My computer screen is acting up, and I have to fix my keyboard too.
My computer screen is acting up, and I have to fix my keyboard too.
I just know how to fix things, but right now I am organizing an old Lenovo IdeaPad 320 running on Windows 10 for a friend. He used to be very tech-savvy back in the day, but he hasn't done the basic updates or security stuff in years. It runs super smooth, except for one major issue: the keyboard works everywhere, but when he types into any search bar on Chrome, Edge, or even Opera (which I just installed), nothing happens. I tried the built-in keyboard and a different USB key, same problem. Nothing Windows says is wrong, and Lenovo Vantage reports everything fine either. I've tried all kinds of fixes online without success, even doing three full resets while keeping his files safe. Software repair tools didn't help. My guess is that maybe something is broken inside the computer, even though Windows itself looks perfect. Maybe I can try one more reset just to be sure? He's bought this machine in the UK and it has a real license key. Any tips? Please... 😊
If I were in your shoes, I would make sure the laptop has a recent BIOS version after checking the serial number on Lenovo's website because it probably isn't working right now. It'd also help to copy drivers from Lenovo's site onto a USB stick so you can save all your important stuff and start fresh with a new system installation. You should get a bootable USB for Windows 10 using the official Media Creation Tools. After reinstalling the OS, I would install all the drivers manually by right-clicking on the installer and choosing "Run as Administrator." The computer usually downloads drivers it thinks are needed anyway, which is why I skip connecting to the website during the initial install. Once those manual drivers are all set up, I'll go back online to let the system handle the rest of the updates. Since you mentioned that cleaning hasn't been done yet, I'd take the laptop apart to scrub out dirt or dust from the vents and maybe remove the old thermal paste for a fresh coat. This extra step can be skipped if you're not sure about it.
I just put his stuff on a stick and started a reset, see what happens. If the same thing goes wrong, I will try your suggestions. The BIOS is up to date—I think Lenovo Advantage did that auto repair yesterday, in fact it restarted a few times before... Thanks for replying.