Question Keyboards fried?

[merrickman2003]

I bought this used laptop (ACER Nitro 5 AN515-53) for cheap because the keyboard's messed up and I was planning to fix it and use it. Basically, the keyboard lights up fine but doesn't type.
Edit: By that I mean when I type there is zero response for any of the keys other than the power button.

I switched the HDD for an SSD and tried replugging the keyboard into the motherboard. I know it's not a driver issue because
a) I tried the bios thing and it wouldnt go into the bios without an external keyboard
b) windows automatically downloaded the driver when i put in the new drive anyways.
c) I tried deleting the keyboard and restarting the laptop on device manager, no go.

Buddy that i bought it from dodged any question about how it stopped working with "its a driver issue", he tried to convince me acer had their own specific driver for their laptop keyboards (I checked the whole list of drivers for that laptop for <Mod Edit> and found nada).

When I said that there wasn't a driver he said something along the lines of me knowing it was broken when i bought it. Downloaded all the acer software and also troubleshooted (even though that never works). I really wanna avoid buying a new keyboard for it because it's so damn expensive and I'm a broke student.

It's fried isn't it?

SPECS:
ACER AN515-53
i5-8300
GTX 1050
8gb DDR3 2666MHz
256gb SSD SATA
A keyboard that doesn't keyboard

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

I really wanna avoid buying a new keyboard for it

Hey there,

Well, you've almost answered your own question. You bought it on the basis, the keyboard was FUBAR'd. So you gotta expect the fix isn't that easy. It could very well just be the connectors for the keyboard to mobo that are damaged. Is that something you could fix? Potentially. But without having experience, this might simply be too much. Buying a new keyboard is prob the best option. However, putting any money into a machine you 'don't really know what happened to it' is not a great idea. You might bring to a local repair store and see what they can do. Could just add up to about 100£$€ or so for repair.

Just to b clear though, with an external keyboard it works fine? There are many decent low profile bluetooth/2.4ghz that can just sit in front of the laptop.

 

[Fix_that_Glitch]

That guy is no friend of yours. If you boot in safe mode and the keyboard doesn't work then it's DOA.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

That guy is no friend of yours. If you boot in safe mode and the keyboard doesn't work then it's DOA.

Yeah! A buddy that's dodging questions. Nooooo,

 

[Fix_that_Glitch]

Yeah! A buddy that's dodging questions. Nooooo,

True, the old adage never lend money or do business😕 with family or friends.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

There are a number of things I won't buy second hand. GPU (Mining), PSU(Too much wear and tear, no warranty), and a laptop! You just never know what has been done to it.

With that said, Dell/HP and other providers offer refurbed machines, and often at very decent prices. I snagged a really snappy Dell Latitiude 7280, with an i5 8350 and a 512gb SSD for €300 euro. and use it as a plex server, and little run around for bringing to work or coffee shop. You don't have to spend much to get some decent hardware.

 

[merrickman2003]

Hey there,

Well, you've almost answered your own question. You bought it on the basis, the keyboard was FUBAR'd. So you gotta expect the fix isn't that easy. It could very well just be the connectors for the keyboard to mobo that are damaged. Is that something you could fix? Potentially. But without having experience, this might simply be too much. Buying a new keyboard is prob the best option. However, putting any money into a machine you 'don't really know what happened to it' is not a great idea. You might bring to a local repair store and see what they can do. Could just add up to about 100£$€ or so for repair.

Just to b clear though, with an external keyboard it works fine? There are many decent low profile bluetooth/2.4ghz that can just sit in front of the laptop.

yea an external keyboard works fine