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This is an issue I've seen pop up in a few places, and it specifically seems to pertain to Widnows. It has been a persistent problem since 2021 at the least. So far, I can only recall this bug occurring as of Windows 11, and am unable to test if it's the same for Windows 10. I have noticed it happening since 2021, so it's definitely something deep within the OS that's causing problems.

Context

  • I am using a laptop, specifically Acer Nitro 7 (AN715-15).

  • Exact Windows OS version is irrelevant, it's been occurring for the past ~3 years and I've been up-to-date since. Only information that's relevant is it's on Windows 11.

  • Devices I'm using is irrelevant, since this issue occurs on ALL mice and keyboards.

The Problem

After disconnecting a USB mouse/keyboard a few times (seems to be about three times), the keyboard becomes unresponsive, being unable to type anything. Any additional mice/keyboards stop functioning too when plugged in.

What the Problem Isn't

  • it's not a power plan problem. I have already done all the power plan settings that I've seen copy-pasted in every single solution pertaining to this. I have already turned off selective suspend.

  • It's definitely not a device driver problem, I have already done driver troubleshooting, and if it was, other peripherals should have worked normally when plugged in upon the problem's inception, but once the Windows OS bug happens, it occurs for EVERY peripheral plugged in. (Note: I have not tested Linux, but other posts about the issue have claimed the problem is non-existent on Linux)

  • This is not an issue with USB ports. Plugging into different ports does nothing to remedy the issue.

  • This is not an issue with cables. In addition, my mouse stops responding, and that's using a RF USB device.

  • It's possible it's an issue with interception drivers[1][2], but I uninstalled the ones I could find. I've uninstalled the drivers for RawAccel, and uninstalled 3Dconnexion, which I do not use anymore, and don't have anything else in mind that could be intercepting inputs.

Observations

Oddly enough, the normal keys do not work, but media keys work like normal. I can't type any characters/digits/symbols, but I am fully able to pause/play media, mute, volume up/down. I am also using a split keyboard that utilizes QMK (a sort of firmware) and I can't type anything nor use modifiers, but am able to change keyboard layers and fully control media using the same keys that would normally type out alphanumeric characters. (characters don't type out anything, but layer change -> hit the same exact key, now set to controlling media, and it works like normal in that it now controls media)

Note how earlier I emphasized when plugged in. What is strange is that once the bug occurs, any mice/keyboards that were already plugged in work like normal, but should I attempt to unplug and re-plug them in, those devices now fail to operate. For instance, I disconnect my keyboard about ~3 times while my mouse it plugged in, and the keyboard now becomes unresponsive, but the mouse works fine. It's until I unplug and re-plug my mouse that it stops responding.

I recently bought a USB splitter in an attempt to be able to switch between feeding the split keyboard's connection between a console and the computer. The problem occurs when switching devices through the splitter, but what's odd is that I noticed USB flash drives work like normal, be it plugged in through the splitter or into the laptop's ports.

There was a suggestion about using sc query type=all in this post to find anything, but I couldn't find anything worthwhile personally. In addition, the post suggested that "Three times is what Windows will restart a crashed driver/service," but there is nothing exactly noted anywhere that could be a crashed driver.

One thing that I can confirm is that this issue does not occur whatsoever on the Xbox Series X that I have.

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    There are no similarities between Xbox Series X and Windows 11. The fact this doesn’t happen with your Xbox isn’t really relevant. Commented Aug 22, 2024 at 5:13
  • @Ramhound I guess, but I at least wanted to point out that it's nothing to do with anything on the peripherals or anything like that, and it's something with the OS screwing things up; basically, if it's working fine on another OS, why is it not on Windows? Commented Aug 22, 2024 at 10:08

1 Answer 1

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Try clearing the list of USB devices that Windows stores in the Registry. The only negative effect deleting the whole list is that a few devices might take a moment or two to reconnect, or require unplugging and reattaching. Mice and keyboards likely will connect immediately.

To do so with Regedit,

  • Press Windows, type reged, select Regedit.exe, and press Enter.
  • Scroll to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR, or just paste that in the location bar.
  • Delete problematic keys.

This can also be done with the free application USBDeview from Nirsoft.

USDDeview

This gives a much easier to understand view of all devices that are or have been connected, and a simple GUI to remove offenders so that they can be reregistered.

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