Alpha 12 Keyboard Disconnecting Issues

2

Answers

  • silizium
    silizium Member Posts: 239 Enthusiast WiFi Icon

    This isn't a hardware fault it's more a driver issue. It seems the keyboard is going to sleep for a second and loses its connection or enters sleep mode. The first times I resolved this random disconnects was by physically disconnecting the keyboard from the tablet. This is annoying in the long-term. Now I found out you can simply close the cover and open it again to make the keyboard work as normal. I don't think there will be further firmware updates, it's Acer, after one year since product release there is no real driver support anymore.

     

    So, close and open the keyboard/cover to make it work again.

  • RandyV
    RandyV Member Posts: 39 Die Hard WiFi Icon

    Can those of you who sent your SA12 in for repair for this specific issue please comment on whether or not the problem has returned or not?  In other words, did the fix work.

     

    My BIOS and keyboard firmware are all up to date.

     

    My keyboard has recently started disconnecting and stops working entirely at randomly times (backlight goes off, keys and touchpad stop working completely).  Disconnecting and re-connecting the cover brings it back.   There is no rhyme or reason to it.  It will disconnect whether or not I am using the keyboard flat or tilted. Sometimes I can go all day, waking and sleeping the machines constantly with no issues.  Other times it will stop working 30 seconds after I bring it out of sleep or when intiially powering it on.  There's not obvious pattern to it.

     

    I don't went to send the whole thing in for repair if I don't have to because it's a huge inconvenience.  The SA12 this is my primary machine for work, but if people have had their repaired and the fix is solid, I'll can figure out a way to elimiante the problem.   But I don't want to send the machine in for a week or two, get it back, re-install everything and then ened up with the same issue.


    Any feedback from those of you who have had your repaired would be appreciaed.

     

    My machine is an i7 if that makes any difference.

     

    Randy

     

  • hrh747
    hrh747 Member Posts: 19 Troubleshooter

    I am glad that I found this forum so fortuitously. I am having the same problem and all my drivers are up to date so says the care center. My keyboard loses connection 3 to 4 times per hour and I have to close the touch pad and reopen again. Although, I live in another country and contacting TX support center is a remote possibilites. I love my Alpha Switch but hate this keyboard hiccup :-) If anyone finds a viable solution, please let us know.

    Thanks,

    Joe

  • guypayeur
    guypayeur Member Posts: 2 New User
    I too have the same issue (i5-all driver uptodate). I use to dis/re connect the keyboard in order to make it work again. Nest time I will try to just close / reopen the lid. I will keep you informed...
  • guypayeur
    guypayeur Member Posts: 2 New User
    I was thinking to replace my keyboard entirely : https://www.laptopking.com/kingpartdetails.asp?ref=2014&category=keyboards

    Since the "Ctrl" key don't get keyed sometime in addition to this dis/re connect problem, I was looking for a replacement. Before I do that, is their anyone that did replace his keyboard? If so, did the dis/re connect problem still occuring with the new keyboard? Tks
  • kyle_m
    kyle_m Member Posts: 1 New User
    Hi All,

    We've rolled the Acer Switch 12 Alpha (SA5-271P i7 version) out to all staff at our school and so far we've been having major problems with the keyboard on this device. The keyboard seems to stop working and will only function once it's been disconnected and re-attached. The first key press never seems to work. Sometimes even re-attaching the keyboard doesn't work, and only restarting Windows/re-scanning hardware fixes the problem. It's just very annoying.

    We are using a customised Windows image with the latest Acer drivers, along with Acer Care Center installed and up-to-date.

    Has anyone had this problem resolved by Acer?

    Cheers,
    Kyle
  • Paoloduilio
    Paoloduilio Member Posts: 1 New User
    Definitely a software, I mean driver, issue; I've installed linux and it worked perfectly, eventually the fault disappeared with a clean win10 installation, that solved a few printer problems as well, when I upgraded the ssd from the 128Gb oem to a 240Gb one.
  • jesta192
    jesta192 Member Posts: 4 New User
    This has to be a driver issue, because at the same moment the keyboard disconnects, my Bluetooth trackball stops responding. Mine recovers automatically every time (thank goodness) but it causes around 10 seconds of downtime every time it does this (around every 10 to 15 minutes). I've been having this problem since I got this device. I've tried different drivers for the Wi-Fi, PCI bus, and USB hub and the problem kept recurring.

    Any response, Acer? I'm in love with this convertible, and this is basically the only issue I've had with it.
  • pedronac
    pedronac Member Posts: 5

    Tinkerer

    THE SOLUTION IS EASY and available to every one.
    I had the same problem, keyboard on sleep mode every 2 minutes !
    I started using another keyboard and even thought about changing computer.

    I found the solution on a windows website (I can not find the source, sorry for the genius that found the solution). But I will share it.

    The solution is to change the settings about sleep mode on Human-Machine Interface (and not on keyboard section).
    Below screenshot (french windows version).
    You must find the USB device related to the keyboard.


    Select the power management tab and make sure to NOT SELECT (do not select the square) that authorizes the computer to place the device on sleep mode. Attention, in the image below I opened a random device line to show the power management tab, it might not the device line related to the keyboard.

    It's DONE !
    It works for me for the last 3 weeks. Without any problem.
    Have fun and enjoy your computer.
  • KyleM
    KyleM Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    pedronac said:
    THE SOLUTION IS EASY and available to every one.
    I had the same problem, keyboard on sleep mode every 2 minutes !
    I started using another keyboard and even thought about changing computer.

    I found the solution on a windows website (I can not find the source, sorry for the genius that found the solution). But I will share it.

    The solution is to change the settings about sleep mode on Human-Machine Interface (and not on keyboard section).
    ....
    It's DONE !
    It works for me for the last 3 weeks. Without any problem.
    Have fun and enjoy your computer.

    Thank you for taking the time to post your solution.  My keyboard just started to get flakey (seriously considered it a broken wire) but this solution was perfect!

    Excellent info, well done!
  • KyleM
    KyleM Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer

    So not quite fixed...

    If the keyboard connects it works fine for as long as the computer doesn't "sleep" the keyboard.  If I'm on the computer and doing something it will be fine.
    However, if I step away for a bit (10-30 minutes) and the computer goes into screen saver then the lights of the keyboard will still be on but the keys won't work.
    If I disconnect the keyboard and immediately reconnect the lights will come on but the keys wont work.  If I disconnect for a few moments (say 5-10 seconds) then reconnecting the keyboard gets flakey.  The lights will flicker depending on how I move the keyboard and if I set the computer in its desk position the keyboard will turn off.  If however I stand the tablet portion up and push it down into the keyboard connector for a few moments (ensuring the key lights stay on) then it will be fine for as long as I am at the computer, regardless of how I move the keyboard after that.

    This HAS to be a driver issue.
  • internetuser
    internetuser Member Posts: 3 New User
    I have the same problem continuing from summer 2017. It's now winter 2018.
    Every time I move the laptop, the keyboard disconnects. I have to detach/reattach multiple times. I have installed Fedora 27, then Fedora 28, now Fedora 29 and it still continues to be a problem.

    I suspect it's a combined hardware/software/driver issue. I'd wish acer release all their drivers to the open and free software community so we can fix this.
  • ashe350
    ashe350 Member Posts: 3 New User
    ronenfe said:

    I think I've developed a solution. If you rescan for hardware changes in device manager, the keyboard will start working again for a while. 

    So what I did is creating a scheduled task that rescan the hardware every 10 minutes. this is the command you need to run;

     

    C:\Program Files\Acer\Acer Quick Access\drivers\devcon.exe rescan

     

    Shame on you Acer for not fixing this issue.


    Thanks for the idea but it didn't work for me.  I spent quite a while setting up the Task Scheduler to execute Scan for Hardware Changes.  Also ran that command from Task Manager, as Administrator, while keyboard was dead.  It didn't change anything.
  • ashe350
    ashe350 Member Posts: 3 New User
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

  • ashe350
    ashe350 Member Posts: 3 New User
    ashe350 said:
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

    Forgot to say I've already downloaded latest keyboard drivers from Acer.  Windows Update says everything is current.
  • jesta192
    jesta192 Member Posts: 4 New User
    ashe350 said:
    ashe350 said:
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

    Forgot to say I've already downloaded latest keyboard drivers from Acer.  Windows Update says everything is current.
    I'm still seeing this too. It's odd but sometimes I don't see it happen for hours, then it will happen 10 times in 5 minutes.

    I'm considering upgrading someday to the Switch 7 Black Edition; I'm curious if other Acer users are having problems like this?
  • lreddy
    lreddy Member Posts: 2 New User
    I agree with @KyleM
  • internetuser
    internetuser Member Posts: 3 New User
    jesta192 said:
    ashe350 said:
    ashe350 said:
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

    Forgot to say I've already downloaded latest keyboard drivers from Acer.  Windows Update says everything is current.
    I'm still seeing this too. It's odd but sometimes I don't see it happen for hours, then it will happen 10 times in 5 minutes.

    I'm considering upgrading someday to the Switch 7 Black Edition; I'm curious if other Acer users are having problems like this?
    this is still a HUGE problem for me especially when I am busy trying to make presentations. Every time I move the switch alpha, I know I will run into the keyboard/touchpad not working and needs a reboot. This basically rendered this switch alpha into a desktop only that cannot be moved.  Any movement , or if i close the cover, will render the keyboard/touchpad frozen and would require an entire reboot. 

    Unless there is a fix, this renders this tablet or any switch tablet designs total avoid!
  • marilena
    marilena Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    edited August 2019
    jesta192 said:
    ashe350 said:
    ashe350 said:
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

    Forgot to say I've already downloaded latest keyboard drivers from Acer.  Windows Update says everything is current.
    I'm still seeing this too. It's odd but sometimes I don't see it happen for hours, then it will happen 10 times in 5 minutes.

    I'm considering upgrading someday to the Switch 7 Black Edition; I'm curious if other Acer users are having problems like this?
    this is still a HUGE problem for me especially when I am busy trying to make presentations. Every time I move the switch alpha, I know I will run into the keyboard/touchpad not working and needs a reboot. This basically rendered this switch alpha into a desktop only that cannot be moved.  Any movement , or if i close the cover, will render the keyboard/touchpad frozen and would require an entire reboot. 

    Unless there is a fix, this renders this tablet or any switch tablet designs total avoid!
    Any solutions out there? I find this happens more so if the surface the computer is on is not perfectly level. 
  • marilena
    marilena Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    jesta192 said:
    ashe350 said:
    ashe350 said:
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

    Forgot to say I've already downloaded latest keyboard drivers from Acer.  Windows Update says everything is current.
    I'm still seeing this too. It's odd but sometimes I don't see it happen for hours, then it will happen 10 times in 5 minutes.

    I'm considering upgrading someday to the Switch 7 Black Edition; I'm curious if other Acer users are having problems like this?
    this is still a HUGE problem for me especially when I am busy trying to make presentations. Every time I move the switch alpha, I know I will run into the keyboard/touchpad not working and needs a reboot. This basically rendered this switch alpha into a desktop only that cannot be moved.  Any movement , or if i close the cover, will render the keyboard/touchpad frozen and would require an entire reboot. 

    Unless there is a fix, this renders this tablet or any switch tablet designs total avoid!
    ashe350 said:
    I'm having big problems with the keyboard disconnect issue on Switch Alpha 12, SA5-271.  Keyboard and touch pad stop working at random.
    I can always restore keyboard function by disconnnecting/reconnecting, but is there a fix?  Thanks for any ideas out there!

      Any solutions to this problem? It's so frustrating. I find it happens more so if the surface the computer is on is not completely level.