Windows 10: My keyboard on my Surface Pro won't type or is locked. What to do?

Locked keyboard or keys don't type. What to do?

:)

 

MS Surface Keyboard Cover not recognized by MS Surface Pro 3

My Surface Pro 3 cover mysteriously stopped working (other USB keyboards work).

I’ve exhausted all of the steps from the Internet and am hoping for some advice here on what to try next.

• Clean the metal pins on both the keyboard and the Surface Pro 3 with alcohol swap and q-tip.
  
• Performed the standard two button shutdown procedure - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4036280/surface-force-a-shut-down-and-restart-your-surface
  
• Update "HID keyboard" device in Device Manager.
  
• Uninstall and reinstall "HID keyboard device" in Device Manager.
  
• Removed HID keyboard device in Device Driver and manually installed Surface Type Cover device (which later automatically turns to "HID keyboard device" when you hit "update drivers")
  
• Updated all Windows 10 patches to date.
  
• Tried a brand new keyboard (Microsoft FMM-00001 Type Cover for Surface Pro https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073W4MPJF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )
  
• Updated firmware for Surface Pro 3 (typed in “winver”, took that Windows version, then downloaded the specific patch required here - Download Surface Pro 3 from Official Microsoft Download Center)
  
• Reset Surface Pro 3 while keeping personal files
  
• Reset Surface Pro 3 and deleted all personal files
  
• Performed hardware tests on aka.ms/surfacerepair (nothing bad found; all looks ok)
  
• Drained the battery most of the way before connecting again - the two times it worked momentarily these last few days was when I connected my new type cover keyboard to the Surface Pro 3 after the battery had died down to below 50%; a simple reboot later, everything stopped working. This user seems to have the same problem with it working briefly when there is low battery - Surface Pro 3 Battery drain along with type cover connector failure )
  

A breakdown of the steps I've done to sometimes get it working

• Leave Surface Pro 3 on about 2 hours on battery only.
  
• Power on Surface Pro 3.
  
• Working Keyboard.
  
• Turn off Surface Pro 3 (or reboot)
  
• Keyboard not working anymore
  
• Another similar user here - Surface 3 type cover issue
  

Can anyone recommend any other troubleshooting steps? One of these steps seemed to work ok for others having this same problem.

 

Problem updating Windows Surface Pro 4 with Windows 10 feature updates

Hi,

I have manage to install image for Microsoft Surface Pro 4 by going to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...erecoveryimage and download a recovery image for Microsoft Surface Pro 4.

What I did to reset your Surface from a USB recovery drive was:
Step 1: Make sure your Surface is turned off and plugged in (hold down the power
button for 30 seconds).
Step 2: Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port on your Surface.
Step 3: Press and hold the volume-down button while you press and release the
power button on your Surface.
Step 4: When the Surface logo appears, release the volume button.
Step 5: When prompted, select the language and keyboard layout you want.
Step 6: Select Troubleshoot > Reset your PC.
If prompted for a recovery key, select Skip this drive at the bottom of the
screen.
Step 7: Select the target operating system you wish to reset. This
refers to the current operating system installed on your Surface.
Step 8: Select Yes, repartition the drives, and on the next page, select Next.
Step 9: Choose Just remove my files.
Step 10: Select Reset.
Surface restarts and the Surface logo displays while the reset process continues
(this can take a while).

This always fails and I have to do the below which continues installation.
Windows 10 Installation Media:

1. Insert the Media (DVD/USB) in your PC and restart.
2. Boot from the media.
3. Select Repair Your Computer.

Select Troubleshoot.

1. Choose Command Prompt from the menu:

Type in the command:
Diskpart
Type in the command:
List disk (Note which disk is your Boot drive number mine is 0)
Type in the command:
Sel disk 0
Type in the command:
List vol (Note which volume is the EFI partition mine is 4)
Type in the command:
Sel vol 4
Type in the command:
assign letter=V:
Type in the command:
Exit
Type in the command:
V:
After you have assigned a drive letter Using Diskpart You can format the EFI partition:
Example: if you assigned a letter V to the partition the command would be:
format V: /FS:FAT32
Type in the command:
bcdboot C:\windows /s V: /f UEFI


Now I have an issue that I cannot install Feature Updates. They keep failing to install.
Any ideas how to resolve issue?

 

Surface Pro 3

Hi ChrisWaters3,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Could you please help me with the below information:

1. Does the battery drain out, if the tablet is not connected to peripherals?
   
   
2. Which version of Windows you are using? (To check, type: winver in start menu and hit enter.)
   

I understand how something like this can try your patience. This issue is an indication of faulty drivers or incompatible driver.
However, I suggest you to follow the troubleshooting steps mentioned below:

Method 1: Check the drivers.

Step1: Battery driver

1. Press Windows andR
   key together on your Keyboard.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and hit enter.
   
3. Click on view on top > Select Show hidden devices.
   
4. Expand the Batteries option from the list.
   
5. Select the ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery> right click on the driver and click on
   Properties.
6. Click on Driver tab > check if you have the option to
   Roll Back Driver.
7. If yes, Roll back the driver or uninstall it and restart the computer.
   

Uninstalling the driver will be automatically installed after the system is restarted. Check if the issue is fixed.

Step 2: Keyboard driver.

1. In the Device manager, go to ‘Other devices’, you will find
   Unknown devices.
   
2. Double tap on the unknown device > click on
   Driver tab> click on update driver.
   
3. Select browse my computer for driver software> Click on Let me pick from a list of device drivers
   
4. Select keyboard, then click ‘Next’.
   
5. Select HID Keyboard device and click finish.
   

Method 2: Run the toolkit.


Note: If your Surface is managed by your work or school, check with your organization's IT department before running the tool.

I would suggest you to run the toolkit provided by Microsoft on
Fix common Surface
problems using the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit

If the above steps, doesn’t fix the issue. I would suggest you to follow the steps mentioned in the article on
Surface Pro 3 Battery
FAQ for the Surface Pro Embedded Controller Firmware update.


Hope it helps.

Roohi Taj S

Microsoft Community - Moderator