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Keyboard fails yet it appears OK in Device Manager; usb keyboard fails too

Windows XP. Keyboard does not work. I attach a different PS2 Keyboard. Still fails. I attach a new USB keyboard; it fails too. At boot there are no messages from the BIOS about a keyboard problem.

Device Manager shows these devices as being installed with no yellow marks (if you do not know what I mean, you should not be responding here).
So the OS recognizes both kinds of keyboards and the drivers are there.

I beleive this means that Windows is corrupt and I should do a repair install (assuming I can get thru that without the keyboard working OR setup.exe loads its own keyboard drivers).

If you have any other ideas (example motherboard problem??) please reply. Reply means what to do to fix the problem. Regarding mobo problems I am dubious that BOTH the usb interface and the PS2 interface on the mobo are bad but I am willing to consider all ideas.

Regards-Mike

Scott C

I agree that it's unlikely that both types of ports are bad at the same time but you can easily test this by sticking another device into a USB port (Printer, camera, etc) and see if it works.

If it does, you know that USB port is good.

Does the keyboard work during POST?

Can you get into the BIOS?

How about booting with a linux cd or something along those lines?

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David-Howard

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Callandor

You can check if it is a Windows driver problem by testing with a Knoppix CD, which uses no Windows drivers: http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html. A repair install will fix a driver problem, but if you cannot detect the keyboard during the install process, it is likely a hardware problem in the motherboard (the same is true if the keyboard doesn't work in the BIOS).

johnb6767

Can you verify that these two files exist (perhaps remotely via the network share)

c:\windows\system32\drivers\18042prt.sys
c:\windows\system32\drivers\kbdclass.sys

But, basically, as stated above, it it isnt seen in the POSt, and cant get to the BIOS, then no amount of XP repairs will resolve the issue. It would definately be HW...

SysExpert

Agree with everyone, but a simple Bootable DOS CD or floppy may be qucker than a full knoppix CD.

I hope this helps !

johnb6767

Actually, that would be ideal SysExpert.......

Callandor

If it passes the POST test, then I would consider the Knoppix CD, since booting from a DOS floppy doesn't really give you any more information than booting to the BIOS.

mgross333

ASKER

Thanks for the replies but sorry, I do not know what "keyboard working during POST" means and this appears in several replies. Can someone define that for me. I can try to see if the keyboard works in the BIOS (assuming it will respond to the key the mobo/BIOS wants pressed to get into the BIOS) but I do not know what POST is. Please reply. I appreciate that if it works with the BIOS then then the mobo is not the source of the problem.

I have also not had time to review all the replies yet but will get to them ASAP.

Regards-Mike

johnb6767

P ower
O n
S elf
T est

Its where the memory test happens, and the Manufacturer logos, the hard drive configs etc...

When you turn on the computer, if you hit the Num Lock or Caps Lock key, do they light up?

And if you can enter the BIOS (Setup, is also how it is referred to), by tapping DELete, F10, F12, F2 etc... (not sure what kind of system you have)

My name is Mud

One time I had a mouse that was blocking the keyboard, the mouse work for a while, but no keyboard, and then the mouse die... and for once I thought the PC was locked, but when I press the power and shut down, I knew it wasn't locked, so I disconect the mouse and check again, keyboard work, mouse was replaced... but may be not your case, who knows...

mgross333

ASKER

Regarding Johnb6767's comment above

> Can you verify that these two files exist (perhaps remotely via the network share)

> c:\windows\system32\drivers\18042prt.sys
> c:\windows\system32\drivers\kbdclass.sys

It **IS** possible to check these files just using the mouse working from My Computer

I asume they are the keyboard drivers or other necessary files. So what do I do if they are not there?????

Please reply with how to get them back. Note I have the Windows CD. But also note that I cannot type anything once Windows has booted. For example I cannot enter "sfc /scannow" in the Start/Run window. Nor can I use the Recovery Console from booting a Windows XP CD because the Recovery Console does no support the sfc command. BUT it does support other DOS commands which might be useful here.

Please reply.

Mike

mgross333

ASKER

Callandor,

Regarding the Knoppix CD, how do I use it to find out about drivers on my Windows PC. This is Linux/GNU both of which I know nothing about.

Mike

Callandor

The use of the Knoppix CD avoids Windows drivers completely, so if everything works fine with it, the likely source of your problems is Windows drivers. If that is the case, a repair install is the best option, which David-Howard referred to in http:#a17966729

mgross333

ASKER

Keyboard worked in POST and BIOS so I did a Recovery Install from the HP Recovery Partition on the HD (removes apps, keeps personal files). And then the keyboard worked in Windows. Thanks for your replies to my Question

Mike