that are intermittent and increasingly not responding. I use this key test site to track the progression of the problem. If I bang on the problem keys often enough they sometimes start responding again for a while. I probably should start using a keyboard protector or SaranWrap again. But they don't feel right when pounding on the keyboard.

    Anyway, a new replacement KB is about $40usd for your gamer. For my workhorse netbook, only $12. Sorry, but replacement is about the only practical way to fix an annoyance like this.



    I see.. Sorry to hear you are replacing yours again. I thought that maybe there is a way of repairing it without replacing. To be honest i would have expected for the WASD to die faster, cause when gaming they are most used.
    Usually i take care of my laptop to be clean all the time and whenever i have the possibility i clear it of dust inside too, that's why i don't understand why it died so quickly. But thank you fo this. I will try the key test and see how i order another kb. Ugh another load of money out the window... 
    Thanks again and good luck with yours too :). 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,889 Trailblazer
    For gamers, I'd prolly guess WASD keys would be used more often. Thus less likely to accumulate debris --- use it or lose it theory. :)  

    Jack E/NJ

  • EllyElenna
    EllyElenna Member Posts: 28 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Ha, true that one. Though i still think it's just bad luck for those keys, high temperature of the laptop maybe also affected them. Even my cooler isn't powerful enough to cool it, sometimes i use a normal ventilator and keeps cool 😂

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