Question Laptop keyboard won't uninstall in device manager

[LLRye]

Long story short, the keyboard in my laptop is busted due to an accident. At first, a number of keys stopped working but now the keyboard randomly starts typing in letters (mostly 'j' and the left arrow).

To make it work, I bought an external keyboard, planning on disabling the laptop keyboard. I've opened up the device manager, chosen the correct keyboard (unplugged the other one to make sure I didn't choose wrong), and pressed uninstall. I was prompted to restart the computer and I said yes. So far so good.

The problem is that after restarting, the keyboard wasn't uninstalled. It's still 'working' and still making it nigh impossible to use the computer for any length of time. I've tried uninstalling the keyboard multiple times (restarting each time), but nothing is happening.

Has anyone else had this issue? How do I go about fixing it? Thank you in advance, guys!

 

[webworkings]

It won't uninstall a keyboard. It uninstalls the driver. Which, upon rebooting the computer, will reinstall the driver.

The laptops attached keyboard should stop working when the external one is connected. Turn off the laptop (no power at all), connect the external keyboard and then power it back on. It should recognize the external one and use only that one.

Should it not, for some random reason, do this and stop the attached one and use the external, then you may want to try opening up the laptop and disconnect the attached keyboard from the motherboard. NOTE: That may not work either as some laptops will not work if the attached keyboard isn't connected. So I would try that only after trying the above.

If none of this resolves it, then you will need to get the attached keyboard replaced.

 

[LLRye]

Hi - thank you for the reply!

Unfortunately, your first piece of advice didn't work. I shut the computer down, attached the keyboard, and booted it up - but the built-in keyboard still 'works'.

I don't really have a lot of expertise with messing around inside computers... before I do anything risky, do you know if Acer computers will work without the attached keyboard? I have a Swift 5, if that helps.

 

[webworkings]

Every version (manufacturer and model) is different so I can't say about that particular model.

 

[LLRye]

Thanks again.

There's something that might impact your first suggested solution - every time I reboot the system with the external keyboard plugged in, it seemingly takes about 5-10 seconds for the computer to recognize it and letting me type in my password. If that is the case, could that be why the trick doesn't work? And if so, is there anything I can do to fix it?

Seriously, I really appreciate you taking the time to do this - you're the best!

 

[webworkings]

This is totally normal and what will happen any time you uninstall the driver and then reboot the computer.

 

[LLRye]

But this is with the external keyboard, not the one whose driver I deleted...? Or am I getting something wrong?

 

[webworkings]

You are, as the system will keep reinstalling the driver. It has nothing to do with what keyboard you are using. It is just how the systems are set up. It is not meant to be used without the driver installed. Short of getting it fixed there is really nothing you can do.

 

[mdb1983]

Long story short, the keyboard in my laptop is busted due to an accident. At first, a number of keys stopped working but now the keyboard randomly starts typing in letters (mostly 'j' and the left arrow).

To make it work, I bought an external keyboard, planning on disabling the laptop keyboard. I've opened up the device manager, chosen the correct keyboard (unplugged the other one to make sure I didn't choose wrong), and pressed uninstall. I was prompted to restart the computer and I said yes. So far so good.

The problem is that after restarting, the keyboard wasn't uninstalled. It's still 'working' and still making it nigh impossible to use the computer for any length of time. I've tried uninstalling the keyboard multiple times (restarting each time), but nothing is happening.

Has anyone else had this issue? How do I go about fixing it? Thank you in advance, guys!

have you figured out what the issue was? i have almost the same problem as you although i don't know how i caused my issue..my keyboard works but it's the right arrow key that keeps activating randomly. it does this in safe mode too and i tried uninstalling the laptop keyboard but can't do it so it's pointless. i can still function with it but the arrow key that keeps activating randomly drives me insane..

i was thinking of getting this acer keyboard replaced by someone since it has to be taken all apart to do that..did you fix your problem that way?