No power to USB keyboard

By 'no power' you mean the lights go off, won't respond to their respective buttons?  Power is still there (there is no provision for turning it off) but the keyboard processor has crashed.

 

System responds to F2, F12 so the keyboard and interface itself is working and only Windows is refusing to respond.  Windows can block individual ports with which it has had a disagreement, and USB keyboards are notorious.  Plug it in a different port.  Often the front ones will work when the back ones fail.  If that makes it go, go to device manager, uninstall the affected port, let the kybd be redetected and reinstall itself.

 

If the keyboard is indeed marginal/corrupt, the problem will return.  Replace it--basic wired USB keyboards are cheap, and as you've found, you have to have one to install wireless kybds.

Thank you for the response. I have tried each of the USB ports and done a reboot on each one (front & rear). I have also interchanged with the mouse which works on all ports.

 

I can't even get in to the control panel to check devices as I can't input my password.

 

Just to recap - the keyboard is powered (lights on & functional) at reboot. I can go into F2 & F12 and the keyboard functions. Once I exit out of there the second the windows xp logo appears, keyboard lights and function disappear. Mouse is still functional. I did find someone with a similar problem on some site on the web but there was no resolution posted.

 

 

 

 

Hi again and thanks. I am able to get into F8 and have tried to start in safe mode and exactly the same thing happens. I have also done restore defaults. Unless someone can get me past my password log in screen I don't seem to be able to do much. I purchased a new keyboard - a logitech laser and have the software but I can't get in to install it. And now I am hunting hight and low for my Dell disk and am considering doing a reinstall to see if that will work. I'm a little reluctant as it will mean reinstalling all of my other programs as well and that is just a big pain.

 

Still open for any ideas - thank you to those who are trying. I have searched the board (and Microsoft and the web) but haven't come up with anything useful.

 

John

When the XP logo appears, Windows drivers have been activated (and keyboard stops).  You should be able to work within F8 (or hold down CTRL) Safe Mode (no drivers).

 

You didn't say what kind of keyboard this is.  'Standard' keyboards don't require a standalone Windows driver.  'Features' keyboards can/do require a Windows driver to support volume knob, play button, others. 

Unknown why it's still locked out in safe mode, hypothetically it shouldn't be.

 

I'd get a new or borrowed wired USB keyboard to figure this out.  If the system rejects all keyboards, restore/reinstall.  If it still rejects all keyboards, motherboard/chipset is bad.

Hi and thanks for all the help. I was able to get it up and working. Not really sure how, just kept rebooting and it was there. I have installed the new keyboard software and it is working well.

 

The problem confounded the Dell support people as well. I was on the phone with them for nearly an hour trying different fixes and their final response was that the keyboard was toast. I still don't think so, I think that it was some sort of Windows problem. Anyway I'm up and going and appreciate the help.

 

Thanks

John