Need BREAK key sequence for 17t-cn300 laptop

[CVN66]

I am needing the BREAK key sequence on my HP 17t-cn300 laptop.  I have looked out there on the web and tried just about everything known to man with no luck.  I have even tried using an external keyboard with a BREAK button with no luck.  I'm stuck.  Please help me.

[Garp_senchau]

@CVN66, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

I understand how frustrating this situation can be, and I'm here to assist you. The "BREAK" key is often used in legacy software or debugging, but it's not something that’s directly supported in newer laptops or through all external keyboards. Let's go through some troubleshooting steps that should help resolve this issue.

Check the Correct Key Combination

The "BREAK" key doesn’t always exist as a standalone key on modern keyboards. However, on most laptops (including HP models like the 17t-cn300), you can simulate the "BREAK" function by pressing a combination of keys:

• Press Ctrl + Fn + Break or Ctrl + Fn + Pause (depending on your keyboard setup, as some keyboards combine the two functions).

You can try this with both your built-in laptop keyboard and any external keyboards you have connected.

Use On-Screen Keyboard (OSK)

If your keyboard does not have a "BREAK" key (or if the key combination doesn’t seem to work), you can use the Windows On-Screen Keyboard to simulate the keypress:

• Go to Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard.
• Turn on On-Screen Keyboard.
• On the virtual keyboard, click on the Ctrl key and Pause/Break key to simulate the "BREAK" function.

External Keyboards

Since you’ve already tried an external keyboard, I’d suggest trying different external keyboards that might offer a direct "Break" key. Some keyboards may require driver updates to function properly, so make sure the latest drivers are installed for the external keyboard

[Garp_senchau]

BIOS or UEFI Settings

If none of the above methods work, it might be related to BIOS or UEFI settings:

• Power off your laptop.
• Turn it back on and immediately press the ESC key or F10 to enter the BIOS or UEFI setup.
• Look through the available options for anything related to keyboard settings or legacy support. Enabling legacy USB support or changing the function key behavior might help.

Driver Update

Sometimes the issue is with keyboard drivers not supporting the "BREAK" function. To check for updates:

• Open Device Manager (press Win + X and select Device Manager).
• Expand the Keyboards section and right-click on your laptop's keyboard driver.
• Select Update driver and let Windows search for any available updates.

You can also visit the HP Support website to manually download the latest drivers for your model.

Try Third-Party Software

• Some third-party programs can help simulate the "BREAK" function if all else fails. 

I hope these steps help resolve the issue

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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Regards,