Keyboard keys freeze on left side of keyboard

[starfire070193]

I am an electrical engineer and extremely knowledgeable on computer hardware and software. I have been troubleshooting this problem for a few days and am convinced, its a software issue. I've com to this conclusion since the laptop have periods were everything is working fine. This problem seems to plague this particular model from what I've read in various user groups, I have updated my firmware and drivers with no success. I tied some registry fixes, with a little success.

The more I troubleshoot this problem, I am starting to see a pattern! This is NOT a new problem specific to my laptop! It has been an ongoing problems foe years! Either HP or AMI h dropped the ball. In my professional opinion, it is a firmware problem!

HP or AMI don't want to spend the money to fix the problem because of the age of the laptop..

I say this because I have been a designer and troubleshooter for over 40 years and a consultant to the DoD and private Industry for the same period of time.I have owned three (3) computer companies building high end state-of-the-art computers for my clients. I admit that I don't have a lot of experience maintaining laptops, but the overall system architecture and functionality is the same. I also admit that Ive owned my laptop less than a week and am very disappointed in what was suppose to be a laptop upgrade, has turned into a nightmare! Is this the best HP can do???

I would love to hear what HP has to say about my analysis!

I would appreciate any assistance this community can offer in helping me rectify this problem?

Thanx!

[Raj_05]

Hi @starfire070193,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

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

It sounds like you've done extensive troubleshooting and have a clear handle on the technical aspects of the issue with your OMEN by HP 17. 

While you've already updated the firmware and drivers, there are still a few advanced steps that might further isolate or resolve the issue. Here's what I would suggest trying:

Investigate BIOS/UEFI Settings

• Some users have reported that specific keyboard settings or power management configurations in the BIOS/UEFI can impact keyboard performance. Check for any settings related to "Function Key Behavior," "Legacy Support," or "Action Keys" that could influence the left side of the keyboard.
• If the problem is a firmware-related issue, you might also try rolling back to an older firmware version if it's available or stable.

Run Advanced Diagnostics

• Use HP’s UEFI hardware diagnostics tool to see if there are any intermittent hardware errors that could be contributing to the problem. If you haven’t already, run a comprehensive test through HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (press Esc during startup to access).
• This will help confirm or eliminate hardware issues from the equation definitively.

Investigate ACPI Driver/IRQ Conflicts

• The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) driver can sometimes cause hardware peripherals, including keyboards, to freeze. Try reinstalling the ACPI drivers manually from Device Manager by uninstalling the keyboard’s ACPI driver and rebooting to allow Windows to reinstall it automatically.

Check for Third-Party Conflicts

• Some keyboard customization or gaming software, like HP's OMEN Command Center, can interfere with native keyboard functionality. Try uninstalling any customization software temporarily to rule this out.
• Additionally, background processes that handle input devices (like virtual machines, keyboard macro apps, or even some virus protection programs) could potentially be at play.

Registry Fixes

• If you found some success with registry fixes, you might want to further explore input device registry entries. Specifically, ensure there are no issues with:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\HID

Investigate Embedded Controller (EC) Firmware

• The Embedded Controller (EC) handles many low-level hardware interactions, including keyboard input. A bug in EC firmware could cause the kind of erratic behavior you're experiencing.
• You could attempt an EC reset by fully powering off the system, disconnecting all peripherals, and holding the power button down for 30-60 seconds. This forces the EC to refresh.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support