Why does the keyboard work but not print? The keyboard in Windows has stopped working, what should I do? Computer keyboard connection type

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The keyboard is the main tool for entering information, without which working on a computer is impossible. Most often, for this device to work flawlessly, you just need to connect it to your computer, and it will install all the necessary drivers automatically. This happens in most cases, but not always. There are situations when, when you connect a keyboard to a USB or PS/2 connector, it is not detected on the computer and does not show any signs of operation - the indicators do not light up and the buttons do not work. In this article, we offer instructions on what to do if the keyboard on your computer does not work.

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Connecting the keyboard to the computer is as simple as possible - just insert its wire into the corresponding connector on the motherboard, and after that the device will start working. There are wireless keyboards, the radio receiver of which is inserted into a USB connector, after which the device works if the distance between the transmitter and the device is maintained.

Due to the simplicity of the process of connecting a computer, we can conclude that there are only 2 reasons why the keyboard does not work on the computer:

Mechanical. There may be problems with the keyboard itself or the wire that connects it to the motherboard. The cause of the malfunction may also be a broken connector on the motherboard.
Software. Keyboard drivers are installed automatically, but failures can occur during the installation of any software, and this situation is no exception. In addition, problems may occur not at the operating system level, but in the BIOS, where the appropriate settings for the keyboard are disabled.

Depending on which connector the keyboard is connected to the computer, we offer different options for solving problems that arise.

What to do if the keyboard does not work on the computer via USB protocol

The most common interface for connecting a keyboard to a computer is USB. The speed of information transfer from a peripheral device to the computer is sufficient, both via the USB 2.0 protocol and via USB 3.0, so there is no difference in which connector the keyboard is connected to.

If the USB keyboard does not work when you turn on the computer, you need to do the following:

It's worth noting that users with a keyboard connected to the motherboard via USB may have trouble getting into the BIOS on the computer's boot screen if they are using an older version of the underlying software. In this case, you need to find a keyboard with a PS/2 connector or use the appropriate adapter.

What to do if the keyboard does not work on your computer using the PS/2 protocol

Keyboard manufacturers are trying to move away from the PS/2 connector, abandoning it in favor of USB. It is very difficult to find a keyboard with a PS/2 connector on sale, but if you come across such peripherals and it does not work when loading Windows, most likely the problem is related to the drivers. To make the keyboard work, you need to do the following:

It is worth noting that a similar problem with keyboards connected via the PS/2 protocol most often occurs due to an error when installing the i8042prt.sys or kbdclass.sys driver.

On a computer, few will envy. And, as often happens, such troubles most often happen precisely when reports are being submitted, typing is being done during the battle for the fate of the world in the next computer game, etc.

On the other hand, the question “why the keyboard doesn’t work on a computer” is not asked too often, since with the beginning of the “USB era” many “childhood diseases” in this area of computing devices are a thing of the past. In light of this, a broken keyboard is a reason for a kind of pride in one’s “luck.”

Connection

All modern keyboards use a USB serial bus interface to connect to the motherboard. It has a number of advantages over the discontinued PS\2 standard, among which we can especially note the possibility of “hot replacement”. That is, the user can theoretically, when the system unit is turned on, connect and disconnect the plug to the corresponding free connector. And many people take advantage of this, especially owners of portable computers. In such a case there are two negative points. Firstly, it was noticed that frequent switching of the device leads to the fact that the spring-loaded contacts in the plug lose their elasticity, resulting in poor performance (the power or data line disappears).

It is not surprising that this is followed by the question “why the keyboard on the computer does not work.” Thus, with frequent connection, the plug wears out and requires replacement. Secondly, sometimes when a device was hot-swapped, it failed, so this opportunity should not be abused. To check the contacts, you need to disconnect the keyboard plug and carefully reconnect it, gently shaking it in the connector. Sometimes it is possible to return the contacts with a needle to their previous spring-loaded state.

Electrical problems

Like any other USB device, the keyboard receives power directly from the port. And since the features of the internal implementation of the bus are such that several connectors are connected to one control chip at once, when powerful devices (with a current of 500 mA) are turned on, their functionality is not guaranteed. The solution is simple: if the question arises “why the keyboard does not work on the computer,” then you need to disconnect all USB devices except the most necessary ones and check their functionality.

If there are a large number of simultaneously used USB peripherals, you need to use an intermediate splitter with an external source. Also, quite often the problem with USB is observed in old computers and laptops, the power supplies and other elements of which have exhausted their service life and do not produce the required voltages. The solution is similar to the above. And, of course, do not forget that the fault may be in the connector itself: to check, you need to connect the plug to another USB port.

Software glitch

Modern operating systems use a driver control program to interact with the keyboard. Sometimes it stops working correctly. As a result, the user cannot understand why the keyboard on the computer does not work. You need to use the mouse to go to the “Device Manager” and try to update the driver in the “Keyboards” item. If this does not help, then you need to remove the device using the appropriate command and reconnect the keyboard to the computer - the Plug&Play mechanism should work.

Settings incident

In modern motherboard BIOSes there is an item that allows you to refuse to use USB by setting the Disable mode. If for some reason this happens, then you need to find an old PS/2 keyboard, use it to enter the BIOS (Del button immediately after turning on the power) and enable USB. Another option is to reset the settings to their initial state by closing the corresponding Clear CMOS jumper on the board (its exact location is indicated in the instructions). Beginners are sometimes faced with the fact that the keyboard on the right does not work. This can be caused by accidentally pressing the NumLock button, which switches the modes of the right numeric keypad. If the indicator of the same name is on, then you need to press the button again to switch it to another state.

Sometimes it happens that after turning on the laptop, the user is faced with the fact that the keyboard does not respond to touch. Don’t worry – often there is no problem at all, and everything can be resolved very easily. The thing is that a failure may occur in the operating system, which leads to the fact that the keyboard is no longer perceived (this situation especially often occurs when Windows 10 is installed on an old laptop).
Let's consider a few recommendations on how to turn on the PC if the keyboard on the laptop does not print? By the way, according to search engine statistics, this is a very pressing issue.

So, in order for the keyboard on a laptop to start working, in the vast majority of cases, it will be enough to simply restart the computer.

Bios

In this case, you will need to go into the BIOS (this should be done at the moment when the PC is just starting to boot). At this moment you will need to press the TAB key, and if that doesn’t help, then press F10 or DEL. In fact, if you were able to perform at least one of these actions, then everything will indicate that the failure is not mechanical and the cause must be sought in the software.
Exit the BIOS and reboot the system again. We evaluate the result.

Possible driver problems

It is possible that the problem of the laptop not recognizing the keyboard lies in the drivers. Resolving the issue in this case does not present any difficulties. It will be enough to look at the name of its model on the packaging of your laptop, visit the official website, download the necessary driver and install it on the laptop.
In the event that installing the driver did not help you resolve the issue, then this will clearly indicate that the failure is purely mechanical in nature and will need to be corrected accordingly.

Mechanical damage

To be honest, all users like to drink coffee while sitting at a laptop or eat flour products, which contain a lot of crumbs. They are precisely the reason why several keys or the entire keyboard does not work. In this case, you will have to disassemble the laptop, otherwise you won’t be able to get them out of there.

Before you start, you need to make sure that the device is not under warranty. Otherwise, you could simply take it to the store and they would already repair your laptop, otherwise you will have to do everything yourself. Or contact the service center.
Often the cause of laptop malfunction (and often fatal) is liquid getting on the laptop keyboard.

In this case, it will be necessary to urgently disconnect it from the power supply, turn it off using the start button, disassemble it and wipe it thoroughly. Then the laptop should dry out for 24 hours. By the way, it is much worse if the spilled liquid was sweet - in this case, you will need to wipe it with an alcohol wipe.
In addition, sometimes the cause may be a broken cable. In this case, you will definitely need to take it to a service center.

If you turn on the computer and the keyboard does not work, does not respond to key presses and the indicators do not light up, then there can be only two errors: a hardware malfunction or a software failure.

What to do if the keyboard does not work due to a hardware failure

There are very few hardware problems that can lead to a keyboard failure. Usually this is a lack of contact in the connector (the plug is not fully inserted into the connector), a malfunction of the input device itself, and a malfunction of the motherboard port.

First of all, you need to make sure that the keyboard is connected correctly, especially for keyboards with a PS/2 connector. The keyboard has a purple plug and it must be connected to a connector of the same color in the system unit. The plug may not be fully inserted into the connector, resulting in loss of contact. You should check this point, or better yet, disconnect and reconnect the keyboard. After all the manipulations, try restarting your computer. It often happens that some kind of software glitch occurs during device initialization. A reboot usually solves such problems.

To ensure that the keyboard is working properly, as well as the port to connect it to, you will need to find another working keyboard. If a known-good keyboard on your computer works fine, then the problem is with the input device itself. In this case, you will have to go to the store for a new keyboard. If an initially working keyboard does not work on your computer, but yours, on the contrary, functions normally on another computer, then there is probably a defect in the motherboard. Correcting this malfunction without computer diagnostics is problematic, so it is better to contact specialists. Also, do not forget that you may still have a software error, which we will discuss below.

What to do if the keyboard does not work due to software

A software malfunction, as a rule, consists of incorrect operation of the driver. It is possible to eliminate this problem provided that the mouse is “in service”.

Go to the Start menu and then Control Panel. Here, open the “System” section and launch “Device Manager”. If there is a problem with the drivers, then next to the keyboard in the list there will be a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark.

Right-click on this line and open “Properties”. Now go to the Driver tab and click the Uninstall button. Confirm your actions and the keyboard driver will be removed from the system.

Now you should update the hardware configuration and search for connected devices. To do this, go to the “Action” menu of Device Manager and click “Update hardware configuration”.

The system will detect a new device (keyboard) and reinstall drivers for it. If you are using a multimedia keyboard, you may need to install drivers from the disk for it to work properly. This disc is usually included in the kit. You must first install it in the optical drive and, when prompted by the Add New Hardware Wizard, specify the path to the disk for installing drivers. If the installation is successful, the LED indicators on the keyboard will light up. When the Found New Hardware Wizard finishes, you will need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Have you ever had a situation when, while working at your computer, you suddenly noticed that the keyboard refused to type? And it doesn’t matter whether you correspond on social networks or type the most important work in your life: a thesis, a master’s thesis, or a much more promising professor’s thesis. You are wondering why the keyboard on your computer does not work. You reboot the operating system in the hope that everything will fix itself, but it doesn’t. The keyboard, as before, does not respond. You start to panic. What to do? Should I call a technician to your home or buy a new keyboard? What if it's a laptop? There is an exit!

To fix this unpleasant breakdown, you first need to figure out what type of keyboard you have connected.

Computer keyboard connection type

USB keyboard. This type is the most common in our time. The USB keyboard uses plug-and-play technology (plug and play), so most often problems arise with the connection. As soon as the keyboard stops responding, the first thing you need to do is disconnect it and plug it back into the USB port of your computer device. Perhaps the contacts just went missing. Usually such actions lead to eliminating the problem. But it also happens that the breakdown is not in the keyboard itself. If these actions do not lead to a positive result, there is a possibility that the port itself on the computer is broken. Try connecting the device to another device, or at least to a different USB port on your PC. Having completed these steps, you can already discard some of the guesswork about why the keyboard on your computer does not work. Windows XP, 7, Linux configure device connection settings differently. There is a possibility that the problem is in the software or operating system settings.

PS/2 computer keyboard. This type of connection has been used for a long time and is considered the most reliable, because it does not require driver installation. The keyboard connector has 6 pins for connection. It happens that if you connect a connector to a computer port inappropriately, one of the contacts may become bent. It needs to be aligned for the keyboard to work. If the keyboard stops working while working on it with the PC turned on, rest assured that the problem is in the operating system or software. Perhaps some process is slowing down its work. The main difference between a PS/2 computer keyboard and a USB one is that if the device fails, you must restart the computer to make it work again. After all, this is not plug-and-play technology.
A wireless keyboard is a modern type of input device, but that doesn't mean it's without flaws. It can also refuse to work like other types of devices. You may think for a long time why the wireless keyboard on your computer does not work, but the main breakdowns and problems most often arise when something blocks the USB receiver. In this case, you need to clear the computer desk of unnecessary things and see if it works now. Essentially, a wireless keyboard is the same USB peripheral device, with the only small difference: there are no wires. In this regard, it is necessary to first check the signal blocking. If no changes have occurred, then you must follow the steps described in the USB computer keyboard paragraph.

Troubleshooting the problem via BIOS

You have taken steps to mechanically correct the problem, but, unfortunately, this did not help. Panic covers you. Why doesn't the keyboard on my computer work? Windows 7, first of all, needs to be rebooted. Perhaps the problem will go away on its own.
Try pressing the Esc button several times to see if the display auto-start menu appears. If the program does not respond, you need to replace the keyboard - the problem is not in the software.
If the autorun menu works, press the F10 key to bring up the BIOS menu. In the settings you need to set the default values, this is done by pressing the F5 key. Some devices may have different hotkeys.
After making changes to the BIOS, you must restart the operating system.
If after these steps you still have not solved the problem and are asking yourself why the keyboard on your computer does not work, then you need to reinstall the keyboard software in Device Manager.

Reinstalling and configuring the keyboard software

In the control panel of any operating system in the Start menu there is a “Hardware and Sound” item, under which you can view devices and printers. This is exactly the section we need. Right-click in the window and select “Device Manager”. Do not forget that you must have administrator rights, otherwise you will not be able to change the settings of hidden devices. So, in a new open window we look for the required Keyboards item and try to solve the problem of why the keyboard on the computer does not work. Windows 7, 8, XP have slightly different interfaces, so the path to the settings menu may be slightly different. When calling the object control panel, you must select the item to reinstall and update the hardware and driver configuration. After restarting the computer, the equipment should work correctly.

Problem pressing multiple characters with one keyboard key

Sometimes, while typing on the keyboard, a situation arises when the keys get stuck and several characters are typed at once. And the problem is not that you press the keys for too long. The whole point is in the keyboard response settings. To change these settings, you need to manually enter the word “keyboard” in the search bar in the Start menu. A new window will appear before your eyes; when you open it, you should correctly adjust the delay speed for entering a repeated character. From now on, you will not worry about why the keyboard on your computer does not work correctly.

1 way to fix keyboard inoperability outside the operating system

Often there are situations where the keyboard does not work due to incompatible drivers on the operating system. There are different versions of Windows: 32 and 64 bit. How are they different and why do they need different drivers? The main difference is in the processing of different amounts of RAM. That is why it is necessary to install different types of drivers so that at the most inopportune moment you do not panic why the keyboard on your computer does not work. Windows 8, 7, XP, Linux require installation of different types of software. But to find out if this is the real cause of the problem, you need to restart the computer and watch, pressing the NumLock and CapsLock keys on the keyboard, check their functionality using the indicators that light up.

2 way to troubleshoot keyboard problems via CMOS

Another way to check the functionality of the keyboard outside the operating system is to go into the CMOS settings and try the keyboard in safe mode. Sometimes the operating system malfunctions; safe mode will fix this problem. If the CapsLock and NumLock keys fail, you must go to the first method.

A computer device beeps when typing from the keyboard: solutions

Why doesn't the keyboard on my computer work correctly? There are situations when, when working with a set of symbols, a computer device emits sound signals. In this case, you need to change your keyboard settings. To go to the settings, you need to enter the word “Keyboard” in the search bar.

In the control panel results that appear, there is an option to change them. You need to follow this link, next to the “Make typing easier” item, uncheck the sticky keys checkbox and go to their settings. In the new window that opens, uncheck the box next to Sticky keys when pressing the Shift button five times. We save the results by clicking on the OK button, after which the previous keyboard settings window automatically opens. In it, uncheck the box next to the item for voicing switches by pressing the Num Lock button for 5 seconds. After saving the settings, the computer device will no longer produce meticulous beeps.

The numeric keypad refuses to work

Some users, when purchasing a peripheral device, sometimes wonder why the numbers on the keyboard on the right do not work. This situation happens quite often on a computer, especially on the Ubuntu operating system. What to do in this case? Try just pressing the two key combination: Shift + Num Lock. Most often this helps. There is a possibility that the numeric keypad is configured to control the mouse. To disable it on the Windows operating system, you must press the key combination Alt + Shift + Num Lock. There is another, more complicated way to get to the optical mouse settings. But why complicate your life when pressing a keyboard shortcut can solve the whole problem?

Why the keyboard on the computer does not work when turned on: problem solving

To solve this problem, you must follow these steps:

Check the connection itself. It doesn't matter what type of keyboard: USB, wireless or PS/2. If there is a connection problem or signal loss, the keyboard will not work.
If the connection is fine, you need to download a new version of the software that is compatible with your operating system and reinstall it for your keyboard.
When reinstalling the driver did not help, it means that you need to configure everything manually through the BIOS, CMOS or Control Panel.
If it is possible to connect the keyboard to another computer device, check its functionality on it. In each operating system, software settings are located in different paths. It is necessary to know the operating system interface well in order to solve the problem of why the keyboard on the computer does not work. Windows 8.1 is perhaps the most complex system for configuring software changes. But you don't need a lot of knowledge to change keyboard settings. You must strictly follow the instructions, and then your peripheral device will work again as quickly as before.

Possible reasons for some keys on the keyboard not working

There are cases when, due to carelessness or carelessness, the user of a computer device spills water, tea or other drinks on the keyboard. And it’s good if the computer owner himself did this, because he knows where the problems with the peripheral device are coming from. But when someone else did it and did not admit it, the owner will scratch his head for a long time why the USB keyboard on the computer does not work. But most often it happens that certain buttons stop working. Then you need to disassemble and manually clean the keyboard, and if it has already oxidized, then completely replace it. After all, there is little chance that it will now work as before.

Note to users

Now you know the possible causes of a computer keyboard failure. It will be new to some users to learn that any operating system automatically installs an on-screen keyboard. If a peripheral device fails, it will definitely help you.