Strange mouse and keyboard problem
I have a Windows XP machine that won't recognize the keyboard and mouse. It boots up to the windows login screen, but neither the keyboard or mice seems to work. I can load up a linux distro on the machine and the attached keyboard, PS2 mouse and USB mouse all function fine. I put the drive in another computer and scanned for malware, but nothing was found.
The same problem happens in safe mode.
The same problem happens in safe mode.
TomasP
Hmm, have you checked your BIOS settings for autodetect and other mouse/kb settings?
ASKER
I have also tried other PS2 keyboards and mice. Same result.
ASKER
Also tired other USB mice and keyboards. Same result
ASKER
Nothing helpful in the bios that I found other than I saw during boot up that it recognized the USB mouse in a flash of a message. I did reset to defaults and rebooted. No change.
ASKER
Any thoughts on a tweek from the Recovery Console prompt that might help regain control of keyboard/mouse? Maybe some critical service has been disabled by malware and needs to be reset to 'automatic'? Can you make that kind of change from the recovery console? I still believe that is the root of my trouble, some kind of malware.
Are there other 3rd party devices plugged into the computer? Some memory card readers interfere with mouse/kb.
ASKER
Nothing other than kb, mouse, monitor, lan, power
You could put an autoboot tool on a bootable dos drive to scan the harddrive for malware and test the mouse.
You can start/stop services from the Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058
You can start/stop services from the Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058
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I have heard of the "Security Tool" Virus doing this. Can you boot to safemode?
ASKER
I would like to do a repair install, but I don't know which version of XP is installed. Is there anyway to tell at the command prompt. I'm assuming XP Pro OEM, but I want to be sure.
You can try the XP Pro OEM, if the version on the PC is newer it won't install. I would follow the steps here for some different strategies on repairing you Windows. Perhaps you should just install a new copy of XP SP2 to insure everthing is up to date and you are better protected in the future
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
ASKER
I can only boot to the Recovery Console not into Windows in safe mode.
That sounds bad ... you should always be able to boot to safe mode. It may take you less time to bite the bullet and re-install Windows than to unpick exactly what has caused the problem. Have you already run a chkdsk on the system partition to repair any file corruption??
Assuming that your PC is in a Domain, you can run the Computer Management MMC on another PC. Right click on the root "Computer Management" node then choose "Manage another computer". Once connected try deleting all keyboard and mouse devices ... they will be re-detected at the next boot ... may take a few minutes for the devices to be found while you sit there looking at the logon screen.
Hope this helps
Priz
Assuming that your PC is in a Domain, you can run the Computer Management MMC on another PC. Right click on the root "Computer Management" node then choose "Manage another computer". Once connected try deleting all keyboard and mouse devices ... they will be re-detected at the next boot ... may take a few minutes for the devices to be found while you sit there looking at the logon screen.
Hope this helps
Priz