My keyboard is showing some weird behaviour.

[Advaid]

My HP Pavilion 15-p218ne (ENERGY STAR) laptop's keyboard is showing some weird behaviours. This laptop was left unused for a long time. Recently I took it and gave it for repairing because the hdd was dead. I got it replaced with an ssd and Windows 10 pro was installed. The problem started then as the keyboard showed a ghost ctrl key problem and the in-built keyboard was ghosting the ctrl key. Pressing esc opens start, scrolling becomes zooming, etc. But its just software as the keyboard is fine in bios. And if i attach an external keyboard the issue will be resolved as soon as i press the ctrl key. Both the keyboard will be working perfectly and also the scrolling. I thoought this was some keyboard driver issue but the HP support page had no drivers for this laptop. Also the Caps lock led has been not working from then and so was the led of the mute key. But some drivers from windows updates triggered the mute key led but not the caps lock led. And also the action keys are not coming on its own even after enabling it in the bios. I have to press Fn to toggle them. Please help me with this issue.

[Jerry_57]

Hi @Advaid,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

I hear that your HP Pavilion 15-p218ne (ENERGY STAR) laptop has a keyboard issue.

Here are the steps to fix this, starting with the most likely solutions:
 

1. Perform a Hard Reset (Clear Ghosted Keys) 

Because the laptop was unused, static electricity or a stuck "logical" key state could be the issue.
 

• Shut down the laptop.
   
• Disconnect the charger and any external peripherals.
   
• Remove the battery (if possible).
   
• Press and hold the power button for 30–60 seconds.
   
• Reconnect the battery and charger, then power on.

2. Fix the "Ghost" Ctrl Key (Software/Driver)

The Windows installation likely used a generic driver that misinterprets the HP embedded controller signals.
 

• Uninstall and Reinstall Keyboard Drivers:
  
  
  1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
      
  2. Expand Keyboards.
      
  3. Right-click your keyboard driver (usually "Standard PS/2 Keyboard") and select Uninstall device.
      
  4. Restart your computer. Windows will automatically reinstall the driver upon rebooting.
      
• Turn off "Sticky Keys": Press the Shift key 5 times rapidly to toggle Sticky Keys off, or go to Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and ensure Sticky/Filter keys are OFF.

3. Resolve Action Keys & LED Issues

The lack of HP-specific drivers is causing the Fn keys and LEDs (Caps Lock) to malfunction. Since the HP site is bare, you need to trigger Windows to find the right ones.
 

• Run Windows Updates: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click "Check for updates". Make sure to check View optional updates for driver updates related to "HP", "Synaptics", or "Keyboard".
   
• Use HP Support Assistant: Download the HP Support Assistant tool. It is much better at finding legacy drivers than the HP Support Assistant | HP® Support.
   
• BIOS Action Key Toggle: Even if you did this, try it again after updating Windows:
  
  1. Restart and tap F10 to enter BIOS.
      
  2. Go to System Configuration.
      
  3. Change Action Keys Mode to DISABLED (so you have to press Fn for volume) and save. Reboot.
      
  4. Then go back and set it to ENABLED again. Sometimes toggling it resets the firmware.

4. Final Troubleshooting Steps

• Try Clean Boot: Start Windows in Safe Mode to see if a startup app is causing the ghosting.
   
• Clean the Keyboard: Use compressed air around the Ctrl, Esc, and Alt keys. Even if it works in BIOS, the "stuck" state might only trigger in Windows 
   

I hope this will help.

 

Take care and have a good day.