keyboard does not work on battery‑only boot

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Rui1234

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Joined
Jan 2, 2026
Messages
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Hello,

I have an MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo A11MT‑036FR with a strange keyboard problem that seems related to how the laptop starts on battery.

Symptom:

  • The built‑in keyboard works normally:
    • In BIOS setup.
    • In Windows Safe Mode.
    • In normal Windows if I boot while plugged into AC, and it continues to work after I unplug.
  • When I boot directly on battery (AC not connected):
    • The keyboard backlight turns on.
    • But no characters are typed in Windows (including at the login screen).
  • An external USB/Bluetooth keyboard works normally in all cases.
System:

  • Model: MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo A11MT‑036FR.
  • OS: Windows 11 Pro 25H2, fully updated.
  • Latest BIOS installed according to your support page.
  • MSI Center is uninstalled.
Troubleshooting already done:

  • EC reset according to MSI instructions (power off, disconnect power, hold power button, then reconnect).
  • BIOS reset to optimized defaults.
  • Windows power options adjusted (including PCIe Link State Power Management and disabling Fast Startup).
  • Clean boot (all non‑Microsoft services and startup items disabled).
  • Checked Windows services so that core power / Plug and Play / driver framework services are not disabled.
  • Updated/reinstalled drivers from MSI support where available.
  • System file repair: SFC and DISM completed without fixing the issue.
  • Created a new Windows user account: same keyboard behavior.
  • The problem is reproducible and always follows this pattern:
    • Boot on AC → keyboard OK.
    • Boot on battery only → keyboard backlight OK, but no key input.
Request:

  • Are there any known EC, firmware, or motherboard issues on the Summit E13 Flip Evo A11MT that could cause the internal keyboard to fail only when Windows is started directly on battery?
  • Is there an updated EC/BIOS or specific service procedure you recommend for this kind of battery‑boot keyboard issue?
  • If this is likely a hardware problem (EC, keyboard controller, or power rail), please advise on the recommended repair process (RMA or local service) for this model.
Thank you in advance for your help.

Best regards,
 
You can try to get into BIOS without AC connected, and move to the BIOS password setting section.
Try to type there and check if the keyboard is working properly.
If the keyboard cannot work even in BIOS, I would recommend sending it for repair.
Contact MSI service for further assistance.

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Appart it's working on qwerty (ans my keyboard is an azerty), it works great in bios
 
Rui1234 said:
Appart it's working on qwerty (ans my keyboard is an azerty), it works great in bios
Click to expand...
It should not be a hardware issue. Maybe you can try to reinstall the system.
Or try to boot with another system disk to check if the issue persists.
 
After a lot of tries and errors, I've found the culprit :
either Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader Host Interface Service or Intel(R) Management Engine WMI Provider Registration
I've deactivated those 2 services, and it's all good now. Maybe one day I'll search which one it is exactly...
 
ARf, finally it wasn't the problem. It's better as sometimes the keyboard starts on the battery, but sometimes not...
I'll try with a linux usb key
 
ok it turns out it wasn’t an AC/DC problem.
The keyboard perfectly works on reboot, and not on clod start...
I've tried different things, disabled fast startups, reg key to num lock... Nothing fixed the problem.
 
FOUND! After a lot of work...
It was Nord VPN.
Uninstalled, reinstalled and everything is working fine.
 
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