MUST unplug keyboard ribbon cable. Is there any way to configure through BIOS a new power key?

[U10389smiley]

I have an HP omen 16 that I love dearly that has been out of commission for a while due to an unfortunate coffee spill. The keyboard is VERY MESSED UP in multiple ways because I, while panicking, messed up quite a few keys while trying to deal with the coffee right after spilling it. I dont want to send it out to get repaired (I am embarrassed). Id much rather deal with it myself and I have a good idea of how to do that. The only reason I havent done anything major under the hood is because I dont know if unplugging the keyboard ribbon cable will make my computer impossible to turn on. 

The issue is that nearly the entire top few rows are constantly being pressed and I want to shut that off by unplugging the keyboard internally. I have keyboards that I can plug in and I have but the constant keystrokes make it impossible to type even with those.  If I screw it up I'll get it repaired then and only then because I really would like to fix this myself I dont have much money to spend on repairs right now. Is there any way I can turn on "Power on by keyboard", "Power on by USB" or other such features or are there alternatives to these that I can use? Any usb keyboard models that come with working power buttons for this specific laptop?

Ive watched dismantling guides,  looked at the manual, gotten thermal paste to replace the old stuff after taking the heat sink off, anti static measures, almost everything but actually going in and doing it. Could I also just replace the keyboard myself or would that be too much to expect from someone whos only half confident with this sort of thing? 

[U10389smiley]

I should mention that the only thing that seems damaged is the keyboard and it has been quite a long time and i DID NOT turn back on the computer until after enough time for coffee to dry. I waited a few days and did all the tricks google told me to try it out sans dumping the whole laptop in a bucket of rice. 

[Deep_World]

Hi @U10389smiley,
 
Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused don’t worry let me help you.

To better understand the issue, could you please provide a few more details?

I’m really sorry to hear about the situation with your keyboard it sounds stressful, especially after dealing with a liquid spill. Liquid exposure can unfortunately cause lasting damage to internal components, even if the system was powered off and allowed to dry. The fact that the keyboard is the only part showing issues is actually a bit of good news, since it suggests the motherboard and other critical parts may still be intact.

To clarify your question: the power button function cannot be reassigned through BIOS. On HP laptops, the power key is hard‑wired into the system board, so there isn’t a way to configure another key to act as the power button.

To get you the best assistance, we need to take this conversation to a private chat. We're inviting you to a private message to protect your privacy and ensure that any sensitive information remains confidential. 

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We're looking forward to helping you resolve this issue! 

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience! 

Best regards,

Deep_World