m16 R1, keyboard and rgb not working

Question

I turned my Alienware laptop on for the first time in a couple months. The the rgb lights for the keyboard were off and the keyboard is non functional. I've tried using an external keyboard to try to troubleshoot and it still didn't work. I did a bios using the external keyboard to troubleshoot and it found no problems. I've tried a bios flash and disconnecting the keyboard ribbon cable and nothing worked. It did however work again once when I was logged into the laptop and left it on for a couple minutes but didn't work again after that.

DELL-ChrisM2 · Answer

Before our users can assist, they need to know which specific Alienware laptop model.

Cal Drake · Answer

@DELL-ChrisM2​ m16 r1

mattyb3 · Answer

I have seen in the past that certain windows updates can cause issues with the keyboards, this is going back a fair while but it's possible that you have a similar issue. You could try a system restore to an earlier point and see if it makes any difference. Either that or a clean Windows reinstall.

BIOS updates can also cause it but you've already tried reflashing the BIOS.

Did you run the hardware Diagnostic in the Boot Menu (F12)?

Cal Drake · Answer

@mattyb3​ I have tried the hardware diagnostic using an external keyboard because the laptop keyboard is non functioning. It did not find anything wrong with the laptop, even when I disonnect the external keyboard. But I will try to go back a few Windows updates.

Cal Drake · Answer

@mattyb3 I reflashed the current bios and it didn't work. I tried going down one version and it says 'bios version update blocked due to unsupported downgrade'. How can I go down one version. Also, the downgrade windows update didn't work.

Alienware

m16 R1, keyboard and rgb not working

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