Keyboard spacebar only works if pressed in the center

[DJC621]

I have an HP Spectre X 360.  My spacebar only works if pressed in the middle.  The keyboard was replaced by an HP technician.  It still has the same problem.  I  bought an external keyboard (HP) and the spacebar works fine. I would have to think it is not Windows 10, but a specific HP driver or setting.  The keyboard driver is Microsoft from 2006 (standard Windows), and apparently there is no better driver available.

Please help.  This is driving me out of my mind.  Thanks

[Riddle_Decipher]

@DJC621 Greetings from the HP Community!

Can you tell me if the space bar feels loose or "wobbly" on the sides? If you have to press the space bar in the middle or hard it means it's not making good contact with the button under the key. This is typically a hardware issue not a software issue.

You can see how to troubleshoot the keyboard here: Notebook Keyboard Troubleshooting.

You'll see near the bottom they address stuck keys which will give the best info for the space bar.

The metal rod under the key may be bent preventing the key from working properly.

If none of the above helped, and the keyboard has already been replaced yet the issue persists, I suggest you talk to HP support and discuss your options, follow the below steps to get started:

1) Click on this link - http://www.hp.com/contacthp/

2) Click on Sign-in or select the product using the below step:

3) Enter the serial of your device.

4) Select the country from the drop-down.

5) Click on "Show Options".

Fill the web-form, to populate a case number and phone number for yourself!

Also, if you are having trouble navigating through the above options, it's most likely because the device is out of warranty, if yes? please send me a private message with the region you are contacting us from, 

here's how private messages work: Click here for details.

If you wish to thank me for my efforts, you could click on "Accept as solution" on my post as the solution should help others too.

[DJC621]

Thanks very much for your offer of help.  The space bar is not wobbly.  I works in the middle  1-1.5 inches of the 3.5 inch spacebar, and it is not a matter of having to push hard, strictly a matter of position.   Unfortunately I cannot train my hands to work within that tight a space,if I want to type more than 25 wpm.

I already have a case number and case manager. I think I need to work through some settings before I completely give up. Again, thanks for your offer of help. If you have any new ideas, please let me know.  If you notice the last sentence my 5 or 6 attempts at a comma after the word "idea" only gave me a semicolon.  I don't know how to change the keyboard configuration.

[Riddle_Decipher]

@DJC621 You could change the keyboard layout or language to change the configuration: click here for details.

Keep us posted.

[DJC621]

Thanks  again for your help. I had already tried those settings but did it again.  Unfortunately, those adjustments did not help.

I was supposed to get a call from the Care Pack Team yesterday, but I haven't heard anything.

[Riddle_Decipher]

@DJC621 I suggest you contact the HP support team again and have this sorted, once and for all,

Good luck.

[ITNerd]

My SPECTRE X360 has had the same issue and it was gradually progressing into an unusable spacebar. The issue was not the spacebar at all.  My battery was exploding, another known issue on modern day HP laptops.  I have removed the battery and am running the computer without the battery while a new battery is on order.  The space bar works perfectly.  Look at the case of your machine.  If the case is 'exploding' in any way, consider removing the battery.  My battery is internal to the machine and not the easy 'pop it out' variety of the last generation of machines.  The spacebar is above the battery.  The expansion of the battery pack was deforming the spacebar, thus causing the spacebar to malfunction.

I am using cause and effect to diagnose this issue.  

Machine in service 7/2018; spacebar beginning failure: 12/2019; spacebar absolutely annoying: 4/2020; battery removed and spacebar working fine: 4/2020; new battery on order.

[DJC621]

Thanks so much for letting me know of your problem and solution.  This makes sense given my experience.  An HP technician replaced the keyboard and when doing so discovered the battery was badly swollen so removed it.  Unfortunately, even without the battery, ( new one was on order)  my space bar still did not work properly, so I had to send the machine to HP.  I did not get a detailed explanation of the cause but it now works.  The only steps I know were taken were 1) Driver updated or reloaded and 2) battery replaced 3) Top cover tested.

I suspect you are right about the battery, but I may also have had a driver issue although I had tried that on my own.  It may be that the space bar needs some pressure from the battery in order to "sit" correctly, which would explain why mine did not work while the battery compartment was empty.

In any case, thanks for your input and good luck.