G500 - Keyboard only types vowels with accents

[urzu7]

I have a Lenovo G500 laptop and I have problem with my keyboard. Out of nowhere my keyboard does not type, the only thingies can type are vowels with accents. I checked to see if the Ctrl and both alt button are stuck but they aren't. I took the keys off to clean underneath just to be sure. I also plugged in a USB keyboard but that also does not type anything other than the accented vowels. Although some other buttons do work on the USB keyboard that don't on my laptop such as the arrows and the enter button on the far right. I tried twice doing a system restore but it failed to restore (currently trying a third time). Is there any solution to this? I'm currently unable to login and right now my laptop is completely useless.

Mod's Edit: System model added to front of Subject line to improve visibility / clarity.

[RapidFury]

Hi urzu7,

If you are still able to go inside Windows.

Method 1:

1. Press the Windows key + C to open your Charms..
2. Select the Settings charm, and then click Change PC settings..
3. Click Time and language, then select Region and language.
4. On the right, select your language and the click Options.
5. Click Add a keyboard and then select the keyboard you want from the list. This will add your selection to the Keyboards list. You can remove a keyboard by clicking on it then click Remove
6. Add the keyboard with the corresponds to your country, then remove the wrong one.

Method 2:

On your desktop you will see your current language in the lower right corner beside the clock. Click on your current language and choose a keyboard layout, then remove the wrong one.

If you are no longer able to go inside Windows.

From your on-screen keyboard, tap or click on the small keyboard icon in the lower right corner, then select a keyboard layout.

Hope this helps.

[urzu7]

Hi thanks for the reply. I am unable to log in to windows as my keyboard is unable type any letters. Is there anyway to disable my logins by going to a settings menu via the fn keys before boot up?

[RapidFury]

Hi urzu7,

Have you tried this one yet?

If you are no longer able to go inside Windows.

From your on-screen keyboard, tap or click on the small keyboard icon in the lower right corner, then select a keyboard layout.

[urzu7]

Sorry I missed that one. I just tried that one doesn't seem to work. It was already on UK setting but tried US just to see if that solved it by chance no luck. Any other possible solutions? Thanks

[RapidFury]

Hi urzu7,

Things that you can try.

1. Shutdown > Remove the battery > Press and hold power button for about 20 secs > Reinstall Battery > Turn On.

2. While on the login screen, open the On-Screen Keyboard, check the layout if it is same as your keyboard. Test if you are able to sign-in using the On-Screen keyboard.

3. Perform BIOS reset.

Press F1 to enter BIOS when you power on Lenovo laptop, and then press F9 to restore CMOS to factory default settings. Press F10 to save and access BIOS screen again. Choose “LOAD BIOS DEFAULTS”

4. Go to safe mode. Once you're able to sign back in, try the first step that I mentioned above.

[urzu7]

1&2 didn't seem to work. For number 3 I pressed F1 when powering up and it brought me to a screen called automatic repair. There didn't seem to be anything there about the BIOS, so I turned it off and powered up again but this time pressing the button with the curled arrow next to the power button (one key revoery?). That brought up a menu and there was an option to select "bios setup".

I selected that but there was nothing there relating to CMOS, but I pressed F9 anyway and something came up called "load optimized default" (something along the lines of that) it gave me the options to select yes or no so I selected yes. But nothing seem to happened visibly, there was nothing about "Load Bios Defaults". Unless that's what load optimized default meant? So I saved it anyway and exited and still no luck. But something strange has happened, I repeatedly pressed ALT Gr on the USB keyboard and I can type on the USB keyboard with no problem.

Although my laptop keyboard can work for a little while, then stop working or just doesn't do anything at all after pressing Alt Gr on the USB keyboard, out side a few keys such as the Fn button or caps lock will work but the whole keyboard is pretty much dead. But it gets more strange. Once windows locks me out to the log in screen after being idle for a will, or if I power down my laptop and power back up the USB keyboard does't work unless I press ALT Gr repeatedly again. I was thinking maybe my laptop keybaord was simply just faulty but I'm having these strange problesm with the USB keyboard also. I'm going to try your 4th tip and see if that sorts it out. 

[RapidFury]

Hi urzu7,

I'm not sure why you weren't able to access the On-Screen Keyboard. But yeah, try the 4th option. Also while you are able to sign in, try to backup your files. If everything fails, you can try to perform One Key Recovery, which basically put it back to factory default settings. Based on what's happening, I don't think it is a HW issue yet.

[urzu7]

Ok I booted into safe mode but I wasnt able sign in, both the USB keyboard and my laptop key board could only type the accented vowels. So I just booted into normal mode and had to do that Alt Gr thing again with the USB keyboard. I then checked my laptop keyboard for the sake of it and it did the same thing happened again with my laptop keyboard, it worked for a very short while then stopped so I went back to the USB keyboard.

So then I tried the one key recovery and tried to set my laptop back to factory setting but still no luck. This is very bizarre.

[RapidFury]

The One Key Recovery, was that successful? It seems like we have already exhausted everything that I know of. I do suggest to contact support regarding the warranty for the computer. Most likely it is a problem with the mobo. Based on your location, I'm assuming Belfast is at Ireland.

Support Number : 1-890-928-860