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    Surface Pro 4 - Keyboard stops working

    Discussion in 'Microsoft' started by skman, Mar 5, 2018.

  1. skman

    skman Notebook Geek

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    Anyone have a SP4 where the keyboard just stopped working? I hadn't used my surface in a while and then one day i tried it and the keyboard stopped working. I've tried different drivers to no avail. I've looked at MS support site and nothing has helped. I've tried a new cover as well but also to no avail.
    One thing I did notice is when i run a trouble shooter on the keyboard the following message pops up..."USB Input Device is an older USB device and might not work with USB 3.0 - Plug the device into an available USB 2.0 port, and click Next. Otherwise click Cancel". I've tried to up the USB 3.0 drivers and that doesn't seem to work either. I'm kind of at wits end and I don't really want to take it into the store.

    any thoughts?

    thanks!
     
  2. p0och

    p0och Notebook Enthusiast

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    download the surface diagnostic toolkit and test it
     
  3. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    Does the keyboard light up? Boot into UEFI/Bios and see if it works there. UEFI doesn't need drivers like windows does so if the keyboard works there, then it is a software issue. If it doesn't work at all, then I would settle for a hardware issue: buy a new keyboard.

    I had Surface 2 Pro with two keyboards. One of them was slightly broken and when starting the computer (pretty much always) would loose connectivity altogether, unless it was removed and put right back. I was told it was the cables in the hinge portion of the keyboard that would be damaged over time of moving around.

    That usb2/3 problem windows is reporting might be a driver/software update issue or a hardware issue with keyboard and windows just doesn't understand what the keyboard is doing.
     
  4. p0och

    p0och Notebook Enthusiast

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    in some cases i've noticed the surface dock recently had a firmware update.

    i only bring this up because u mentioned you havent used your sp4 in a while so maybe the probs ur having is temp while microsoft organizes and recalibrates all your drivers and firmware not to mention probably the large windows update that comes out every qtr.

    leave it idle overnight connected to your wifi and see if the problem goes away
     
  5. scpres

    scpres Notebook Consultant

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    It happens to me.. I just remove it and restart my surface with out the keyboard and put it back on. and its all good
     
  6. PsiPr0

    PsiPr0 Notebook Evangelist

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    I know this is a late reply, but this just happened to my Surface Pro 6 and entering BIOS fixed the issue. You don't even have to make any changes either. Just enter bios and immediately the keyboard/mouse on the typecover start working. Exit BIOS and boot to Windows with a now working type cover.