HP Elitebook 840 g4 with Windows 11 keyboard boot issue

[rphrph]

I just purchased a used HP Elitebook 840 g4 that had Windows 11 pro installed. The seller told me it originally had Windows 10.

It was working fine until Windows updated my pc.

Now, upon start up the keyboard doesn't work.  I do a restart and all is fine.

I've since updated the BIOS via the HP website

shut off the fastboot

same problem.

Can this be some compatibility problem with the pc and Windows 11?

Can I download the Windows 10 keyboard driver from the HP website w/o causing a further problem? The website does not allow me to list Windows 11 as my current software.  Only Windows 10.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Whoever owned or refurbished the notebook for resale used a W11 bypass hack to install W11, because none of the processors that come with the 840 G4 are officially supported by Microsoft to run W11.

I don't see any drivers for the keyboard on your notebook's support page that would resolve the problem you are having.

I suggest you find the update that caused the keyboard not to work and uninstall it.

If you find the culprit, run the Microsoft Hide Windows Update utility that I zipped up and attached below which will find the update (it will want to install again), check the box to hide the update.

If that doesn't fix the problem, you may want to consider using the HP cloud recovery client software to make a bootable recovery drive and factory reset the notebook to W10.

Here is an info link for how to use the utility:

Pay particular attention on how to install the drivers.

HP Business PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Client in Windows 11 and Windows 10 | HP® Support

You can download the software from your PC's support page at the link below:

HP EliteBook 840 G4 Notebook PC Software and Driver Details

Since W10 goes out of support in two months you can try and do an in-place upgrade from W10>W11 by watching the video at the link below:

This is the method I have used to upgrade unsupported PCs to W11:

How to Install Windows 11 on Unsupported PC in 2025 (New Easiest Method, No CMD)

Download the W24H2 ISO file and use that (3rd option).

Download Windows 11

You can download the free 7-Zip file utility from the link below. The top line is for 64 bit.

7-Zip

You'll have to repeat this or a similar procedure each October when Microsoft rolls out the new builds because a PC that does not meet Microsoft's minimum W11 hardware requirements will never automatically get the update to the next build.

Other than that, your PC will continue to get the monthly cumulative and other updates.

That's only a minor inconvenience to have continued OS support beyond October of 2025.

If things don't work right on W11, you have 10 days to easily go back to W10 as long as you don't delete the W1 upgrade files or the Windows.old folder.

How to Go Back to Windows 10 from Windows 11 (Tutorial)