Cannot type with keyboard

kaptainkuftic

Commendable
Jul 26, 2016
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Are there any LEDs on the keyboard? For example, if you press caps lock, there may be something that lights up. Does that happen if you press it?
 

Rowena_3

Prominent
Jul 18, 2017
4
0
510


 

Rowena_3

Prominent
Jul 18, 2017
4
0
510


No

 

kaptainkuftic

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Jul 26, 2016
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If it worked before and just recently stopped working, there might be a cable underneath the keyboard that came loose.

You could try plugging a USB keyboard into the laptop in the mean time though
 

bloodroses

Honorable
Jan 27, 2013
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10,570
It could also be a driver issue. As kaptainkuftic said, try plugging in a USB keyboard to see if that works. If so, try trouble shooting software issues before cracking the case open. One suggestion to try is a Linux Live CD to see if the keyboard works with that or not. If it does, then it's definitely a software issue. If it doesn't, chances are it's hardware related.
 
Then plug in a external keyboard and see if that works. Sounds like someone may have spilled something on the keyboard and now your keyboard is fried.

No it isn't cost effective to 'replace' the keyboard (if this is a generic low cost dell), and depending how OLD this laptop is.