Keyboard stops working during start up

[atlantisburn]

I have a 1700 AMD MB, After a recent t storm my keyboard stopped working. I reset the bios battery. Loaded fail safe and optimize defaults. Keyboard works in bios but stops when opted to hit Ctrl Alt Del at startup. The number Led stays lit. I also thought that if keyboard was not connected I would get error during bootup or odd post beeps, which I dont.

 

[G0AOZ]

Substituting the keyboard for a known good one is the first and easiest step.

If you're still hit with the same problem, then it looks like the keyboard controller (and maybe other circuits) on the motherboard have possibly been toasted.

Try a more prolonged CMOS clear - leave the battery out for maybe 15 minutes or longer, and reset BIOS to manufacturers basic defaults.

Remove and disconnect everything from the motherboard except PSU connections, RAM, video, floppy disk and keyboard. See if a boot disk in the floppy drive will allow full keyboard working.

Try subsituting the video card and the RAM.

Other than that, you're probably looking at a replacement mobo I'm afraid...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Cwgunder]

What OS are you using? XP? Also, I'm assuming you are using PS/2 keyboard and mouse, the mouse works while at the CTRL+ALT+DEL screen, and you do not have a wireless KB or mouse. If this isn't so, just post a reply.

Here's a couple of things to try before running out and buying a replacement system board.

If it's working in the BIOS then it may not be the controller. It may be the drivers if it stops working at the CTRL+ALT+DEL screen, though a storm couldn't effected that. If the following doesn't work, then it may be time to look into the motherboard, also, the fact that the LED stays on implies it may be hardward related.

I'd start with a known good keyboard. If you don't have one try booting into safe mode. It should work. It's worth a shot anyway. If it works, then go to the device manager and remove the keyboard. It should prompt you to restart and click yes. See what happens. It might work, but I wouldn't have my hopes up too high.

Also, if you can get in that way, make note of the name of the driver files that the Keyboard is using. On the properties tab in device manager you should be able to find a button for "driver detials". My computer is using KBDCLASS.SYS and I8042PRT.SYS. It may be easier to replace those files in the chance that they are corrupt if removing the drivers and letting the system re-install them doesn't work. Of course this is all depending on whether or not the keyboard works in safe mode.

If it doesn't work in safe mode, then try removing the mouse and powering on. See what happends.

In the past, I've had to setup a remote control application and remove the keyboard and mouse drivers that way.

The only other possibility I can think of off hand is the computer's default input language setting, which is set in the Regional and Language Options control panel. It may be set to use a different type of keyboard.

Hope this helps

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[atlantisburn]

So far I have Tried another working keyboard, a new usb KB, reset battery overnight, Last known config, Boot from CD recovery disk console. Mouse is USB KB is ps2. I am running Win 2000 server. I also hooked up a HDD with Win 98se KB works fine, So I rule out Motherboard.


Remote control application, How does this work?

 

[atlantisburn]

What if I boot from other HDD, searh original HDD, find KB drivers, reinstall them from disk?

 

[atlantisburn]

I put original HDD as slave. odd thing that it shows up as WEC WD(Drive Name) t!tv1t t t t!t t t p8.02d08. Does that mean anything to anyone. KB and Mouse worked for awhil;e then quit. seriel mouse works. My only thought is a virus possibly power supply.

 

[Cwgunder]

FYI

oddly enough, another tech and I worked on a computer with the same problem the day after you posted this thread. We worked on it yesterday doing any and every thing we could think of, including reloading the chipset drivers, keyboard drivers, manualy editing hardware related reg entries, replaceing and registering winlogon and GINA executables and assciated dlls. We ran a CHKHDSK /f, used a thrid party error scanning software, attempted a XP repair from the CD, amongst other stuff.

In the end, for the sake of time, I re-imaged that PC which essentialy wiped and reloaded everything on the HDD. Problem solved, but it wasn't hardware problem.

If you're up for it, you can try all of that. I used another computer to remotely connect and work on the PC. You may also check if there's any additional client software on the compuer, like Novell, that could be causeing it to lock whne you hit the CRTL+ALT_DEL, or you can also try to upgrade the bios. I'm not sure, but there is a possibility this is a hardware problem.

hell, it may just be easier to setup xp on another HDD.

Hope this helps

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[Cwgunder]

oh... i just re-read that you already used another HDD.

This one is wierd, but it's stating to sound more and more like a hardware problem for sure. Though you likey have to reload the system if you get a new system board as well, un less of course you get the exact same model. Keep an eye out for symptoms that may point to the power supply as well seeing as this was likey cause by a power surge,

Hope this helps

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[Cwgunder]

oh... i just re-read that you already used another HDD.

This one is wierd, but it's starting to sound more and more like a hardware problem for sure. Though you likey have to reload the system if you get a new system board as well, un less of course you get the exact same model. Keep an eye out for symptoms that may point to the power supply as well seeing as this was likey cause by a power surge,

Hope this helps

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[atlantisburn]

Thanks for all the brain power. I took an A+ cert course just to try and better understand computers. I guess I am exception to the rule. I know a guy who works for IBM who job it is to break computers. Can I have that job, I can certainly ruin a computer just by looking at it. Anyways, Where we stand. I again hooked up another HDD to Motherboard, USB Mouse that originaly worked on other HDD running W2K server then quit after PS2 KB quit has never worked on HDD running Win98se but PS2 KB and seriel mouse work. Could the be a problem with power supply? I can see C drive from remote, is there a way to update driver and firmware?

 

[atlantisburn]

Problem fixed, not sure how. I hit f8 and randomly went through options, again, up this time. I think it was last known config. I remember doing this before with no results. Could an order do it, like resetting bios, op defaults, then choosing from f8 menu. Anythoughts here? thanks for all effort.

 

[johnbullas]

From Experience: USB keyboards appear to make a mockery (for me) of the USB keyboard support settings in BIOS so I went back to a hard wired PS2 keyboard that had all the functions my USB one did as I (frequently) need to get into BIOS and/or run comand line from boot

I have had non PS2 keyboards wink in and out of existance during boot up and lived with it, solved problem by randomly tweaking the USB keyboard BIOS settings until it worked ... if you find this unprofessional .... ok