keyboard problem...

What would cause a keyboard to suddenly stop working? I've already tried a different keyboard, so the problem wasn't the keyboard itself. Are there any viruses that cause this? Any prank programs?

Spill something on the keyboard? If it's new enough, try a USB keyboard... otherwise, I'd say that you may have spilled something on it somehow, or it caused a short, and fried the PS/2 port. Just as an initial guess... I'm assuming you can't hit del at the POST screen, get into BIOS config or anything?

Sometimes the connector gets loose on the motherboard, unfortunately I saw this happen a couple of times when I was a tech... sometimes it was the user's fault as they were very rough plugging and unplugging their keyboard, but I have seen it happen once or twice from just normal use as well. (does the mouse still work?)

If this is the case, you might be able to just waggle it back into position... unfortunately if not you will need to either perform surgery on your motherboard or replace it. I wouldn't do either of these until you have exhausted all other options, obviously.

Good luck... sorry I am not more help...

Nothing was spilled on either keyboard, and the person using the keyboard hasn't touched the PS/2 plug. If there a way to bring up the "Close Program" box besides Ctrl+Alt+Delete? I'd like to see what programs are running in the background when this happens.

And yes I can enter the BIOS setup screen.

does the keyboard work on post? can you enter the bios setup? how about safe mode?

The keyboard works at POST, all the way through the network logon, and on into Windows. After a little while though, it stops working. I haven't checked to see the the caps, number, and scroll lock LEDs change.

It sounds like a wayward program is the culprit. Check to see what is starting in the background when Windows boots up. Determine what does and doesn't need to start and make the necessary changes in regedit or msconfig. If it still does it after that and the machine has 98 or better, remove everything from startup and start adding them back one by one. Slow process, but something like this is hard to pinpoint. Also do a virus scan just to be on the safe side.

Also, if it isn't a generic keyboard, check to see if there are any keyboard drivers. Could be a corrupt or bad driver throwing you off. I've seen it before, with an XP machine.

If the keyboard works fine in DOS mode, I would suspect corrupted Winblows...It may be virus also,though ... :rolleyes:

I've just had a couple of similar problems, and boiled it down to flaky P/S. Installed new P/S and now no more problems. Might not help your particular situation, but you never know. Good luck.

I think I fixed it. The user had a couple of shareware/spyware programs (gator & offercompanion). I uninstalled those, and there hasn't been a problem since.

UPDATE:

The keyboard was still locking up after I took the shareware/spyware programs off. I used the restore disk to restore just the system fills, but that didn't work either. So, I backed up her files and did a complete restore and reinstallation. I told her not to download and/or install any other programs. She just called to tell me her computer locked up again. It's the keyboard not working again. The mouse works, and I can operate windows using it. She claims that this happens only when she doesn't "work" (I guess she means types.) on the computer for awhile. When she reboots, the keyboard will work as long as someone types on it. I guess it's someting on the motherboard now. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Hmm... I remember I've met something similar before.
Check and try disabling APM in BIOS settings.
Disable also APM in Windows setting... :rolleyes:

why does this sound like an Emachine to me lol... i would say your board is fryed buddy, if you fdisced the computer or formated the computer and reinstalled windows and its still doing it? id say the ps2 port took a plump outa its rump on ya... hmm do they make pci ps2 cards for this kinda cercumstance? i mean that would be the cheapest rought to go if they did, if not get another bread board or if the machine is achient enuff just take the cdrom hdd fdd and the rest of the salvagable parts and build something decent for her... here is a place to get some decent prices <a href="http://www.pricewatch.com" target="_blank">www.pricewatch.com</a> i have used them in the past and there good....


sorry im not more help tho..

Try the keyboard on a diff machine to verify and then chalk it up to a bad port. Get a usb keyboard (they make those?) or a new mobo.

I had a similar problem a few months ago on a HP system. Everytime she got e-mail through MS Outlook the keyboard would lock. unplugging and plugging in would solve the problem. But I had to do a complete restore from scratch to fix it permanantly. Never did figure out what was causing it.

I've had to try and fix a problem similar to that except nothing seems to fix it.
The only thing I can see is hardware failure or the Novell client, as that's when it all started in my case.
However, I can't do a format and re-install, (the guy doesn't know enough about computers for that and lives too far away :confused: ).

Maybe you could sell her a used pc? :D

i've seen problems like this in w2k sometimes the if you hit a wrong button you can lock the keyboard up.