Another Windows XP question - Help!

[Paul Marossy]

OK, so I went and bought a new modem, and it connects to the internet now. (I posted in an earlier thread that a friend gave me a Dell Dimension 4100 900mHz with Windows XP Professional and was having modem problems) But, earlier today, I had a real disaster happen.  :cry:  :x

I was trying to update my Logitech mouse drivers to something a little less restrictive than what was on the machine already. So I go the latest drivers and I had some message about the keyboard not being compatible with the mouse, IIRC. So I changed it to a standard 101/102 key type. When it restarted, the keyboard was not responding at all, and the mouse doesn't do anything either. I don't happen to have the Windows software. Does anyone know how to fix this? I can't even get into safe mode! But the keyboard does work in DOS. I did some poking around and looked at some Windows files that I thought may control the keyboard, and found a command.dmp file (I believe) that seems to set the keyboard type, but I'm not totally sure...

Do you think if I got an ancient pre-Windows keyboard and tried starting up the machine, it would work? Anyone?

Thank goodness I still have my old machine running! I'm still going to record those soundclips of my new pedal design one way or the other.  :evil:

[Fret Wire]

Have you tried the "last known good settings"? Were the XP keyboard drivers inadequate?

[Paul Marossy]

Yep, tried the last known good settings thing. The problem was the mouse drivers, which apparently work somehow in concert with the keyboard. I guess I wasn't thinking when I changed the keyboard setting.  :oops:
I didn't think it would totally screw things up!

[Fret Wire]

I have the MS nat. keyboard pro and optical trackball mouse, but XP-Pro prefers it's own driver's for both. Go figure!

[Paul Marossy]

Hmm... The thing is that I can't update the drivers without getting into Windows to install them, I effectively have no mouse or keyboard. As soon as it cycles thru the BIOS, the keyboard becomes inactive, and apparently so does the mouse.

[Fret Wire]

Can you go to the control panel and roll back the aftermarket drivers and use XP's? Have you gone in the BIOS and enabled everything for the keyboard and mouse? Sorry I'm not much of a computer whiz :oops:

[javacody]

Doesn't Dell have repair disks/backup disks that come with them? You might try removing the mouse (physically) and the keyboard, booting up, let the bios see that they are missing, reboot with just the keyboard connected and see if you can get into windows. If there is no mouse detected, maybe the drivers won't load up and your keyboard will work? You can then use keyboard shortcuts to uninstall the mouse drivers.

[Paul Marossy]

I have been in the BIOS numerous times. There isn't any options for the mouse and keyboard. The only thing you can change is how the BIOS handles plug and play. I have tried every possible combination...
Windows starts up just like it normally would, but there is no keyboard and a frozen arrow exactly centered in the screen. I can't get into the control panel without a functional mouse or keyboard. I can't do anything at all. I did try pulling the mouse and keyboard off to see if Windows would think it was new hardware, but had no success there, either. I even tried pulling the RAM chips out and the CMOS battery. It did say that it found a "Legacy" keyboard and mouse, but then it was the same old crap. That didn't help either.

The person who gave us the computer had no idea what I was talking about when I asked if there were some restore disks that came with the machine. Oh well...

So I thought, "well, I could just buy my own copy of Windows XP, but if my keyboard isn't functional, it won't do me any good." I am surprised that Windows would allow something like this to happen, it must be something they have overlooked. I have found a little Windows page that states that they know about this problem, and apparently it can happen when upgrading from Win98 to WinXP, but it's supposed to happen when the welcome screen comes up, not immediately after the BIOS is processed. I don't get it... maybe a really old keyboard is what I need. I think I can get a hold of one tomorrow and give that a try. What a crock!

[javacody]

If you install XP from scratch, that will solve your problem. Man Paul, I wish there was some way I knew to help you.

XP makes "restore points" when you make configuration changes. It also has a repair DOS mode. Maybe you could get into that repair mode and go back to a good restore point? I'm not sure on the particulars, but it may be your best bet.

[Paul Marossy]

DOS repair mode? I didn't notice that...  I did see a debugging option, though. Well, I'll look at it again tomorrow. I need to go to bed!
Thanks for all the help so far.  

[teamodave]

I don't know if this works with XP, but with 98, at the DOS prompt type: "scanreg/restore" (don't type the "s). It should give you a previous registry to choose from. See if it works. Good luck.

[Paul Marossy]

Thanks, maybe I'll give that a try. I have a feeling that won't work, either. I believe it saves the last five times the registry is updated by default. But, I'll give it a try, I've got nothing to lose at this point...

[keko]

This might sound like I'm kidding, but check the connector. I once had a PC given back (I used to assemble and sell them) because the keyboard did'nt work, and it had a bent connector.

Also, is the keyboard ps2 or USB (too lazy to check dell's web)

If it's usb, enable it in the BIOS (usb keyboard support)

I'm currently using a Dell laptop, and it's the best piece of hardware I've ever bought.

Good Luck.


BTW...you mention you have no OS CDs....well, look for the product key sticker. I'm not sure about this, but isn't that sticker THE software license? If it is, you could just get any XP cd, and use it legally....also a note here: Dell computers have OEM (original equipment manufacturer) windows made for them. Every time I install my XP home, it never asks for my s/n. I did try other xp (non Dell bundle) the other day, and it did ask for it.

[Paul Marossy]

keko:

If the keyboard was USB, it would plug into an available USB port, right? If so, then I believe it is a PS/2 type.

Well, to complicate matters, the computer originally came with Windows Millenium. The XP Professional was loaded on the computer at a later date.

I think I may just have to go and buy my own copy of Windows XP... I'm still not convinced that will work, but it seems that it's my only chance to get it working.

[Fret Wire]

There seems to be a difference when you upgrade to XP, and when you reformat to do a clean install. The clean install seems to have less problems.

[Paul Marossy]

When you say "reformat", do you mean reformatting the hard drive? I have already loaded a dozen or more programs on the machine... I don't want to to do that, if at all possible.

[Fret Wire]

That's what I meant. It's a pain for sure. From my experience, the upgrade can have problems. Not in every case, but alot. Some of the Windows files can get damaged during the upgrade as well as the registry having too many errors. Don't know why, but it seems to happen. The same problems go away with a clean install.

[Paul Marossy]

Man, that really sucks.  :evil:
Oh well. At least I still have one functional computer.

Hey, can you do me a favor? Assuming that you also have Windows XP, is there a file called "control.kbd" on your machine? Let me know if there is. I think this file might contain the information I would need to modify the config.cb file, which I think tells Windows what kind of keyboard it is supposed to have...

[Fret Wire]

Sucks for sure. Two years ago when I got my computer, my learning curve crashed it numerous times. Kept trying to tweak it like a pedal! lol! Every time I damaged Windows files, or screwed up the registry, I tried to re-install XP. While it was nice to see all my settings, files, and programs still there, it never fixed the bad files or registry errors. The guy who built it confirmed that. Reformat and clean install, and no problems.  Part of the problem is that an upgrade keeps the settings and registry files that caused the problem in the first place.

[Fret Wire]

Couldn't find control.kbd. Looked in hidden and Windows files. Maybe that's left over from the original OS.