Backspace key not working

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Have tried running Window 7 hardware troubleshooter and sfc /scannow but the Backspace key seems to be dead as a dodo. I’ve also uninstalled/reinstalled  the driver via device manager but that didn’t help either.

The machine is an Acer laptop model 4755G dating from 2014. It belongs to a friend I’m trying to help out.

Any suggestions anybody?

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In my opinion, probably is a hardware issue.

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See if you have a piece of “junk” (crumbs, dirt, etc) under the key to keep it from depressing. You can use canned air to blow out the stuff under (all) the keys.

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Plug in an external keyboard.  If all good there, it’s probably the laptop keyboard.  If it cannot be cleaned, the keyboard probably needs to be replaced.

Here is a YouTube showing acer 5755 keyboard replacement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz60k2HVCW4

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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JohnW wrote:

Plug in an external keyboard. If all good there, it’s probably the laptop keyboard. If it cannot be cleaned, the keyboard probably needs to be replaced. Here is a YouTube showing acer 5755 keyboard replacement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz60k2HVCW4

Interesting video but I doubt if the owner would be able to understand it since it’s in English (the owner only speaks Thai).

Thanks to everyone else for their suggestions but I’d already googled the subject before coming to this site and have seen the same suggestions elsewhere. I was rather hoping somebody would come up with something different.

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I also have a 2015 model Acer laptop, and these things all appear to have all-in-one rubber keyboards now. It’s not like the old mechanical keyboards where you could simply pull a key cap off and clean it.

I was considering upgrading the RAM in my laptop until I watched a similar teardown video for my model, which requires the removal of the keyboard AND motherboard to access the RAM slots underneath.

I’ll have to be really motivated to attempt that, LOL!  As well as to first get one of those little screwdrivers that hold those tiny screws!

Here is another video with a little more detail on separating the keyboard insert from the keyboard frame.  Maybe just turn down the sound and follow along with the visual demonstration?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkhp7TBuLTQ

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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JohnW wrote:

I also have a 2015 model Acer laptop, and these things all appear to have all-in-one rubber keyboards now. It’s not like the old mechanical keyboards where you could simply pull a key cap off and clean it. I was considering upgrading the RAM in my laptop until I watched a similar teardown video for my model, which requires the removal of the keyboard AND motherboard to access the RAM slots underneath. I’ll have to be really motivated to attempt that, LOL! As well as to first get one of those little screwdrivers that hold those tiny screws! Here is another video with a little more detail on separating the keyboard insert from the keyboard frame. Maybe just turn down the sound and follow along with the visual demonstration? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkhp7TBuLTQ

I don’t think changing a laptop keyboard would be within the owner’s capabilities somehow which is why I’m trying to fix it for him. Also, the laptop is located in a remote part of the country (Thailand) with only a local grocery store nearby.

Also I miscalculated the age of the machine. In this part of the world it’s the year 2560 now. Thais use the Buddhist calendar which is 543 years greater than the Gregorian calendar which we Westerners use. So the laptop was purchased in 2554 which translates to 2011 and not 2014 as I originally mentioned.

I guess that makes it very likely a hardware issue considering the machine is 6 years old now and hasn’t been looked after at all. When I first powered it on it wouldn’t even boot up properly and hung with a message to run a repair recovery. I managed to get past that and used the same trick to update a different laptop which Kirsty suggested at https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/windows-7-not-updated-since-november-16/#post-120245

I’ve been asked to fix some funny machines in the past with the most memorable one being a tower running Windows XP Home edition and missing both side panels. There was what looked like a bird’s nest camping out next to the CPU and cobwebs everywhere. Half a dozen or so spiders (big ones too) had taken up residence inside the machine into the bargain. The family that owned it seemed to think it was perfectly normal to use it in that condition and wanted me to leave the current ‘residents’ in place while fixing the problem.

With the laptop though I’ve suggested they get hold of a USB keyboard from somewhere and try using that. Otherwise to use either Windows key + left arrow or ALT + left arrow instead of Backspace and hope for the best.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

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