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Asus GL551JW DS71 Keyboard Backlight Issue

abhinav_0160
Level 7
I hate for this to be my first post on the forum but I just got stung by stoopid Windows 8.1. And mods, my problem is a little different as KB lights aren't flashing boot time. Please don't delete the thread.

I received my new notebook yesterday and everything was working fine. Then suddenly, I realised the keyboard wasn't lighting up. Basically the fn keys for the keyboard light aren't responding while all the others are and the Backlight is dead. Checked up Google and got to know this is a common Windows 8.1 sting that I just got stung with.
What makes my problem unique is that no amount of installing removing reinstalling ATK drivers for my laptop has solved this.
And the fact that the keyboard isn't lighting up while booting is also quite surprising. Can somebody help me out?

I don't think the keyboard light has a fault in its hardware because I just received it yesterday.
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10 REPLIES 10

abhinav_0160
Level 7
Apparently something worked and when I turned ON the laptop this morning, the keyboard lights were all lit up while booting and also after entering into Windows. Everything worked like it should for 10-15 minutes and then it went dead again.

Update- It worked for 10 minutes after booting up and now its gone again. The keyboard light is not responding to the fn keys and is OFF.

press fn and f4 same time and the back lights will work

JypticNinja
Level 7
abhinav.0160 wrote:
I hate for this to be my first post on the forum but I just got stung by stoopid Windows 8.1. And mods, my problem is a little different as KB lights aren't flashing boot time. Please don't delete the thread.

I received my new notebook yesterday and everything was working fine. Then suddenly, I realised the keyboard wasn't lighting up. Basically the fn keys for the keyboard light aren't responding while all the others are and the Backlight is dead. Checked up Google and got to know this is a common Windows 8.1 sting that I just got stung with.
What makes my problem unique is that no amount of installing removing reinstalling ATK drivers for my laptop has solved this.
And the fact that the keyboard isn't lighting up while booting is also quite surprising. Can somebody help me out?

I don't think the keyboard light has a fault in its hardware because I just received it yesterday.


hey. i just had the same issue. all i had to do was go onto the website and go to the downloads section and get the ATK driver. it fixed my lighting issue immediately.

same fix worked for me...download the atk driver and poof! working

dannjoro
Level 7
I have a new X550J and am running on windows 10. It is 2 days old. I have installed all drivers but my keyboard lights are still missing in action. l did go through other forums about
keyboard issues and i uninstalled ATK package and installed the new version from asus support site...still no miracles.
!!!! i HAVE TRIED ALL FUNCTION KEYS but still NO MIRACLES. My keyboard never flashes neither on startup nor restart.
Please help me out

Since a few weeks now, the keyboard light has gone dead, no flash at BIOS, nothing.

I am using WIndows 10 and earlier the lights used to "ghost deactivate" and then come back on after a few days. Totally random. ONe day it would work, the next they would be dead.

Not this time. The lights are dead since two weeks now.

I've tried the latest drivers, uninstall install reboot routine but to no avail. Even a BIOS Flash using WinFlash, draining the internal memory by pressing power after removing battery hasn't helped. Nothing seems to work.

NOTE- All the other Fn keys are working except for the KB lights and also the Switch off display, which only switches off the display for a second after which it comes back ON.

I refuse to believe the hardware is at fault. The laptop is hardly a few months old and hasn't been abused, this problem has been there since the first day. Can someone help me fix this?

dannjoro wrote:
I have a new X550J and am running on windows 10. It is 2 days old. I have installed all drivers but my keyboard lights are still missing in action. l did go through other forums about
keyboard issues and i uninstalled ATK package and installed the new version from asus support site...still no miracles.
!!!! i HAVE TRIED ALL FUNCTION KEYS but still NO MIRACLES. My keyboard never flashes neither on startup nor restart.
Please help me out


abhinav.0160 wrote:
Since a few weeks now, the keyboard light has gone dead, no flash at BIOS, nothing.

I am using WIndows 10 and earlier the lights used to "ghost deactivate" and then come back on after a few days. Totally random. ONe day it would work, the next they would be dead.

Not this time. The lights are dead since two weeks now.

I've tried the latest drivers, uninstall install reboot routine but to no avail. Even a BIOS Flash using WinFlash, draining the internal memory by pressing power after removing battery hasn't helped. Nothing seems to work.

NOTE- All the other Fn keys are working except for the KB lights and also the Switch off display, which only switches off the display for a second after which it comes back ON.

I refuse to believe the hardware is at fault. The laptop is hardly a few months old and hasn't been abused, this problem has been there since the first day. Can someone help me fix this?


@dannjoro - Please note that your laptop is not of the G-serie, thus whatever is written in this sub-forum might not suite your laptop.
@abhinav.0160 + @dannjoro - as a rule of thumb with ATK/ACPI ( I.E keyboard backlight problems 😞

  • Please uninstall any previously installed ATK/ACPI driver you/windows might have installed.
  • Please ENTER THE OFFICIAL ASUS PAGE for your EXACT model, search, download & install the ATK driver for windows 10 x64 ( which I guess you got ).
  • if these drivers, don't work, Please uninstall the previously installed driver -> then please install the win10 x32 ATK driver.
  • if these drivers, don't work, Please uninstall the previously installed driver -> then please install the win8.1 x64 ATK driver.
  • if these drivers, don't work, Please uninstall the previously installed driver -> then please install the win8.1 x32 ATK driver.
  • if that does not solve your problem, your welcome to repost your problem in the relevant sub-forum ( as this sub-forum deals with the G-serie laptops )
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After almost 3-4 months, I have come to the conclusion that there is a loose contact somewhere.

When I tap the palmrest right beneath the ctrl key, the keyboard light comes ON. At step 1 brightness, it starts flickering or goes low brightness or goes dead. I have to tap it to fix it and make everything normal for the lights.

What is the solution? Do I need to open this up? Does anybody have a disassembly tutorial for this model?

Giving it to Asus India is out of question as they are incompetent to do a good job. I am a DIYer but just need some instructions as the laptop is too expensive and parts aren't easily available if I break something in India.

DID NOT EXPECT THIS WITH A NEW LAPTOP UNTOUCHED FROM THE FACTORY 😞

abhinav.0160 wrote:
After almost 3-4 months, I have come to the conclusion that there is a loose contact somewhere.

When I tap the palmrest right beneath the ctrl key, the keyboard light comes ON. At step 1 brightness, it starts flickering or goes low brightness or goes dead. I have to tap it to fix it and make everything normal for the lights.

What is the solution? Do I need to open this up? Does anybody have a disassembly tutorial for this model?

Giving it to Asus India is out of question as they are incompetent to do a good job. I am a DIYer but just need some instructions as the laptop is too expensive and parts aren't easily available if I break something in India.

DID NOT EXPECT THIS WITH A NEW LAPTOP UNTOUCHED FROM THE FACTORY 😞



Can someone please help me with the disassembly video or instructions for this laptop, need to tighten the KB light connector.