Member Avatar for whit222

I am having a problem that I have been trying to solve for hours now but i'm completly perplexed.

I am using Win XP Pro btw.

Let me explain my situation. My non usb keyboard completly stopped working because the thing used to connect it to the computer is broken. I went out to buy a wireless one that uses USB. After connecting that one to every USB port on my computer it did not work. I had figured it was a problem with wireless or usb. So I retured that and went back to buy a new keyboard. This one came with a mouse and also had a adapter on the usb that allowed me to connect the non- usb way. Still this did not work. Now I remain trapped at my login screen. I have only one working mouse and absoultly no working keyboard. My question is, how do I escape the password screen with only a mouse?Or how can I get USB working on my computer?

Thank you in advance.:lol:

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Given s note that the USB keyboard works through BIOS/boot but stops at the Windows logon, the fault is more likely a Windows-side HID/USB driver or service issue than a dead keyboard or busted port. Earlier replies tried BIOS/port changes and plug/unplug tricks; the next steps should concentrate on getting Windows to accept the device or typing with the mouse.

If a mouse is available, try the On-Screen Keyboard from the logon Accessibility menu (the welcome/logon screen has accessibility options that can launch OSK). If that appears you can type the password with the mouse and then run the diagnostic steps below once logged in.

If the OSK is not present, reboot (the keyboard should still work during boot) and press F8 to enter Safe Mode. In Safe Mode check whether the keyboard is recognized. If it is, open Device Manager and uninstall any suspicious entries under Keyboards, Human Interface Devices and Universal Serial Bus controllers so Windows redetects them on reboot. Also ensure the HID service is running; at a command prompt you can try:

net start hidserv
sfc /scannow

(SFC needs the XP CD/administrative rights.)

If Safe Mode still shows no keyboard, consider remote access from another PC if Remote Desktop/VNC was enabled, or as last resort use an offline password/reset tool (for example, Offline NT Password & Registry Editor) to gain access — but be aware this can break EFS-encrypted files and should be used carefully. These Windows-driver checks are the logical follow-up to the BIOS/port tests already reported by and .

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Member Avatar for jbennet

for the USB keyboard to work:

use a standard (non-usb) keyboard and go into the BIOS setup screen (hit del or f1 or whatever it tells you to when the system starts up) and enable USB Keyboard support.

Member Avatar for whit222

for the USB keyboard to work:

use a standard (non-usb) keyboard and go into the BIOS setup screen (hit del or f1 or whatever it tells you to when the system starts up) and enable USB Keyboard support.

At the moment I cant get hold of a standard keyboard but I found out that my USB keyboard works up untill the point that my login screen comes up. So I was able to get into the BIOS thing and I enabled USB but it did not change the problem. Any other suggestions?

Member Avatar for jbennet

you may just need to leave it there for a while.

ive noticed that if i swap my keyboard to a different port then it can often take a long time for windows to recognise it first time

Member Avatar for whit222

you may just need to leave it there for a while.

ive noticed that if i swap my keyboard to a different port then it can often take a long time for windows to recognise it first time

How long exactly? I've been waiting quite awhile.

Member Avatar for jbennet

for me if i leave it like 5 mins then windows detects it and im off

Member Avatar for xcellpro6

Hi

Do you have Service Pack 1 on your PC it is required for usb support

Darren

Member Avatar for MidiMagic

Give it an attention-getting swift kick:

Boot with the USB keyboard unplugged, then plug it in when the login screen appears. This gives Plug-n-play a whack, and it will recognize the keyboard for one boot.

If you get control, go into Control Panel/ Keyboard/Hardware and change the setting.

You would have been able to do this with just the mouse if you didn't have login enabled.

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