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Help with non functioning keyboard/touchpad [Microsoft Surface Laptop 7e] (hexbear.net)
submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by ratboy@hexbear.net to c/technology@hexbear.net
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Note: this surface does not have a detachable keyboard

So my partner is someone who leaves 100+ Firefox windows open, 5 programs up, and never ever shuts down his laptop. After a year or more of this his laptop would take 30 minutes or more to try to boot up, or wouldn't at all so I suggested that he reinstall Windows 11. After that it seemed like the problem was fixed and it would start up just fine, but after a week or so of use, his keyboard and touch pad stopped working completely. He told me that he tried a bunch of fixes, including installing new drivers, and nothing has worked. No idea if these two things are related but I assume so.

I wasn't around to see exactly what he did, so I was wondering if any of you fine people might be able to help troubleshoot. Really hoping his lappy isn't a lost cause

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[–] StillNoLeftLeft@hexbear.net 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

How strongly do you feel about keeping the win OS? I have no real fixes to offer, but just chiming in that after having gone Linux Mint a few months back my computer touching experience has been miles better in a way that is hard to describe after a lifetime of fighting with various Windows systems. I installed it on my PC and laptop both and it's been smooth sailing.

Today I installed a linux OS on my partners old chromebook (installed a new bios to it too) and even that ended up being easy to do compared to anything I ever did on windowds when things went sour. And everything seems to be working. I am not at all that tech savvy, just followed a guide online.

So definitely don't give up on the device. Hope someone can help with a fix, but in the end installing a linux on it should be doable and is likely easier than most assume. Could be a good time to switch to the PeoplesOS?

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Linux doesnt work on this particular laptop because it has a snapdragon processor. I think Ubuntu was working on it, but a bunch of stuff still isn't functional, and I think people have successfully used Arch but thats scary I don't know shit about coding/programming.

I'm probably going to buy a thinkpad at the suggestion of other folks on here but wanted to give fixing it a shot.

How's Mint? Pretty Intuitive to use?

[–] StillNoLeftLeft@hexbear.net 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Oh I see. Good luck getting it working again then.heart-sickle

And yeah, mint is very intuitive. A family member that still has windows just sat on the pc and used all the things, not really even noticing much difference.

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 2 points 5 months ago

Thank you, I may just buy another laptop because I want Linux anyway but it feel a like a shame to not try to get it working and sell it at the VERY least.

[–] I_Voxgaard@hexbear.net 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Sounds like a ribbon cable needs to be reseated connecting board to the keyboard/trackpad

will require proper tools and a teardown video, but is resolvable - it's been a while since I've opened a surface so I'd need to know the exact year/model to further comment.

no idea why it happened right after the reinstall, that seems like a red herring to me because they were working at one point after the reinstall - for them to suddenly stop and persist beyond a power cycle signals hardware to me.

[–] I_Voxgaard@hexbear.net 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

ribbon cables can fail due to longterm overheating of device - especially after thermal paste expires and fan bearings become insufficient or otherwise burdened

[–] I_Voxgaard@hexbear.net 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

i am assuming no active warranty to leverage? sorry for triple post - on mobile

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

All good, okay so I think you are totally correct about the thermal paste considering the way he was using it. I just connected a USB mouse and that worked fine. Don't have an external keyboard but I assume that would probably work if the mouse is working. And you're correct about the warranty being expired.

I have never opened up a computer before, do you think it would be doable for me by just by watching videos? I think it's this one

Also unrelated but thought I'd ask, I have been looking at thinkpads and was curious if you think that the one I'm looking at is a decent price. I've been watching it for 2-3 weeks and offered $400 because it has no charger/unknown charge cycles but I got declined. Another hexbear user said they thought it wasn't worth it but I've been searching everywhere and can't seem to find a better deal thinkpad T14s AMD Gen 3

[–] I_Voxgaard@hexbear.net 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Sorry for being nearly 3 weeks late on responding.

In this video, the first step "Keyboard Assembly and Disassembly" covers the ribbon cables being disconnected/reconnected.

Pricing and value comparison between models has never really been my thing. My gut instinct says to buy a model that is about to be discontinued that has good reviews. Not sure if your partner needs it to do anything specific - if they just browse the web then I wouldn't pay more than $400 and you could probably skate by on a Chromebook for cheaper at that point. If they want a discrete GPU, then prepare to suffer the freeze-gamer price.

[–] hello_hello@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It might be something wrong with the bios or hardware. You probably want to have it taken to a computer repair store and have it looked at.

Does using a USB mouse and keyboard work?

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago

Hmm I'll give the mouse a shot and report back. For some reason I think I recall him having this problem prior to it shitting the bed, but it was intermittent. He is REALLY hard on his belongings so I'll bet it is a hardware thing

[–] Enjoyer_of_Games@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago (2 children)

does the keyboard work in BIOS?

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Okay I tried that and it would just boot up with the normal Windows screen so seems like its a hardware issue. I looked at ifixit for toolkits are they really all like $50+? I'm not enough of a computer nerd to justify that I fear

[–] Enjoyer_of_Games@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

If you use an external keyboard are you able to get to the BIOS screen?

on the BIOS screen are you able to use the arrow keys on the laptop keyboard (confirm not just the del/f11 key/timing)

in the BIOS menu ensure that the keyboard layout is set to US, if it wasn't then try using it after changing it back

in bios look for an option to enable/disable the keyboard and trackpad hardware (this will effect the laptop keyboard only), this is vendor specific so there may not be an option and I don't know what it will be called for a microsoft surface if it's there

If you have confirmed this is hardware issue then that is pretty hard to diagnose from a forum. Consider if you really care about the on device inputs or whether you are happy to just use external keyboard/mouse.

Not to overstate it but repairing laptop hardware can be fidgety with some risk of breakage of bits like bevels and such that effect the finish of the device. You are definitely capable of fixing it if you want (even if you don't think you are) but I am getting a vibe that you are not interested in learning this as a skill in which case this would be a reasonable time to take it to a repair shop since you've eliminated the "I should of known that picard" possibilities.

Laptops are very model specific here so I can't tell you much about a surface 7. If you are going to do it yourself then find a tear down video of the specific model and watch it through a few times. Don't try to figure it out as you go. As someone else mentioned check for loose connections on the hardware, if that is the issue then this should be a quick fix. If you have to replace the keyboard then you can look for replacement parts on aliexpress/ebay/amazon and possibly get non-genuine for cheaper than ifixit or the original supplier but you probably will notice a quality difference and some chance of it not fitting back in as easily as genuine.

If the ifixit kit you are referring to is the screwdriver kit then you can find similar ones on aliexpress for much cheaper (the screwdrivers are lower quality but you won't notice unless you use them a lot, the other stuff is pretty much the same. that said if you find a good deal on some wera screwdrivers and decide to splurge you won't regret it in the long run).

The main things you would need are just:

  • Precision screwdrivers (you probably know someone you can borrow these off, if you don't then you should buy some anyway it probably won't be the last time you need them)
  • spudgers/plastic prying tools (you can possibly use improvised tools like plastic takeout knives but they are cheap enough you might as well just buy some made for the job)

Possibly need if it's a really annoying model

  • Heatgun/Hairdryer
  • epoxy

Nice to have:

  • isopropyl alcohol (from hardware store)
  • anti-static wristband. you don't really need this you just have to ground yourself by touching some metal connected to ground
  • silicone mats. you just need a clear workspace that doesn't have any static hazards and somewhere to keep the parts and screws you take out organized
  • compressed air from a can or aircompressor to clean the dust out
[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago

Oh yeah I don't even have an external keyboard, this is a laptop only household lol. And you're right I'm not particularly interested in learning it as a skill; I'm not a tech person. However I do have ADHD and like to go down informarion rabbit holes and would want to do it as a one off project just because it would be fun and so thats why I would consider it

I don't even really like the laptop so much anyway, I can't install Linux on it and I've been looking at trying to snag a thinkpad (as suggested on hexbear). Just hate the idea of that laptop just sitting there though

[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 1 points 5 months ago

I'll check that out. If it does work what do you think the issue would be then?