Mouse/Keyboard Stop Working on Startup

Does the PC reboot into safemode?

Does the computer use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse? Also, is the computer USB only? If the system BIOS has a setting for USB Legacy, enable it. If there is no setting, then it should have usb legacy support built in (usb legacy simply passes the loaded keyboard to windows after system post).

If it is USB only, try using a wired usb keyboard in each of the USB ports until you find one that works. One should work for you, probably in the main usb stack. Out of curiosity, did you recently install Service Pack 3 for Windows XP?

I ran into a similar problem... see my post:

Probably not... I would try to see if the USB ports are loaded and active once the Windows Login screen appears. One trick is to see if the cap's lock/num lock lights flash once when you plug the keyboard into the usb port. If so, then the port is powered correctly. If not, then the port is not getting any power and will not funtion (which doesn't mean the port is bad necessarily; it might not be loaded yet...).

Here is a long shot... If you have the computer networked, and have access to another computer on the network, AND have enabled Remote Access, then you might be able to log in to the troubled pc remotely and see if the keyboard and mouse load after loading windows... I'll see what else I can come up with. If you search the forums for "keyboard failure," you'll find many similar circumstances...

When I plug in the keyboard the caps lock/num lock key lights do not flash; the lights also do not turn on when the corresponding key is pressed. However, when the mouse is plugged in, the light on the bottom of the mouse flashes once, but then turns off. As an added note, I also have a mouse that has a light in the scroll wheel and a light on the top that illuminates a logo (it's a Razer mouse if you were wondering). If I keep the mouse plugged in while the computer loads, all the lights will shut off after the second loading screen, but if I unplug the mouse, then plug it back in, the scroll wheel light will turn on, but the light on the top does not turn on. I'll try to access the computer remotely and see if that works when I get the chance; in the meantime, I'll take your suggestion of searching the forums. Thanks for your continued help so far.

Update: I attempted to remotely access the affected computer, but I was unable to connect to it. I forgot to mention that I am not able to log-in because my only account requires a password. I assume that the inability to sign-in is the reason I am unable to remotely connect to the computer. Either that or I do not have Remote Access enabled on my computer.

After some research, I've found that your problem is somewhat common, but the solutions are all different for each person depending on the individual circumstances... Most people experience this same same situation when trying to do a clean install of Windows. They get to the point when they are prompted to press "enter" to install windows, but the keyboard is not recognized by windows. Different work-arounds have helped different people. Here are some things to try:

1) If you are using the original Dell keyboard, see if it has an F-Lock key. If so, make sure it is not turned on.

2) In trying each USB port individually, make sure you also look for ports on the front of the computer. If you have them, try them too. You must restart windows with each attempt.

3) In the BIOS, make sure each USB stack in enabled.

4) If you can get access to a ps2 keyboard, try using it with a ps2 to USB adapter. Again, try it in each USB port. Windows should recognize a ps2 keyboard by default... one without any fancy functions which would require a non-generic driver.

5)If you have a powered USB hub, try plugging it into the USB port in which you were able to get your mouse lights to remain on, and plug your keyboard into the hub.

Ultimately, you want to get the simplest keyboard you can so that windows will recognize it prior to fully loading. I would not mess with the mouse until you are able to get into windows with keyboard. Once loaded, Windows will load whatever mouse you have. Also, in my experience, once you find a solution to log into windows, remember it, and restart/re-login to windows several times using the same method. Before restarting each time, plug in the keyboard and mouse you want to use, and use them to tell Windows to restart, then plug in the "workaround" keyboard after windows shuts down, but before it restarts. This will ultimately save the correct configuration into windows so that you don't have to go through this nonsense forever...

I have to give credit to other forums/posters for most of this info, too many to mention.

Let me know what happens! I'll keep looking...

1) None of the keyboards I am using have an F-Lock key.

2) I tried plugging in the keyboard that originally came with my Dell computer into every USB port, including the ones in the front, while also restarting windows with each attempt to no avail.

3) I checked my BIOS; I do not have any options at all pertaining to the USB ports.

4) While I do have many ps2 keyboards, I do not have any ps2 to USB adapters; if I get the chance, and if I can find one, I'll pick one up tomorrow and try it and let you know how it goes.

5) I do not own any USB hubs.

I have 2 very basic Dell keyboards; one with a USB connector, and one with a ps2 connecter; they originally came with the computer (one from mine; one from another computer that has ps2 inputs).

UPDATE: I bought a ps2 to USB adapter today; when I got home I plugged a ps2 keyboard into the adapter and then tried plugging the adapter into every USB port on my computer including the ones in the front while also restarting the computer with each attempt, but this did not work either. Some things I noticed during this test: the ps2 keyboard's num lock/caps lock lights did flash when plugged in if the computer was on; also, if the keyboard is plugged in while the computer starts, whichever light on the keyboard that was on before the second loading screen would remain on until the keyboard was unplugged. For instance, the num lock key light turns on by default when the computer starts, this light would remain on until the keyboard was unplugged even after the second loading screen, but I was unable to turn the light off by pressing the num lock key. The same went for the other lights, if they were on, they remained on and could not be turned off, if they were off, they remained off and could not be turned on.