Device Manager showed one HID Keyboard device when no keyboard is attached

[cyberceh]

Hi,

I am new to the forum. This question may be answered already...
I am using a Surface Pro 3, however, the same scenario is also seen on a Surface Pro.

When I open the device manager -> keyboard, there is a "HID keyboard device" even there is no keyboard attached. The status showed the keyboard is working properly. If I "uninstall" this keyboard device, the device is removed. If I bring up the "On screen soft keyboard". The soft keyboard is working fine. So, I confirmed that this HID keyboard device is NOT the soft keyboard.

If I perform a "Scan for hardware change", then this "HID keyboard device" is shown again.
If I attached an external USB keyboard to the USB port, or attach the surface cover, then there are 2 "HID Keyboard device" shown.

I am confused about what the "HID keyboard device" is? I guess it meant a hardware device but
where is this device? I googled and can not find any information on this. If anyone know what is this device and/or how to get rid of it, please help!

Thanks!

 

[GreyFox7]

HID stands for Human Interface Device (preparing for robot future )

One HID keyboard with no physical devices is "normal" I always assumed this is for the Virtual On Screen Keyboard, it has to connect and work somehow.


If you looked at a Virtual Machine you would see Device Manager populated with devices just like a Physical computer. Virtual Network adapter, Monitors, Disk Drive, etc. etc. yet the whole thing is virtual, none of it exists except as 1's and 0's in memory.

 

[cyberceh]

HID stands for Human Interface Device (preparing for robot future )

One HID keyboard with no physical devices is "normal" I always assumed this is for the Virtual On Screen Keyboard, it has to connect and work somehow.


If you looked at a Virtual Machine you would see Device Manager populated with devices just like a Physical computer. Virtual Network adapter, Monitors, Disk Drive, etc. etc. yet the whole thing is virtual, none of it exists except as 1's and 0's in memory.

Hi, Dear GreyFox7,

Thank you very much for your reply!

However, as I described in my original posting, the Virtual On Screen keyboard worked properly after I uninstalled the HID keyboard. Therefore, I assumed the virtual keyboard does not need a HID keyboard. On my desktop machine, I disconnected my USB keyboard so no HID keyboard is present but my virtual keyboard still worked fine. I really doubt this HID keyboard is used for the virtual keyboard.

I did use the Virtual Machine quite often. But Surface Pro is a physical machine. I assumed HID keyboard device should be a physical device not a virtual device. This is why I got confused. Am I right?

 

[GreyFox7]

The only other thing I can see is it might be related to buttons... although there is a separate buttons driver under the Human Interface Devices node. If you uninstall the Keyboard one the Windows Button seems to stop working. It doesn't seem to affect the Power or Volume buttons.

 

[cyberceh]

The only other thing I can see is it might be related to buttons... although there is a separate buttons driver under the Human Interface Devices node. If you uninstall the Keyboard one the Windows Button seems to stop working. It doesn't seem to affect the Power or Volume buttons.

Yes. You are right! It is the buttons. The HID Location property shows "on GPIO Buttons Driver".

Thank you very much!