Certain buttons stop working every now and then

[nyyyyy]

Recently I started to have a really annoying problem and wondered if one of you might be able to help me with it.

From time to time a handful of buttons stop to work. The buttons are T, Z, C, M, left shift. However, after keeping them pressed for a longer duration they start to function again. I am typing this post on the very same keyboard which should be proof that its not a hardware error, or else I doubt that the letters would come out this consistently.

Anyone here has an idea what sort of software problem might cause something like this? I already went through all USB ports to check if one of them might be damaged. All still working properly to my knowledge.

 

[saint19]

What happen if you try with another keyboard? Or you use the keyboard in another rig?

I would thing that is a little short inside the keyboard that is not always present.

 

[nyyyyy]

Tried the keyboard on a different computer swapping around cables and didnt encounter any problems. Also re-installed all drivers in hope that it would solve the problem, but nothing seems to work.

 

[saint19]

And what happen with another keyboard on your rig?

 

[nyyyyy]

Dont have one here right now, will try to get my hands on one after Christmas, though (currently visiting my parents). Something interesting I noticed: when I reboot my PC the buttons function flawlessly. However, as soon as Windows starts to load a bunch of processes, some buttons simply die. But after ~30 seconds the buttons work again, without me having done anything apart from continuously pressing them.

Yesterday my computer was running for a couple hours without my keyboard being attached. As a result I was forced to restart my PC for the Z, X, C, M, T, l.shift button and some arrow keys to work. So its definitely not a problem with switches or cable. Should be Windows related or the software of the keyboard. However, I dont really know how one could possibly fix the latter.

Right now the keys work flawlessly. To me it feels like either my PC or keyboard simply turns certain buttons off as soon as I stopped using them for a while. Like, throwing them into standby and then being unable to wake them up until I restarted the entire system.

 

[saint19]

Do you know how to see the programs that start as soon as windows boot up? Could you test your right on safe mode?

 

[nyyyyy]

Already did that but now 8 out of 12 buttons in the bottom row arent working anymore. Start to doubt that its software related. Same problem now occurs when connecting the keyboard to different laptop, so theres that. Guess thats it for me an Leopold products.

edit1: and now, after re-attaching the cable, all of the keys work flawlessly again. However, as soon as I leave my PC for a while (to take a shower for example) the keys die again. No idea how to fix this because a clean boot didnt do anything. I am at a bit of a loss here.

Cant be hardware related or else the keyboard would spazz out more consistently
Cant really be Windows related or else a clean start would fix the problem

So that leaves us with what? The software of the keyboard? That just doest make much sense because the keyboard has worked flawlessly for more than a year and I dont remember updating the software of my peripheral since to my knowledge thats not even possible.

edit2: For the last 10-15 minutes I kept pressing the same button while browsing. The goal was to see if the keyboard enters some sort of 'sleep-mode'. Turns out it doesnt. However, all the buttons I listed above tend to stop working as soon as I didnt use them for a while.

The longer I dont use them, the harder it is to 'wake them up'. By pressing them once every now and then you can prevent them from entering stand-by, and based on what I have seen function flawlessly until you stop using them for a while. As soon as they entered 'stand-by' you can be lucky (key reactivates after pressing it for a few seconds) or unlucky (key doesnt react even though being pressed for a minute or more). I also think that all the buttons are linked, meaning: press one of them every now and then and none enter sleep mode. Because if one is dead, all of them are. Its never just one key.

No clue what to make of this.

 

[saint19]

I would think that is more physical damage on the keyboard that any other thing.

 

[nyyyyy]

I just contacted the manufacturer. Maybe they know whats going on.

Earlier I connected the keyboard to a completely different computer (neighbor of my parents). No issues whatsoever. I then re-attached the keyboard to my laptop and all of a sudden the problems are gone. I connected the keyboard to the same USB port, using the same cable and changed virtually nothing about my setup. No software update, no reset, no clean start.

A bit spooky in my opinion. I will continue to observe this. Maybe the manufacturer can shed some light on this mystery.