Backslash key on HP Spectre 13

[Souperstar123]

Got a really awkward issue regarding the Spectre13-v001na.   I purchased one brand new last week, it came really quickly by Friday, but no matter what combination of keys I used I could not get the backslash key to work.  After much persuading with HP they agreed to send me a same day replacement which arrived today, only for the same thing to be in existing on that laptop too.  Surely with a supposedly premium high end product there cannot be two faulty laptops.  Anybody else got this issue, or am I just unlucky?  If anybody has got the issue and got round it, please tell me.

[Tardis40]

Hi @Souperstar123 ,

I hope you enjoy your visit to the HP Support Forums. I understand you are having an issue with the backslash key. I will be glad to help you.

There should be no key combo needed. On more keyboards, the backslash is the key above the enter key.

It is just bad luck if you got two computer like this.

Please use the following http://www.hp.com/contacthp and create a case for your issue and contact HP. If you live outside the US/Canada, please click the link below to get the contact information for your region.
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-phone-assist.html

Please keep me informed of how things went. 

If you require further assistance, let me know and I will gladly do all I can to help you.

Please let me know if this resolves the issue by marking this post as "Accept as Solution".
To simply say thanks, click the Thumbs up below! 🙂

Thanks.

[bookanengineer]

Hi there. Can I ask if you had any resolution to this, have you sent it back again? Reason I ask is that I also have a Spectre13 with a backslash that does nothing. So there's either a major manufacturing problem with these laptops, or otherwise there's a firmware / software issue.  One laptop maybe, three with the same problem on the same key? If you could let me know how you've got on, would be appreciated.

[Huendli]

I can confirm this issue for my Spectre 13-v080nz. I think the problem exists for European layouts only, and is caused by the key being labelled backslash, but sitting where the right Ctrl key is on US layouts. And as an appropriate driver is missing, it still acts as such. So you guys at HP should provide us with such a driver as soon as possible, since in my opinion this issue is quite embarrassing for a flagship product.

[Souperstar123]

Hi, no I sent the original back to get a replacement that had the same problem.  When I originally talked to support they carried out a firmware upgrade that didnt solve the problem so I would suggest it is a major manufacturing problem - pretty poor really considering the amount they charge for the item.

[Souperstar123]

HI, YOU will never guess but out of curiosity I have just been on the HP support website and downloaded and installed their latest BIOS update and the backslash key now works.  I take it back being a manufacturing fault, but again still pretty poor that they dont ship the item with the latest bios.\\\\\

[Huendli]

Thanks for the hint Souperstar123, just updated to F26 and now the key works like a charm 😆

Still a bad job by HP IMHO, also that we don't get a proper European keyboard layout with full-height return key (on top of the misplaced backslash and dollar keys, the latter being ridiculously large given that I never use it). Cost saving on a halo product just doesn't fit well 😕

[bookanengineer]

I can confirm my Spectre was also corrected by the firmware update.

[IRL-TB]

Hi, i also purchased a HP spectre X360 (European version) in July 2015, had a power problem which resulted in PC going back to HP (Poland i think) to be fixed.  Since then i have hadn't had use of the backslash key on the keyboard, despite numerous posts to HP support & suggestions to update bios (done) & change language settings (done multiple times).

You should notice that when you bring up the soft keyboard & press (have to type backslash!!!) the CTRL keys on the soft keyboard light up so a previous reply is correct, CTRL & backslash mixed up in the software somewhere.

As someone in the IT business we would not get away with such a mistake as this & would have had to correct it immediately..... 

Surely HP have done something by now?

[bookanengineer]

Hi. If it's the Spectre X360 then I believe that's a different laptop to the Spectre 13 detailed on this thread.  What I can say categorically is that the backslash problem was fixed by the firmware update provided.  The problem related to the product being designed for the US market I guess, and this issue slipped past testing I guess when the laptop was used in other regions. With that in mind, you would probably want to focus on the Regional Settings within Windows, see if switching this to the US will perhaps bring back your backslash key. Of-course that might not be the region you're after, but if you can assure yourself that the key is fine and this is definetely a regional issue, then you're half way there to explaining to HP what's going on.