G73JH-X1 Keyboard Refuses to Light Up

I just received this awesome piece of gear from Newegg today. The keyboard refuses to light up. Pressing FN+F4 does nothing. Went through Asus tech support and they just told me to send it in for repair.

It is odd though because the F3 and F4 keys do not show a little icon animation like the other function keys do, say I change the volume I will see a little pop up of the speaker volume etc. This makes me think this is a software problem.

Anyone else run into this or have a fix?

Thanks

 

Does your keyboard flash when it is booting?

 

No it doesn't do anything. Types fine is all. Man I really don't want to send this thing out. I could always just ignore it. I would probably turn the lighting effect off anyway, but still.

 

It's probably dead then from what I've read. You can buy a keyboard and put it in yourself. It costs about $30 I think.

 

Where could I pick one up? Would that void my warranty?

Oh and I just tested the F3 and F4 keys themselves and they actually work as keys, they just don't turn on the keyboard illumination.

 

When you go into the Keyboard Device Filter Properties in Device Manager, do you see ATK as the Driver Provider?

Have you tried to uninstall the ATK package and reinstall? If you need the ATK Package, I have provided a link in The Conclusion section the my guide (see sig).

 

You can order one from Asus. I did. It didn't fix the lights. I had to send it in.

I have a spare new keyboard now though


Your keyboard lights should turn on momentarily when you turn the machine on, regardless of the driver being installed.

 

I tried reinstalling the driver :\ nothing.

Is this a common problem are others having it. I am tempted to pop out the keyboard and re-seat the ribbon that powers the light but I don't want to slip in to deeper problems for something superficial.

 

Did your G73JH come with BIOS 206 installed? It seems the 206 update broke the keyboard backlight functionality. Reverting back to 205 makes no difference - 206 must have updated some firmware that 205 doesn't overwrite. Hopefully Asus will release another BIOS that rectifies the issue soon! I have no idea how that got through quality control - moments after installing 206 I was asking myself "where did my keyboard lights go?!?!"

 

Is anybody able to get the keyboard lights to turn on before you login to Windows 7? Mine turns on after and it would be nice to see the keyboard at night when I'm typing my password

 

Without some major modification I don't think it's going to happen as it requires Windows to be running to load the driver and start up the lights.

 

Mine came preinstalled with 206. Does yours blink on at post and then play dead? I just ask that because that is what was described in that forum thread on the asus website, and I am trying to troubleshoot a bit before sending this in. Really trying to avoid sending my laptop out.
Mine is completely dead, no blink on post. Is this similar to your laptop with bios 206? I hope it is because that makes mine possibly a software fix.

 

My first had this sort of problem. The keyboard lights work at first. I did a complete fresh install of windows 7 pro. I install all the driver off Asus' Website all was fine. Did the windows update, it installed new ATK driver and my keyboard light were gone, never to be seen again.

I took it back to best buy, got another. Did the fresh install but with the drivers from a post from here. Did the windows update and this time the update found no ATK update and keyboard light are still working.

I believe it is a driver/bois issue. Some people can reinstall the right driver and then reset bios back to defaults and reboot and then press fn+a and get the lights back, other can't.

UT

 

It seems there is some confusion here...If working properly..your lights will "flash" you upon boot up when windows is loading..this wiil be a brief few seconds "flash"...they will then turn off completely untill after you login to windows..they should startup/turn on after login

If they flash you while booting, but dont startup after login, then type msconfig into your run/search and check if ATK is enabled..if not enable it and save..co-currently, make sure your settings are actually on by pressing Fn+F4 about 5 times to max ; )

 

I would also like to know why we can't get some sort of fix to have the lights come on before login?

If they can "blink" on boot, why isn't it possible to get them to come on before windows starts?

 

When I was on bios 205, my keyboard would blink when powered on, and then I would have control over the brightness in Windows. Immediately after installing 206, there is NO blink on powerup, and I can no longer control the brightness.

When my keyboard light was controllable, the brightness meter would appear in the ControlDeck application (which started quite quickly). Since 206, the keyboard brightness no longer appears in ControlDeck, and ControlDeck itself takes a considerable period to start (perhaps it is scanning for device hooks and times out on the keyboard?).

206 certainly seems to be the culprit. Hopefully the change it caused is reversable, as reinstalling 205 does not cure the keyboard woes.

Oh, that reminds me. I was recently running the Ubuntu 10.04 beta and it could control the keyboard brightness without the need for any Asus applications. I'll reinstall it soon and see what it does. Given that the keyboard no longer blinks on powerup though, I suspect I won't have much luck

Update: retested Ubuntu 10.04, keyboard light no longer works there either. Seems like 206 introduced a firmware issue preventing the keyboard light port from being detected by applications. I've contacted Asus about it.

 

So I have exactly the same symptoms as you and mine came preinstalled with 206. Could be a coincidental problem but it sounds like its the same deal. My controldeck thing takes a long time to boot and also doesnt have a keyboard control.

 

Funny how an "update" to a BIOS actually takes features away from our laptops ; ( YAY!

 

Which demonstrates the need for proper documentation and why updating a BIOS because one is available is not always a good idea.

Having said that, if it does have something to do with BIOS 206, then reverting back to BIOS 205 would have fix the issue. I don't see how BIOS 206 would have made permanent changes that can't be reversed with 205, if that is indeed the cause.

 

Yeah, i just flashed to 206 and lost my lights too don't know a way to roll back either....tells me my version is more current and to please exit

 

How did you flash your BIOS?

 

From the command prompt, running ...

Code:

WinFlash.exe -force

... will allow you to flash previous BIOS versions. However, going back to 205 won't raise the keyboard light back from the dead

 

I have the same problem and I do not know what is better : to wait for a new bios release or ship the laptop to Asus.

 

Hello everyone, I bought the laptop 3 days ago and it worked all right. But today I updated the BIOS to version 209 and the keyboard does not light. Also not turned on at reboot .... I'm desperate. What can I do?

I have Asus G73JH-A2

Thanks for all!

 

How did you do the BIOS update? Also, have you tried Fn+F4?

 

Doesn't flash when booting? Did it ever work properly? I'd check the laptop power connection as if it's come loose that'd cause it. Driver and such as above are good ideas also.

 

I have heard that people are fixing their problems by flashing to the new 209 bios on the Asus website. Try flashing it with EZ flash in the bios screen instead of Winflash. I heard people have had problems with it

 

I don't know that that is FIXING problems related to the keyboard lights, but most haven't had any issues with it.

 

Yea I dont know. All im really saying is maybe its a problem with his current Bios. I hear the new one fixes some problems

 

who told you that

 

Thanks all for the answers....im from Spain so maybe my english is not the best.

I had flashed the new Bios 209 with WinFlash and all works perfect except the light of the keyboard....I press Fn+F4 like always but nothing happend. The other days with the 206 Bios works perfect so I am sure that is Bios problem.

When the system reboot doesnt flash

The 209 Bios I am using is from Asus official site. Is there any other 209 Bios?

I also tried to return to 206 Bios but it doesn´t work...

 

What method did you use to flash your BIOS?

 

I use Winflash...

 

Will then there's your problem. I was too lazy and I used Winflash as well and the BIOS update killed my keyboard. This seems to be a common issue using Winflash for BIOS updates on the G73JH. At the moment there's no fix for the keyboard illumination breaking, so your only option is to RMA your machine. I don't intend to RMA mine, since I'd like to keep mine in perfect physical condition, so I'm waiting it out. From now on use ASUS Easy Flash Utility method located in the laptops BIOS options (F2 at start-up).

 

Do you have the same problem? Do you think there will be any fix from Asus?

I have called to Asus Spain Support this morning and they are working to see what can I do....they will call me later with any solution.

I will post here any solution they can give me...

And I will stay also without light, I dont want to RMA it.

But I cant explain how can Asus provide a software that has bugs like this...

 

All other keys works well. F5 and F6 for bringhtness, F2 for Wifi and Bluetooth and all the others functions....so is a bios problem.

How can I unplug and plug keyboard cable?

An yes, the keyboard ligth works perfect before Bios upgrade...

 

Hi,

I got my backlight working again!

Did bios flash to 209
then rebooted
whent back in to bios and reset everything to default
rebooted
then when windows was loaded i pressed fn+f4, and voila
when i reboot it comes on automatically

hope this helps

cheers

 

I have done that and nothing.....

Your problem came because you flash with winflash??

 

I flashed with the Easy flash in the bios

My problem started when i tried out the lighting option button on th pc

 

This appears to be more of a software problem.

It has been well documented in these forums, that a number of people have lost their keyboard lights after flashing the Bios using WinFlash.

And all these keyboards were working perfectly well prior to the Bios update.

 

It seems to be a software issue. I am in safe mode now and the keyboard light won't turn on.

But in full mode all is well.

Witch software controls it?

 

its not software its the software thats used for the bios flash in windows...you only should flash in the bios using easy flash in the bios...it wont matter the only way to fix it is to send it in .....sorry bro but it sucks

 

The software that allows you to use Fn+F is ATK.

You can download it on Asus website



Asus Support Spain called me and said that they dont know how to resolve it and they are working on it.
They will call me in 1 or 2 days

 

as we all have been told... on my first one...they did call me back and said send it in.....

 

lol, I like your sig..."i7920xm @anything i want stable"

 

I would certainly try cycling through different combinations of the top left lights key and Fn+F4

 

i also got my keyboard led dead after upgrade bios...
do unplug and plug in again the keyboard led cable fix this?
or clean windows installation can fix this?

 

The only documented fix so far isto send it in to Asus.

But try anything you want....maybe you'll find something

 

why dont you try the new 209 BIOS update now that its official. There is a tutorial on how to upgrade in the forums, see if that helps

 

i'm using 209 official from ASUS website and using Winflash ASUS utility, until now no solution yet...