My keyboard has started behaving unpredictably. Sometimes a key repeats for a long time, producing text like "iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissueeeeeeeeees," while other times the first word or two I type does not register at all. The same problem affects games: in Project Zomboid, movement inputs can remain active or fail to stop, causing my character to keep walking even after I release the key.
The issue happens sporadically during normal computer use, and I have not found a reliable way to reproduce it. I have used this computer for about six years without experiencing anything similar.
My keyboard is a NuPhy Air96 V2, and I use a Logitech MX Master 3S mouse. I cleaned the keyboard, moved the wireless dongle between USB ports, tried Bluetooth, updated the keyboard and dongle drivers, ran Malwarebytes and Microsoft Defender scans, and restarted the PC several times. None of these steps produced a reliable fix.
Windows Update is also reporting that my Western Digital NVMe drive is not ready for the current Windows version, although I am not sure whether that is related. Before attempting a reinstall or switching operating systems, what hardware or software tests should I try to determine whether the keyboard, USB controller, Bluetooth connection, or the computer itself is causing the input lag?
4 Answers
Try isolating the USB connection as well. Shut the PC down completely, disconnect the keyboard, wait a few seconds, then reconnect it to several different ports, including both rear motherboard ports and front-panel ports. A failing USB controller or a troublesome port can cause dropped or stuck input, and the ports do not always share the same controller.
Because the issue also affects games and sometimes leaves movement active after releasing a key, pay attention to whether the entire system is briefly freezing rather than only the keyboard misbehaving. Check Task Manager or Resource Monitor for CPU, disk, or memory spikes while it happens. Also consider updating the motherboard BIOS and chipset/USB drivers, but test with another keyboard first so you do not change several things at once.
The quickest way to narrow this down is to use a basic wired USB keyboard for a while, preferably one that does not use the NuPhy software or wireless receiver. If the problem disappears, the keyboard, receiver, Bluetooth connection, or its software is probably at fault. If it happens with the wired keyboard too, then investigate the PC, USB controllers, or system-wide freezes. Hardware problems generally will not be fixed by changing key-repeat settings.
A second keyboard is the most useful first test. If another keyboard works normally over a long session, replace or troubleshoot the current one and its wireless connection. If both keyboards show the same repeating and missing inputs, the problem is more likely system-wide, such as USB hardware, drivers, firmware, or brief computer hangs.
That makes sense. I’ll test with a known-good wired keyboard before doing anything drastic like reinstalling Windows.