Z96J doesn't recognize keyboard

Hey, I have a problem I have an asus z96j and firefox just crashed my whole system so I rebooted and know at startup it doesn't recognize the keyboard, it says No keyboard detected, and it moves on and at windows it works... so basically I can«'t access BIOS... can anyone help me ?!

p.s. I tried a wireless keyboard and it's no good... I cant access bios... I dont have an extra wired usb keyboard lying around to try... :\

 

Do you have a PS2 keyboard? If not, you can get one for $10 or less if it comes down to that. Did you open it up at all? The connection may be lose.

 

It doens't have a PS2 port... and I didn't even move... it was when it crashed I had to press the power button for 10secs to shut down and then turn on... and it happened this ..

 

bump... need help plz

 

anyone...? plz

 

1 ) Find a USB keyboard (They will come in hand anyway)
2 ) Probably the reason that Firefox crashed is the keyboard becoming faulty.There is almost no software problem that can do that to keyboard.
Now, has anything physics happened to your keyboard.Any liquid spilling ? Or falling from heights ? Have you rescently opened your laptop for upgrade ?
If any of these have happened , open the laptop's keyboard and make sure it's well connected search for signs of Visual damage.(You can find out how to open the keyboard.Go to the ASUS forum FAQ go to the bottom of the page)

 

keyboard unavailable

press any key to continue

 

firefox crashed, so I ended the application, it was a pretty normal windows procedure... but I decided to reboot.. and that's when it happened... i haven´t opened it, nothing that could damage it has been done... nothing. It says: no keyboard found press F1 to resume. and it auto-resumes itself, boots up windows and keyboard works... I just plugged in a usb keyboard and now it doesn't say anything it boots up normally, but I still press F2 and nothing...

 

can anyone help me plz?!? this is quite urgent... and obviously serious because I can't enter bios neither can select a boot device through F8 for example................ perhaps reseting CMOS can help? and if so how do I do that on a z96j ?!

 

bump....!!!

 

I would try rewriting the BIOS using the Windows utility. Even with the same version as that you are having now, perhaps some setting got mixed up.

If that doesn't work:
I would try opening the notebook and reseating the keyboard connector (unless that voids your warranty).

 

Reseating the keyboard should not void the *manufacturer* warranty. You can order it as a user-replacable part if you wanted it in French or whatever other language.

The question that should be asked is where did you buy it from, then ask them if that voids the warranty.

 

Can someone give a link to the windows flash utility? Although it wont work cause winflash doesnt let flashing the same version... and how do i reseat the keyvoard in z96j? although it is working under windows... i think its a bios mess up...

 

1. The windows utility works, I think you need to start it from the command line with a switch to ignore the version, smth like /nodate . You can get it from support.asus.com , look for your model name.

2. To reseat, get the disassembly manual, either from this forum if there was one posted (there is a dedicated thread for disassembly manuals) or from google otherwise. Open up the keyboard, remove the connector, reinsert. It's rather simple, you need to unscrew some screws at the bottom of the notebook, pick some latches around the keyboard, and lift it up (at least for my notebooks but I think they're pretty standard wrt keyboard removal).

 

wtf? where the hell can I download the winflash utility?!?! I cant find it ANYWHERE on asus website.........

 

it is under utilities tab of most of their models. it is probably there for z96j if not then try another recent model. the situation you described sounds like a few rma's i have seen come accross. there was an error in post reading something like "keyboard not detected". one time i remember it was a bad keyboard. another time it was a kb controller so we changed the mainboard. both times the keyboards did not work in windows at all. i would flash to a later bios if i were you like the people above said. winflahs will do the trick

 

For your particular type I can only find a winflash for vista:
ftp://dlsvr02.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/z96j/WinFlash_vista_070213.zip

However, I can find a winflash for XP under Z96H. I imagine it will work.

ftp://dlsvr02.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/Z96H/WinFlash_XP_061017.zip

(this is a Europe server I believe if your access is denied just try different numbers dlsvr01 etc.)

 

Thank you for the links =), so how can I "force" winflash to flash it anyway being the same version ?!?

 

The keyboard on the S96J/Z96J is very easy to access.

I recently took mine apart for the first time and it was very easy to disconnect and reconnect the keyboard wire should I ever need to do so.

I know I will order a replacement keyboard in a year or so when the current one gets worn out some.

 

but Im abit scared to do that... I would like to know how to force winflash to flash the same version of the bios... if the problem persisted then I would do that..

 

I just flashed the bios to 1201 again and the same thing happens... so I'm basically gonna have to open the whole notebook right? and reconnect the keyboard... :| oh dear here we go

 

I'm pretty pissed off, because I can't give it back to the store because basically I broke warranty by flashing bios to 1201, and I have a z96J but flashed with z96JS 1201 bios... and now it reads as z96JS. (I have this bios version for quite a while now). So basically I opened all the screws and don't know how to get to the keyboard connector... I can't "open" this... I dont have the manual in here... the keyboard works in windows which is quite ridiculous...

 

You did not break the warranty by writing a new BIOS. Even if they had issues with a new/different BIOS you could just overwrite the BIOS with the original version.

Second, you should get a manual. Google for it, or ask for it in the dedicated thread, or make a new thread about it or whatever.

Otherwise, if you want to go ahead on your own, here's how I've seen that it works for most ASUS laptops:

Find the screws marked " K > " under the laptop. Unscrew them. Look around the edge of the keyboard for latches that are holding the keyboard plate down. Push the latches under the keyboard plate. Lift the keyboard.

You will see the plastic cable of the keyboard; this goes into a socket on the mainboard. If you can see this socket, you're good. You need to lift if gently but with some force from the edges; it will not come out but only slide a little bit upwards, releasing the keyboard cable. Remove it, push it in nicely, and then undo all of the above: push in keyboard over the latches, screw in the K > screws under the notebook.

 

The only thing that breaks the warranty on an ASUS laptop is : To break the stickers or do Visual Damage to the laptop/mobo.
(AFAIK Many times the CPU and HDD which are the only sealed things are not even sealed)

 

Thanks, I'm gonna search for the manual... but I can't find the "K" on the back... I just have CD, "H" (for harddrive) and >o< or something and it isnt a screw it looks like those calculator resets ...

 

Go to the ASUS Forum FAQ.
I think there was a guide about this procedure.

 

Yeah, just saw the guide... the link isn't working ...... great :\

 

make a thread or PM the guy who posted the link maybe he can send the file to you or point you to an alternate download location

 

Hey, I just opened the notebook and disconnected and reconnected the keyboard and it happens exactly the same thing... I'm typing this with this opened and as u see the keyboard works under windows but on POST it doesn't. What can I do ?!? :|

 

You were saying you have a different version of BIOS / an Z96Js if I remember correctly. Use the default BIOS for your notebook, even if it's older. If that doesn't work, go back one version at a time and see if that fixes your problem. When you get to the first BIOS version released then you will know it's not the BIOS.

I would guess then something's messed up physically in the keyboard controller, or in the keyboard itself... you'll have to RMA.

Are you sure you can't use the USB keyboard during POST? Maybe it's not worth the trouble if kbd is working in Windows.

 

the usb keyboard doesn't work on POST. it does show usb device: 1 keyboard. I press F2 a million times, even on both keyboards and nothing... goes straight to windows.....

 

I just flashed back to 1104 and the same thing happens....... should I go even more back ?

 

You can try. I'd say however RMA the notebook.

 

I think if you rma it two days ago, u should probably have it fixed by now. I send my on monday, and they called me said everything was completed..

 

but did u send it to your store or to asus?

 

Have you resolved this yet? I'm having the same thing happen, but with my s96j. I think it probably happened when I manually restarted it too.

 

to asus.. call them first. I actually send it twice, and they are willing to accept the cost of shippings and the installations of new components free of charge. AWESOME service which dell and HP cannot compare.

 

Thanks truelogic.
Im talking to ncix techsupport to see what they say, I'll post here when i get a reply.

I'll probably just end up rma'ing this thing, but i'd rather not.

 

it is always not the best option to rma a thing. because u don't know what u will get back. But i wish u the best of luck

 

Is there any way to clear the cmos? I'd like to try that before anything.

 

what do u mean by clearing the cMos?

 

I heard the cmos is what stored bios settings, but that could just be me talking out my ass.

 

Clearing the CMOS and defaulting it aren't the same thing. Clearing it usually causes a CMOS error when you restart. Defaulting it basically loads the defaults.

WinFlash would cause it to clear the information if instructed, though the data could also be considered invalid anyway since the checksum will no longer match.

USB keyboards are *NOT* guaranteed to work outside of Windows by default. Some BIOS have settings for USB Legacy keyboard which need to be enabled. Some other sorts of keyboards simply aren't detected (ex: I had a COMPAQ USB keyboard I got a hold of which never detected in the BIOS on my K8N-E, but worked fine in Windows).

 

Reseting to defaults and clearing CMOS are related.

Resetting to defaults (whether safe, factory or optimized defaults) writes a set of consistent settings into the configuration data. These sets are designed with various goals in mind: for optimally running the computer (the optimized defaults) - these should be the starting point in the BIOS config for the normal life of the computer. The safe defaults are more conservative settings that disable stuff like caching, test skipping during POST. These settings should be used for diagnosing / fixing problems with the computer, and not during normal use.

Clearing the CMOS resets all the data to some "hardware" defaults (think of "0" byte values for all memory locations, although that's not the physical truth). These hardware defaults are usually logically inconsistent (they don't "mean" anything). As a consequence, at the next boot the computer will overwrite factory defaults over these hardware defaults (due to a detected "CMOS checksum error").

Another way to clear / install defaults is updating the BIOS. After writing a new BIOS, typically a checksum error is also given at the next boot, and defaults are loaded.

 

I've seen some systems run through the checksum and work EVEN after flashed when they shouldn't have. This would sometimes cause a host of problems since the registers might've been changed/moved. This is why most of the time the programs advise you to go into the BIOS and LOAD THE DEFAULTS manually after restarting.

Some flashers have a command switch which writes 0 the CMOS RAM. On a normal motherboard, using the CMOS clear jumper usually merely disconnects the battery so that the CMOS RAM loses its charge and go invalid on itself.

 

I disconnected the keyboard and.......NO LUCK. who could have guessed. Now im waiting for a reply from ncix tech support to see if I should RMA it to them or to intel.. So sad, ive only had my laptop about 7 days.. BTW it plays oblivion on high settings and half life maxed @ 1280x800 fine

 

I just solved the problem for a customer he is also the forum member, no need to RMA.

Here is what we did:

Re connect the KB does not solve the problem, So I think might be a corrupted BIOS.

We were going to re-flash the BIOS using WinFlash but it does not allow you to flash the same BIOS.

Tried use the bootable CD to reflash it, but here is the problem, you can't hit "ESC" key to select the boot device since the KB is not detected, here is the solution, remove the HD so it'll boot to CD directly since there is no HD detected.

so we boot to A: prompt and ready to re-flash the BIOS by typing "update" from the bootable disk, guess what, can't type "update" to flash BIOS since the KB is not working.

The solution, new bootable CD that will automatically update BIOS once booted up, no need to type update:

http://1toppc.com/Merchant2/images/Notebook/Asus/96J_Auto_update.nrg

If it's not a bad KB then it should fix it, at least it fixed for him.

 

Nevermind I got the image to burn under linux and everything ran and now my keyboard works again thanks.

 

damn it damn it damn it, I JUST got my laptop back today after 2 months of waiting on goddamn intel to get their **** toghether, then I see this... Oh well at least its fixed >_<

Edit: Ken Lee, I was able to flash the bios using winflash, I just typed "/force" or something like that and it flashed properly. Would your trick have worked for me?

 

I think Winflash on Z96J/S96J is the cause of corrupted BIOS, that's why the KB didn't work.

Where did you type /force in WinFlash? According to Asus, Z96J/S96J is not officially support WInFlash, the bootable CD I upload is using Aflash2 program and already fixed a lot KB issues for my customers.