New HP Envy keyboard randomly stops working

[cyn818]

I have had the issue since I bought the laptop, which is still under warranty.  HP had me do a full reset, which didn't fix the problem and actually caused other problems.  It's obviously a hardware failure - keyboards should work regardless of windows/software, but HP refuses to believe/understand it, and refuses to take any steps replacing my laptop even through it's under warranty.  Good news is that I'll never buy another HP product.  

[Coldsteak]

oh my god, that's borderline criminal. Maybe we should all try to put a class action suit together. Would be ironic for something like that to originate on the HP forums.

[davelaptop]

Removing the HP Easy Clean app fixed it for me:

1. If your keyboard stops working before you login and you're not set up for face or fingerprint login, you can click the Accessibility icon in the bottom right, turn on the On-Screen Keyboard, and use that to type your password/PIN
2. Once logged in, go to Settings > Apps, find HP Easy Clean, and uninstall it
3. Reboot the laptop

Keyboard has been working fine since.

The background to finding this solution is the keyboard stopped working on a brand new HP Dragonfly and for me it definintely wasn't a hardware problem. The keyboard passed on diagnostics, as long as they were run from the pre-boot menu rather than from within Windows.

My problem appeared to be caused by HP Easy Clean, an app that temporarily disables keyboard input in Windows (even though the laptop is powered up) so you can clean the keyboard without mashing random keys.

After I first opened HP Easy Clean, even though I didn't actually actively disable anything, just opened it and quit, on the next restart of the laptop I found myself stuck at the Windows login screen with the keyboard disabled. Plugging in a USB keyboard didn't help either. I'd only just set up the laptop so had no face or fingerprint set up. Eventually go back in via the on-screen keyboard.

Once logged in I could see exclamation marks next to the keyboard drivers in Device Manager as mentioned on the other thread. Uninstalling and deleting keyboard drivers there did not help.

The fix for me was just to uninstall HP Easy Clean and restart.

[hansenm17]

I think you were having a different issue than me and the rest of the people in this thread. Different laptop (I believe nearly everyone that's commented has had an envy) and different symptoms (yours wasn't working upon booting up, whereas ours stops working mid use, only working again after rebooting). I don't have HP Easy Clean installed to boot. I'm glad yous was solved though

[glennremar]

Yes. It sounds like you have a different issue.  I do not have HP Easy Clean installed either.  Does anyone know how to reference this issue with HP Support Case that others have reported?  Unfortunately it does not sound like HP can fix this with a driver update and a replacement will have the same issue currently.  But I would like to get this fixed while in warranty if they find a fix.  I noticed the keyboard crashing with the right navgation key.  Mapping the up, down, left, right keys using Microsoft Power Toys was a workaround that seemed to work for me, but I do not want to keep using.  Are there any system settings for  keyboard Repeat Delay or Repeat Rate that could help prevent the keyboard from stopping to work?

[davelaptop]

Definitely not identical, but I wonder if there could be a similar cause?

Other people here reported seeing exclamation marks next to the keyboard drivers in Device Manager, and that's exactly what I saw once I was logged back into Windows.

Next time your internal keyboard stops working, if you plug in a USB keyboard, does that work? If so, your problem is definitely not like the one I had.

[keybdlock]

I have had this problem since the beginning, but it was quite rare at first. Recently, i have had some shut-down issues, in that it would take a while to shut down, the screen would go blank, and I would think the envy was off, would close the monitor and forget about it. Only to discover the pc was overheating instead, draining the battery. I installed the latest BIOS, and since then, this right arrow key leading to a keyboard lockup started showing up more and more. I have gone through support, they made me go through a hard reset that almost killed it definitively, then when back online, the support guy disappeared and never sent the email to reconnect. I connected with another guy, who led me through some more updating including on the windows side and hp firmware. At the end, nothing got solved, I purchased a warranty extension, and now I think I threw $200 down the drain. We should make more noise about this.

[Skrayne]

I've had the same issue. Never have gotten answers as to a real fix for it. All I can say is as long as I don't take it off the charge cord, it doesn't happen. But if it's off the charge cord, the keyboard stops working within an hour.

[Blipit]

Same problem here with my envy 17 - cw0009na.

Went into sleep mode whilst I was typing this on my other computer, now when it wakes, I have no keyboard and it says it can't start the camera.

Mouse and apps work fine (when in Windows) just not able to use the keyboard for login or input.

A reboot has got my keyboard back.

[Llawen]

I ha, ve exact same issue. It is a software issue, I say that and can prove it. When your keyboard stops reboot laptop and hit f10 until it boots into BIOS, keyboard works flawlessly. I was told by HP support that it was a hardware issue. I told them it works in BIOS, if it was hardware issue it wouldn't work at all. They finally agreed. They blamed Microsoft, again told them no sir. Microsoft creates the OS and each computer manufacturer creates the drivers for each machine. the finally agreed. 

It's hit and miss on these Envy laptops. Even after they agreed it was on hP's  end, they charged me $60 to fix my laptop and it lasted a week.

I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER HP PRODUCT AGAIN. I spend my hard earned money on this junk piece of crap and have to deal with this. 

Her is my fix, once keyboard is working set up a restore point. sometimes that works. I shut off all updates and set sleep to all off. if it sleeps to long it stops working. I set a screen saver and just leave it running. I can't sell it and put the new owner through this miserable experience. Also another work around that sometimes works, reboot and hit f10 constantly and boot into Bios, then reboot from there. HP has lost a customer here. I will go without a laptop and printer before I spend a single penny on hp crap again.

hope this helps other people that fell prey to hp.