HP Envy 3000 3D, Keyboard backlight button quit working

Has anyone else had this problem and fixed it:

I'm running Win7 x64, and recently I made a system image using Win7's backup utility, then briefly upgraded to Win8 Pro.

(Side note, in case it's related: Part of the preparation for the upgrade involved updating to the F.08 BIOS, which seems to have resulted in the function keys defaulting to the special actions, using the FN+ modifiers to get normal windows F-key actions.)

After a ton of issues trying to get full support for the ATI 7690M XT, I gave up and restored my system from the image.

After that my keyboard backlight was a bit wonky, which I mostly attributed to the proximity sensor (& program..). I've tried both versions of the sensor software on the drivers post, and neither seemed to really do much about the fact that the backlights would go to sleep even with me working on the laptop (true, mostly using the touchpad, but still right there on the system!). When it did, only hitting the (still lit) F5 'backlight' key would wake it up (usually two presses- the first turning it off, the second back 'on'). The onscreen display for the key worked fine too, showing the backlight symbol, as well as showing the brightness setting if I messed with the F5+arrow up / arrow down thing.

I'd just decided to live with the slight wonkiness, when, coming back to my system this morning, I realized that none of the keys are now backlit, even the F5 key! And pressing it does nothing- no onscreen display indicates the system even knows I hit the backlight key. The LED indicators for the wireless and caps lock buttons are working, and all the on screen displays function for everything but the backlight enable / disable button. In addition, FN+F5 still refreshes my screen, so the key itself seems to be working, just not whatever recognizes it as a 'Backlight' key.

I've searched Google and here, and come across one or two others reporting a similar issue (one on HP Support site), but no resolutions to the problem yet. I have the in home service plan, if needed, but would rather not use it if this is a software problem, or maybe a bios issue (should I roll back to F.06?).

Help, if you can!

Thanks,
USA1fan

 

I have problems with keyboard backlight in windows 8. Source of the problem is the proximity sensor. I have it semi-working now by trying many versions of the proximity sensor. Note: Once prox sensor is installed and if the backlight broke, it will remain broken even after uninstalling it and even if it was working before installing the software. You should try versions to see what works best. Also, it is good to know that the light is controlled inside windows so if it is not turning on at all, I would assume it is a software problem. I never got the keyboard light to change before windows loaded ever.

The odd thing is that it was not working for you after an HP recovery of the system... It should work there.

 

I know. I thought so too. The strangest part was that the lights just came back on by themselves, after almost 3 days of none (even the F5). Now they still go out as if I'm not here at random, and only come back by toggling F5 off then back on. They also dim down on their own at times (while I'm typing- that's why I see all this; it all happens while I'm working on the laptop). Another oddity- the F5 backlight has dimmed out or nearly out, while other other keys were lit, then came back when I did the same toggle thing. I didn't think it was ever supposed to go out.

I could've cancelled the house call. He probably won't have a clue either, but at least he can document it, and possibly have some idea of what's happening. I'm not too hopeful yet- repeated Google searches using different terms related to various combinations of "HP Envy Radiance Backlit Backlight keyboard dimming not working.." have yet to yield any hits anywhere that have had a solution, even with some reports on HP's own support site.

If it does get fixed, I'll be sure to post here though. I'd love to know why it happens, how to fix it, and maybe how to keep it working if (when) I finally decide to update to (or at least dual boot) Windows 8.

The last probably isn't going to happen until I see good word about the display drivers though- my last attempt resulted in some weird results- Device Manager said I had ATI drivers installed, CCC said it couldn't work with the installed drivers, and the Intel graphics control panel *did* come up, even though I was supposedly working with the ATI / AMD drivers? Further, an attempt to run a 3D test app (FurMark) claimed not to have 3D acceleration supported with the drivers. I currently use the 'low power' mode to display to my HT for streaming 1080p movies for MaxGO (similar to HBOGo). If all of my streaming content were supported by MS XBox 360 apps, I wouldn't care, but they're not (MaxGO being just one example). I can see / record all the same movies through the other HTPC and Media Center, but only some of them are available on the HD Max / HD HBO channel- the rest are letterboxed regular def content, unless streamed. Basically, I want to keep my Intel WiDi support working, and still be able to toggle back to AMD accelerated mode for games, video processing (yup, I do that too), etc. And right now, that seems to mean Windows 7 x64.

 

BTW, ironman, I wanted to thank you. You put in a lot of time on the forums here (yeah, I'm more of a lurker), and at least try to help. A lot of us (me included) don't try nearly so much.

So thanks. You and others like you are why I check here as one of my first resources when I'm doing stuff to / with my HPs; I've got 5 lappies now, 1 ENVY, 1 really old dv6, 2 newer dv6's, one six months older than the 17 3D 3000, the other 6 months newer, and a brand new 'Envy' dv6 [ugh, HP- it's a decent enough machine, but it's NOT an Envy!]. All but the oldest (works, but barely) and the Envy belong to my wife and kids. She's the new 'Envy' owner, and not sure whether she's going to put up with relearning the new Windows interface. My son just got upgraded to Win8Pro (no sweat, and he loves it), while my daughter wants to hold off (something about Sims3).

 

no problem USA1fan. That's what its all about. If I had a similar problem, I would share my attempt and results. And if I can't solve a problem, I look for others' solutions.

But on the topic of drivers and HP software, I am really disappointed in these drivers (or lack of) HP is pushing at us. Some of the laptops are less than a year old and are missing key driver support.

 

The tech came out, disassembled the laptop, and swapped the keyboard, with no success. In fact, the lights are now stuck on, and the F5 is again ignoring any attempts to change them- the upper two thirds of the keys are dimly lit, while the lower third are at the brightest setting. Interestingly, right after swapping the keyboard and putting everything back together, the F5 appeared to be working right, and the keyboard would go out based on the Proximity time setting (no response based on the actual sensor though). Hitting a key (any of them) would bring the lights back on too. That lasted about 10 minutes, then the lights got 'stuck', on this time though, rather than off. Also, they now stay on until the very last instant of power going out during a shut down (well after the display is black, windows is apparently done, etc.), and come on with the screen (even just prior to the post screen) when I power the laptop on. They don't go out when the laptop goes into 'sleep' mode either. Sounds a lot more like hardware / firmware issues (maybe the .08 bios?).

I also ruled out all driver issues completely. When I bought the Envy 17, I ordered it with the 2x750 hdd option, to get the dual caddies, and two drives. The first thing I did after it arrived was make a system image from the original 750GB C: drive to a new 240GB SDD, then swapped them out. The original 750GB drive has been kept in that state for the past 8 months or so, and I swapped them out briefly, to see if the original drivers would cause the keyboard and sensors to behave. Obviously, nothing changed. So I'm waiting on an HP box to arrive to ship it in for service, and am working on my wife's Win8 machine temporarily. I removed both the SDD and my original D: 750GB, leaving the nearly virgin 750GB in it, in case they decide to reset the drive or something as part of their attempts to fix it. (The drive only differs from factory in that I went through the initial Win7 x64 setup, connecting to my WiFi, and getting some updates- no other new software beyond that)

I agree 100% about the drivers too. These systems are listed as having been tested by HP with Windows 8, too, so I'm not sure how something as fundamental as the video drivers could have been left to slip by unaddressed. It would have been nice if I could at least have a complete working HD3000 or a complete working 7690M XT driver for Windows 8 by now, if I can't have both yet. Ironically, I get neither, with just support for the native 1080p screen res, and no 3D acceleration (according to FurMark, anyway).

Anyhow, more to come about the keyboard issue, when HP has finished with my Envy. I really do like the laptop, and HP's service and repair department seems to be working pretty hard, regardless of their driver support teams.