Topic: Keyboard problems

[lynk]

Hi,
  Im running Windows xp home edition along with Redhat linux on a partitioned hard drive. I also added Suse linux latley and found that my UsB keyboard which worked in windows and redhat would not work in Suse so I changed back to a PS/2 keyboard I had lying around.
                   It worked fine with the three operating systems until recently when it just stopped working with windows. It works perfectly from boot up until windows starts to load then it stops responding. I then changed back to the Usb keyboard and that doesn't work either. I cant fix the problem in windows since I am unable to type my password at the login screen. I can boot into Ms-Dos but I don't know how  to solve the problem from there.
                      I would be very grateful if somone could help me with this problem.

[Camstop]

Hi lynk and  

There doesn't seem to be any techies around at the moment, but i'm sure there will be someone along shortly to help you with this problem.  

[Sandra]

Not sure why the PS2 one wont work but if you go into BIOS and check that USB keyboard is enabled, if it is an option, then that may enable the usb one to work on all 3 systems  

[lynk]

:-\The only setting regarding the keyboard in the bios is Numlock on/off.
I even reset the Bios......and it didn't work
Since the keyboards work everywhere except until windows boots I'm pretty sure the problem lies somwhere in windows.
                        Any ideas?

[Sandra]

Is it a bog standard PS2 keyboard or a fancy one with the extras that need drivers for it ?

[lynk]

Nope..Its just a plain old keyboard. The Usb however has programmable buttons on it but I never needed drivers for it.
                        :'(I may never get into my windows partition again!!! All my beautiful files!!!! helpppppp!

[Sandra]

Is the keyboard dead at the point where you can get into safe mode too ?
Sorry for asking what may seem like dumb questions but I dont know what you have already tried and its a new one on me  

[lynk]

Not at all, I need all the suggestions I can get because I have run out of ideas! The only boot options my bios will give me are
:  Normal, Diskette drive,c: ,IDE CD-rom, Setup(Bios) IDE drive diagnostics and boot to utility partition.
                                 The keyboard is alive right up until the windows logo pops up. Is there any way to fix this in MS-Dos with the xp boot disk? replacing Keyboard.drv?

[Sandra]

No sorry I didnt mean in bios, I meant pressing F8 after post beep to get into safe mode ?
That way you may be able to uninstall the keyboard and hopefully windows will reinstall it on next reboot into normal windows  

[lynk]

The only options post Beep are f12 boot options f2 enter bios. Does windows xp have a safe mode? if so how do you enter it?      Pressing f8 like on a win98 system has no effect.

[Sandra]

I think it depends on your mobo and bios but F8 is the usual one  
I seem to remember one being done from F5 but I am not 100% certain  

[Dack]

It is F8 for safe mode under XP - the usual trick is to keep pressing it on boot up.

Because you have a boot manager (because of the 3 OS's) you'll need to select XP and then quickly start pressing F8 rapidly.

Best to do this with the PS2 keyboard connected or use the USB keyboard with a PS2 adaptor as the USB adaptor in XP may not have been initialised at this point (Try installing XP using a USB keyboard and you'll see what I mean  - you end up stuck at the screen trying to enter user details and if you have a USB mouse as well you can't actually do anything apart from power off )


Failing that.....you could always, and this is not really recommended, kill the power while XP is loading.  That way it will register a fault and the next time you try and load it will present you with the safe mode menu etc.

[lynk]

Thanks Dack + sandra! That got me into safe mode but still the problem remains. :(

When I pressed f8 with the USB keyboard it entered the boot menu and I selected Safe Mode, it went to the login screen, and the keyboard stops working. There is an administrator account there as well as my own but when I click on it the screen flickers and brings me back to the login screen.
       
Even with the PS2 keyboard the result is the same. Is there anything else I can try to remedy this problem besides the last resort of reinstalling windows and losing all my files?

[Sandra]

You could possibly do a repair of XP, that way you shouldnt lose your files as it should only repair whats become faulty or corrupted.
I did wonder if you could start the PC without a keyboard attached and then shut it down and then when you rebooted it may treat it as new hardware but as you have the 3 OSs on I dont think you can even try that and I am unsure if it would work on a single boot system as it is  

[lynk]

YIPPEEEEEEEEE I got the keyboards working!!!! I was looking around the menu with the boot options on it, and I saw the use last sucessful boot configuration option.
                     
I thought it would be worth a shot so I tried it with the Ps\2 keyboard plugged in. It Worked I was able to enter my password and re-install the USb keyboard which is now functioning perfectly.
I am still wondering how this happened in the first place.
                           Anyway thanks for all your help I'll definitely refer back to the Forum if I have any more problems and try to  help solve other peoples problems too.

                       
Thanks again and a Happy New to all.