Solutions to keyboard lag in Asus M50 series

Hi folks,

For those who are suffering from keyboard lag/missing key strokes etc on the M50, the problem is primarily due to the Vista OS (I've tried to replicate the problem and the lag never occurs in XP).

There's a couple things you can do to solve this problem.

First solution:
1. Open the Synaptic application in your mouse properties and go to Device Settings Tab.
2. Select Synaptic and Click on Settings
3. Go to Tap Zones -> Uncheck Enable Tap Zone
4. Select Pointer Motion -> Go to Edge Motion -> Select No Edge Motion
5. Select Pointer Refresh Rate -> Check Slow Refresh Rate.
6. Restart computer

If this doesn't solve the problem, try editing your registry as shown below.
(As with any registry edit, please make sure you back up all data prior to making any changes)

Second solution:
1. Open your registry (Start -> Run -> type 'regedit')
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters
3. Right click on 'PollStatusIterations' and select modify. If the binary data doesn't exist, create it (Create a DWORD).
4. Set the value to 1.
5. Close regedit and restart computer.

Let me know if this works.

UPDATE: A couple more options others have reported with success

Third solution:
Update your notebook BIOS from Asus.

Fourth solution:
Disable touchpad in BIOS. You will still be able to use the touchpad in Windows.

 

Thanks for advice, My friend has that laptop and had the same problem. Know i can tell him how to fix it, Thanks alot.

 

Good info, thank you!

 

If anyone has tried these, please post results! They worked for me as well as my friend's Lenovo T61 and HP DV2840se with Vista preinstalled.

 

Thanks - I posted a thread about this issue and called Asus after much frustration. I made these changes and will give it a try tonight.

The odd thing is that I installed Linux and swear I noticed the problem there too, but maybe I was just looking for problems.

 

Thanks emporiumboutique!

I just did this to see if it actually helps with the missing keystrokes I experienced in my first week of use. I don't know if I'm going to adjust without the edge motion thing, though. I will post in a week or so if I notice any changes.

Thanks again!

 

One thing, what exactly did you do in regedit?

EDIT: I don't have 'PollStatusIterations' in the location you specified. Do you want me to create a new one? If so, is it right click > New > binary value ?

Sorry for double post

 

Basically, the regedit 'fix' was to change the number of times the system checks the i8042 controller for interruptions.

From MS website...

" PollStatusIterations REG_DWORD Number
Specifies the maximum number of times to check the i8042 controller status register for interrupt verification before dismissing the interrupt as spurious. This value can be used to work around a problem experienced on some hardware (including the Olivetti MIPS computers) where the keyboard interrupt is raised before the Output Buffer Full bit is set in the i8042 status register.

Increase this value if the system seems to suddenly stop taking keyboard interrupts. This can happen if a keyboard interrupt is mistakenly dismissed as spurious, when instead it just took too long to set Output Buffer Full after raising the interrupt. Increasing the value of PollStatusIterations results in a longer execution time for the Interrupt Service Routine if the keyboard interrupt truly is spurious (there is a 1 microsecond delay following each check for Output Buffer Full)."



Depending on how Vista was setup, the default is sometimes set at a higher number (ie. more lag time). So what the regedit fix did was to decrease the lag time. The same problem occurs in dekstops too when keyboards are connected through the PS/2 port. Notebook keyboards are usually registered as PS/2 so that's why we see this issue on notebooks.

 

Well, it's been about a week of testing these changes. I believe I notice the problem occurring less, but it still does occur. It also seems to occur in spurts - as in, I won't notice the problem for an hour, and then for ten minutes it will occur very often.

However, I haven't tried the registry tweaks yet, so I'll give that a go and see if it helps.

Thanks again.

EDIT: Hrm, "PollStatusIterations" didn't exist, so I had to create it. Is that odd?

 

It's ok.. all you have to do is crate a binary value for it.

 

Anyone have a solution for linux? I can't find any polling options on the Synaptics driver man page ( http://linux.die.net/man/5/synaptics)

 

how do you create a binary value with a value of 1? when i press 1, it turns into a 10.

 

I typed 01 not just 1.

I'm restarting my CPU now.

lets hope it works!

 

Instead of making a binary value, try making it a DWORD value instead.

 

Emporium, Can you elaborate a bit more? if its a DWORD Value, how do a set it for a value of 1?? or do I just leave it a 0.. can you post up some screen shots?

Has this worked for you???

 

This worked in Vista for me when I tried it a few weeks ago... I'm currently using XP.

 

Oh wow I feel like a dumbass. Thanks man.

 

It DOES fix the problem to an EXTENT. 85% of it is gone.. SOMETIMES, on occasion it will miss a key.. Maybe its cuz i'm looking for it.. it could be that I didnt press hard enough. (no.. it does miss some keys sometimes.. but not as much as before, i just noticed I missed my full stop back there).

I'm going to switch over to XP anyway and you said this is not a problem on XP right?

 

Did you end up installing XP? Did it fix the problem?

Like you, this solution fixed my problem by about 85%. However, as I use this laptop more for business, that remaining 15% is getting extremely frustrating!

 

Yeah I reformatted to XP and SOMETIMES I see it but I'm 97% sure its my error and not the CPU. XP is almost flawless at missed keys. It is quite rare to get one but it does happen..It is an improvement over the vista though.

 

I have read somewhere that the missing keys also occur with Linux. Which concerns me if it really is a Vista problem or an Asus hardware problem. A relative of mine has an Asus A8J notebook and it also has the key lag problem.

Regarding the M50Sv Have tried both solutions. Touch pad and Binary file (using both binary and Dword value, to 01 and 1 respectively). The keylag problem still exists.

The symptoms. It will work normally for a certain period of time. Then for a short while, will have a burst of keylags. Then it will become normal again.

My suspect is 'wdc.exe'
if you open task manager in Vista. Under the process section
WDC.exe is always running.
Using a google search, WDC.exe is a spyware that constantly monitor each and every keypress made. This made me suspect that this may be causing the key lag problem. But still don't know how to disable it, and also do not know if WDC.exe is a win vista system file.

I am also considering switching back to XP.
My question is, do I need to buy another license for XP? Or is it legal to get an old Asus XP recovery cd, then install it into the notebook?

 

WDC.exe isn't a vista system file. I have too on XP sometimes. I'm still trying to figure out how it gets executed. It seems like it's a spyware, but not the dangerous type and Spybot doesn't even detect it.

As for switching to XP, you'll need to purchase the XP OS to legally install it.

After doing some additional searching, it seems like disabling searchindexer.exe in Vista MAY help with the lag issue, so you could give it a try.

 

I don't know if it's been talked about in a while but WDC.exe is part of the hotkey program. I have xp sp3 and still miss keys every minute or two but I am starting to believe that its just a non-broken in keyboard, if not that maybe a bios issue. I wish asus would release a bios update for this m50sv just to relieve my curiosity

EDIT: I'm wondering if Asus's Hotkey software is the key, the problem only happens about 15% of the time when I am typeing in xp but if may b(e missed) worse in vista just because of programming issues maybe someone could try uninstalling all of the ASUS hotkey junk and see . I'm going to sleep

 

Bump: I know its terible etiquette to double post but is anyone still having this problem?

I am still missing keys but I wonder if an external keyboard woul help ?

If thats the case then maybe its a keyboard not being broken in problem

 

An external keyboard would eliminate that problem.

The problem may be the flex in the built-in keyboard, so the keys may not be pressed properly.

My missing key problem seems to be getting better or it rarely happens anymore.

 

I would tend to agree that the number of missed keystrokes seems to be reduced after having the laptop for a couple of months. The problem is still present, though.

 

Does this solve the problem? It seemed to help for that particular user:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3664733#post3664733

(the solution is installing the KBfilter hotfix/driver)

 

that particular user uses xp...

 

Yeah, sorry, I didn't follow the thread very carefully, just read about the KBfilter and then searched this thread, no mention of it, so I posted.

 

hey guys, there is the same KB_filter for vista...

its weird, it appears after i first installed it, the skips were virtually gone, but now that i've restarted and messing around the next day, its like there is no difference.

its so f**king annoying i want to smash it! ARRGH

i have to hit the backspace key like 5 times a minute at times just to write a proper sentence and then sometimes the backspace button skips also! [RAGE]

 

here is my letter to asus technical support

hell i'm wrting o you very slowly i extremely pronounced typing being very arful to ensure i'm pressing dow on each key specifically with excelent angles and appropriate force. As you can se the keyboard is very faulty, as i canot even write one sentence withot mising several keystrokes. i have been n contact with notebkreview forums for a longim an hav tried all hey ave to off and still, as you can see my typing is horrid. and its not my kills, i am able to typ very well, but this keyboard no mtter wat i try jst keps missing keystrokes.

others in the forums have asked fr elacement keyoards and after replacing them, they still have the ame problems, so i'm left to believe tat this model of keyboard is defective across the whle lneup.

my notebook is now over 30day old, and i cannot rturn it to wher i purchasd it, so i'm coming to you the manufcture t ohelp me with my problem.

 

Alright I’e diabled all of the settings and restarted in diagnostic mode and it seems that the ame problems keep occurring. You be te judge do I keep missing keystrokes or is it thekeyboard itself?
I wish I could record a video of my fingers as they are typing o show that I’m not missing keys at all nor am I pressing two keys at once nor am I notpushing ard enough nor am I screwing with everyone on purpose, it seems that ven ms word is correcting my spelling whil eim’ missing keystrokes its so strange, what could be causing this typing errate and what are we going to be ab to do about it/it’s the worst thing I’ve ever experienced on a brand new notebook.
It sorta seems like it is beter but I’ can’t really tel just when I think its btter then it goes and misses anoher keystroke or two or three and then iget all upset again, grrr, yes it seems that I is hardware, becaue this is basically in safemode tere is no software running nd only 13 processes in xp so the fasct thatthis keyboard is till screwing up royally is just frakking retarded

 

I'm really hoping Asus will come out with a bios update that can address this issue. Apparently other notebook brands have had this issue and most were solved by an updated bios.

 

Are all the machines affected or just some? The M50 is hugely popular and the first models are a number of months old, so if the problem is there in every machine there should be a huge scandal by now...

Or maybe everybody just sits and takes it?

 

Urbanos I missed keys all the time and I am using xp, installed kbfilter and noticed no difference. now however I don't seem to miss as many and I am beginning to believe it is the keyboard itself just not being broken in (i missed 2 letters in the above) I would plug in an external keyboard and see ? Maybe that would rule out software/cpu issues. I also have wondered before if it was asus's own hotkey software... Maybe something looking for hotkeys interrupts the keyboard occasionally i'm too lazy t uninstall and haven't had to type anything more than a paragraph so let me know what you find.
Again some xp users like me have the same problem


I have had this laptop less than a month

 

I would probably just sit it out, I owned about 10 laptops and in the past 6 years and I never dealt with support because I just don't care for minor issues like that. Nothing is perfect...

 

I have the 208 bios, which got pulled from the support site anyone interested?

 

I'm not sure if people are seeing this as problem with the M50vm, but I was getting horrible skipping until I noticed my hand was skimming against the touchpad. Once I started being careful while I typed about where my arm was resting, I didn't get anymore skips. Perhaps this is the cause for at least some people?

 

yeah where can i get it?

 

I have the m50vm, and when I first got the notebook, there was certainly missing keystrokes. I disabled the touchpad tap zones, and did the regedit like emporium had in the OP, and made sure I had the kb driver like urbanos suggested, and now I don't have any missing keystrokes. I usually have my touchpad disabled because I use a mouse, but even with it enabled, I still don't have anything missing. I think the regedit was the one that eliminated the problem, but I used all three methods, first the driver, which I noticed nothing, then the regedit, which I did incorrectly. Then I did the tap zone disabled and then fixed the regedit, and that finally did it.

I had no missing keystrokes while typing that ^.

 

hello i'm writing to you very slowly and extremely pronounced typing, being very careful to ensure i'm pressing down on each key specifically with excellent angles and the appropriate force. As you can see the keyboard seems to have a polling problem as dave so kindly begged my ego to try again.
i had tried that fix in vista, but it didnt' entirely work for me, and shortly there after i reloaded to xp.
and now, it seems that i'm able to write a whole paragraph without brutal missing keystrokes! woohoo! all praise emporiumboutique!

IT WORKS IN XP SP3 ALSO! you have to add the dword just like he has listed in the 1st post of this thread. hazzah

 

When was this up? What was changed? and why did they take it down?
TIA

 

I'm interested, does it have any options we might be lacking on the 207

 

That's nice to hear that some are no longer experiencing the lag issue.

As for the bios, I don't see a new one up on the Asus website

 

Solutions seem to be working, therefore, added to the Info Booth (under "Fix M50Sv keyboard lag"). Thanks!

 

Is this problem a predominant issue in the M50VM series? It seems like most people here have the Sv, any VM users having or not having this problem? I'm looking at purchasing a M50Vm-A1 in a couple of weeks and am hoping this won't really be an issue.

 

I didn't see this mentioned for the M50V, two or three people said explicitly they didn't have it. It may be contained to the M50Sv model.

 

It'd make my purchase a lot more reassuring knowing that this won't be an issue, I've heard other M50V owners saying they don't have it either, but I wonder if there are owners who do have it as well...

 

I have a 50VM and I'm experiencing the keyboard lag. I've tried some of the tips on the first page but no luck.

 

Did you create a DWORD instead of a binary?