keYboard flashing

Angelina · #1 January 24th, 2003, 09:35 AM

I unpluged keYboard while computer was on. Now keyboard doesnt work. Diagnostics says keyboard works but it doesnt work. Updated driver but still doesnt work.Bought new keyboard but still doesnt work. Keyboard lights keep flashing.

jabronicus · #2 January 24th, 2003, 06:52 PM

can you get into your bios? What kind of pc do you have? Do all lights flash or do they trail left to right or vice versa like christmas lights? I had a problem like this and anyone i asked had never heard of it. it was due to a bios setting to lock out the keyboard so your children cannot use your pc if they turn it on. also what kind of connector does the keyboard have? if it is ps2 connector (small round connector) try buying a usb keyboard

Angelina · #3 January 24th, 2003, 11:44 PM

Keyboard lights keep flashing all at once Using character map Difficult to type. BIOS? Dont have access to Windows at boot up cause keyboard doesnt work. BIOS? Is that where it is?

**Spider** · #4 January 25th, 2003, 02:15 AM

Hi Angelina, welcome to Cyber Tech Help.

Open Device Manager and "Remove" the keyboard driver then reboot.

I'll leave this thread here for now but a keyboard is "hardware" and
this should really be in the "Hardware & Overclocking" forum.
No probs.

Angelina · #5 January 25th, 2003, 02:27 AM

I did and Windows says detects new hardware at boot up and instals softare but Keyboard lights keep flashing and still doesnt work.

**Spider** · #6 January 25th, 2003, 03:27 AM

I have a few of questions...

When you initially unplugged the keyboard [when the computer
was running] had you plugged it back in while it was running to?
What was the reason you unplugged the keyboard in the first place?
Had you been in the BIOS and made any settings changes
during all of this?

Angelina · #7 January 25th, 2003, 05:54 AM

1 No 2 To clean it 3 No ........ Bought new keyboard but still doesnt work. Keyboard lights keep flashing.

**Spider** · #8 January 25th, 2003, 06:51 AM

Well if you had said yes to #1 I would say the ps/2 port
took a zap and fried it. It doesn't really happen pulling it
out unless you pull it out slowly. A little mini lightning bolt
jumps onto one of the pins and that surges the ps/2 port
and fries it.

This is a tough thing to diagnose. Pulling cables out
while the comp is running does different things to
different comps. Sometimes it does nothing and
other times it can corrupt files, and other times if
the device was "talking" to the comp, at the time,
it can play havoc with the hard drive.

If it were me I'd remove the keyboard driver again,
boot into Safe Mode (F8 during bootup) and open
a MS-DOS Prompt and type
scanreg /restore
select a date the furthest back

If that fails...
Control Panel
Add/Remove Programs
select Microsoft Internet Explorer
then select repair

If that fails...
go to Windows Update and see if you can install any
Internet Explorer updates

If that fails...
look at the rear of your computer, if it's older there may be
a second keyboard port. Usually it's positioned in the
middle of the tower and it's twice the size of a ps/2 port.
You can get an small adapter cable that will fit the ps/2
plug on the end of your keyboard.

If that fails...
You could try a full re-install of WindowsME. This would include
a partition removal then a partition creation then a format then
a WindowsME install.

If that fails...
you can try a USB keyboard.

Again if I got to the point where a WindowsME reinstall didn't
fix it then you can assume the ps/2 port is shot and I'd replace
the motherboard and chalk it up to experience.

Angelina · #9 January 25th, 2003, 07:10 AM

I cant press f8 OR type scanreg /restore.
No keyboard functionality. I now have an -on screen keyboard but how can I use it at boot up to be able to press F8? If I command safe mode start up from RUN MSCONFIG - Selective start up - before shutdown I still wontbe able to type scanreg /restore. What a mess.

**Spider** · #10 January 25th, 2003, 07:27 AM

I thought I read earlier you had a sluggish keyboard after you
bought the new one. The "Difficult to type" part.

This is a whole different ball game without any keyboard what-so-ever.

I don't have WindowsME in front of me and I can't remember if it
had Safe Mode in the Shut Down list.

Skip the Safe Mode thing and do the IE repair and the Windows Update thing.

If those fail...
I would suggest you take it into a shop for repair. Getting a USB
keyboard is going to cost the same as one hour of shop time.

Angelina · #11 January 25th, 2003, 07:51 AM

There is an SCSI port which is a paralell port. Then there is another parallel port above the printer port. Are either good?

**Spider** · #12 January 25th, 2003, 07:54 AM

I don't think I'm following you...good for what?

Angelina · #13 January 25th, 2003, 08:02 AM

As alternate ports for keyboard.

**Spider** · #14 January 25th, 2003, 08:05 AM

No that isn't going to work. Keyboards are either ps/2 or USB.

Angelina · #15 January 25th, 2003, 08:09 AM

Oh well. Do appreciate all the time you spent on this. Thanks.