Alienware AW768 Keyboard Up arrow key not working???

[itsmarko2003]

My Alienware AW 768 keyboard Up arrow key is not working, scroll lock is off, num lock is off, and all the other arrow keys work, just the up one doesn't. I've plugged in the keyboard to another computer and the arrow key works, I've uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers, and sometimes the up arrow key works, but im not sure of why. (Note: I have plugged it into other computers and it works fine, so it isn't physical.) If anybody know how to fix it, please help.

 

[webworkings]

When you uninstalled and reinstalled the driver, did you make sure to restart the computer after uninstalling but before reinstalling? If not, it won't work correctly.

 

[itsmarko2003]

When you uninstalled and reinstalled the driver, did you make sure to restart the computer after uninstalling but before reinstalling? If not, it won't work correctly.

I did restart the computer

 

[webworkings]

And this is the attached keyboard, or an external one? Have you checked to make sure there is no debris, dust, residue (from a liquid) where that particular key is?

 

[itsmarko2003]

And this is the attached keyboard, or an external one? Have you checked to make sure there is no debris, dust, residue (from a liquid) where that particular key is?

It is external, and i have some new information; The keyboard up input is not working, with any keyboard or even the on screen keyboard, meaning it is not mechanical, but software issue. The up input doesn't work, for example if i were to play pac-man, i could not go up, because no matter what keyboard i plugged in into different usb ports, it will not receive the up command. I have all of my drivers up to date and i have reinstalled my keyboard drivers many times, yet nothing works. The computer is a desktop.

 

[webworkings]

Try starting it up in "Safe Mode" and see if it happens in there, as only main software, drivers and hardware should have any effect in there. If it stops, then it is something installed on the device (bad driver, bad program, virus, malware, etc.).

How to enter "Safe Mode" when booting the computer.

In Windows 8 and 10...

As your computer restarts, press F8 (possibly a few times) to enter "Safe Mode"

a. Press the "F4" key to Enable "Safe Mode".
(The computer will then start in "Safe Mode" with a minimal set of drivers and services.)

b. Press the "F5" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Networking.
( Once "Safe Mode" with Networking starts, Windows is in Safe Mode, with additional network and services for accessing the Internet and other computers on your network.)

c. Press the "F6" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Command Prompt.
(In "Safe Mode" with "Command Prompt" starts Windows in Safe Mode, with a Command Prompt window instead of the Windows interface. This option is mostly only used by IT professionals.)

Now sign in to the computer with your account name and password. (If you have one set.) When you are finished troubleshooting, you can exit "Safe Mode" restarting your computer.


In Windows 7/Vista/XP...

1. Immediately after turning on the computer, or restarting it (usually after you hear your computer beep), tap the F8 key, repeatedly, in 1 second intervals.

2. The computer will then display hardware information and run a memory test.

3. Next the "Advanced Boot Options" menu will appear.

4. In the "Advanced Boot Options" menu use the arrow keys to select "Safe Mode" or "Safe Mode with Networking" and press ENTER.

 

[itsmarko2003]

Try starting it up in "Safe Mode" and see if it happens in there, as only main software, drivers and hardware should have any effect in there. If it stops, then it is something installed on the device (bad driver, bad program, virus, malware, etc.).

How to enter "Safe Mode" when booting the computer.

In Windows 8 and 10...

As your computer restarts, press F8 (possibly a few times) to enter "Safe Mode"

a. Press the "F4" key to Enable "Safe Mode".
(The computer will then start in "Safe Mode" with a minimal set of drivers and services.)

b. Press the "F5" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Networking.
( Once "Safe Mode" with Networking starts, Windows is in Safe Mode, with additional network and services for accessing the Internet and other computers on your network.)

c. Press the "F6" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Command Prompt.
(In "Safe Mode" with "Command Prompt" starts Windows in Safe Mode, with a Command Prompt window instead of the Windows interface. This option is mostly only used by IT professionals.)

Now sign in to the computer with your account name and password. (If you have one set.) When you are finished troubleshooting, you can exit "Safe Mode" restarting your computer.


In Windows 7/Vista/XP...

1. Immediately after turning on the computer, or restarting it (usually after you hear your computer beep), tap the F8 key, repeatedly, in 1 second intervals.

2. The computer will then display hardware information and run a memory test.

3. Next the "Advanced Boot Options" menu will appear.

4. In the "Advanced Boot Options" menu use the arrow keys to select "Safe Mode" or "Safe Mode with Networking" and press ENTER.

So i booted it in safe mode through system config, and it works in safe mode, completely.
What does that exactly mean? It worked to scroll and everything, but as soon as i got out of safe mode, it stopped working again

 

[webworkings]

So it is software not hardware. OK good.

First run good thorough scans for viruses, malware, spyware, etc. It will require the use of a few different programs since most don't cover all. Luckily many are free.

Should that not resolve it then I am back to drivers. When you did the uninstall, restart, reinstall, did you allow the computer to choose the drivers automatically, or did you install drivers you chose? And do you have any programs on the computer that are intentionally meant to alter the keyboard usage in any way? I have seen a few, with mixed results.

 

[itsmarko2003]

So it is software not hardware. OK good.

First run good thorough scans for viruses, malware, spyware, etc. It will require the use of a few different programs since most don't cover all. Luckily many are free.

Should that not resolve it then I am back to drivers. When you did the uninstall, restart, reinstall, did you allow the computer to choose the drivers automatically, or did you install drivers you chose? And do you have any programs on the computer that are intentionally meant to alter the keyboard usage in any way? I have seen a few, with mixed results.

So I’ve run it through virus scans and all that, and it still doesn’t work, when reinstalling the keyboard drivers, I let the computer choose automatically each time. Just yesterday I reinstalled the drivers, but this problem has been going on for months

 

[webworkings]

Do you remember, when the issue started, what changes were made to the computer at that time? Since it works fine in "Safe Mode" then it has to be something that is only running when outside of that mode. Which limits anything running that isn't required.

I would suggest trying a "System Restore", which is not a full on restoration of the computer but just back to a specific point. You can using find it by going to "Start" and thin in the search box type "System Restore". Click on that in the list and you should be given the option to take the computer back to a specific data. If there are any restore points there. However, since you say this has been going on for months, even if you had a restore point that was far enough back, I hesitate suggesting it as anything you have installed since that time would be removed.

 

[itsmarko2003]

Do you remember, when the issue started, what changes were made to the computer at that time? Since it works fine in "Safe Mode" then it has to be something that is only running when outside of that mode. Which limits anything running that isn't required.

I would suggest trying a "System Restore", which is not a full on restoration of the computer but just back to a specific point. You can using find it by going to "Start" and thin in the search box type "System Restore". Click on that in the list and you should be given the option to take the computer back to a specific data. If there are any restore points there. However, since you say this has been going on for months, even if you had a restore point that was far enough back, I hesitate suggesting it as anything you have installed since that time would be removed.

Yeah I don’t think I wanna do that, but thank you so much anyways! I’ll take this up with dell support, and they’ll have to figure it out someway. Thank you so much for havin my back!

 

[webworkings]

Do let us know what happens.

 

[v.c.m.degans10]

for me, the up arrow only seems to work when being pressed in combination with the right alt key, could you check if that's the case with your problem too, to see if we have the same problem?

 

[itsmarko2003]

Do let us know what happens.

Ok i have made a discovery, the up arrow key only works when pressing shift and the up arrow key, i just never tried the combo. What could this be? Just to be clear, the up arrow key doesnt work normally, but when i hold shift and press it it works. It works when doing shift and up on youtube, it turns up the volume but it doesnt work anywhere else. Might that mean something?