Windows 7 keyboard malfunction

[will_99]

A puzzler hmm? I received an update to windows 7 on my hp PC. One of the updates was for nvidia software, however I noticed that after this update that when watching video on full screen that the image was much brighter more contrasty and sharper, so I fouterd (fiddled)about with the various nvidia menus to no avail. I eventually decided stuff this I’ll just do a system restore and that should sort it. The only good bit was that my full screen mode was back to normal; but the first thing that happened was that when I went to type my password I couldn’t type using the keyboard so I had to use the easy access on screen keyboard using my mouse.


Even with windows up and running the keyboard simply won’t function, in desperation I tried a couple more restore points and none them worked. I used the F8 KEY with keyboard to get into safe mode and this worked but as soon as the password is needed the keyboard does not work and even in safe mode it’s not there.

But the keyboard obviously functions since I can use it F8 mode; now the latest thing is that any system restore points fail.


In F8 mode selection I notice that there is the option of Computer Repair but if I take this route does this mean that all my software will be removed?


To be honest I don’t care what the reason is to why this has happened I just accept that glitches can occur and all I really want to know is how to get out of this predicament.


So if you know please tell.

 

[djscribbles]

Have you tried plugging the keyboard into a different USB while windows is up?

 

[will_99]

Yip I just tried that move and it did what it did the first time; screen went blue and then it restarted up in a black screen telling me system couldn’t be found.

I switched it off and restarted it; no harm done but the keyboard still doesn’t work.

I thought I could update the drivers but I was told that the correct up-to-date drivers are installed.

This is becoming annoying I do have laptop but I am about to work on page maker for a magazine and I need the PC for images and its memory.

 

[djscribbles]

So the computer blue screens (as in blue screen of death) crashes, and reboots to a screen saying the operating system can't be found? (Trying to fill in some blanks here)

As a next step, with the keyboard plugged in, try uninstalling the driver for the keyboard (should be near the update driver option).

If you have an alternate keyboard you can use, try that, or an old school PS-2 (the round connectors) should work for sure.


If this is a work computer, and your company has an IT department, you may try contacting them at this point, as it may be difficult to advise you how to fix this; it certainly doesn't sound like something that someone will have a ready made fix for.

It seems like there could either be a nasty software compatibility issue cropping up due to the system restore, or there could be a failing hardware component (a software issue seems more likely given the circumstances though).

edit: In either case, it maybe a good precaution to backup any important data to a thumb-drive or something outside the computer, just in case you are dealing with failing hardware.

 

[will_99]

No it’s my machine and it just went out of warranty. All my files are kept on an external so there is no chance of data loss.

When in F8 mode it offers computers repair I suspect this is the next option; I think its HP’s protected recovery section on my hard disk. I don’t know but I think that means if I use this that my software is lost like Photoshop, which isn’t a problem but I have many plugins and settings which will be lost so I would rather not do this if it can be helped.

Thanks anyway.


Thanks anyway.

 

[djscribbles]

Yeah, the HP recovery will wipe the thing out to it's factory state, and would be a last ditch effort.

I would try using a different keyboard first, ideally a PS-2 keyboard. If you encounter other stability issues or still can't get keyboards to work you may want to go through with the HP recovery.

With a little effort, you can likely backup your photoshop plugins and settings (maybe even the whole program), try looking in the C:\ProgramData (hidden) directory or the photoshop install directory.

 

[will_99]

Does the HP Recovery always work, I don’t have any separate CD’s; Computer just states HP RECOVERY (D) 1.48 GB FREE OF 12GB.


C drive is huge and empty 1.29TB free of 1.35 TB


I’m just beginning to feel slightly unlucky and don’t want to do anything which might leave me looking at a permanent black screen

 

[djscribbles]

As a last resort the HP recovery will work if you don't have any internal hardware modifications to the system (or failing hardware). Really, the largest risk from the HP Recovery is you losing important data/settings that you forgot to backup, which is why I put it as a last resort; the recovery software that comes with computers is pretty simple to operate, and quite fool-proof (though some hardware changes can probably trip it up, like having a different hard drive, motherboard, etc). Typically your computer will run quite a bit faster after a restore too, because it cleans up a lot of accumulated junk.

The 12 GB Recovery partition will be left intact on the computer, and it will wipe ALL the data from the 1.35TB C: Drive, and return it to the way it was the day you got it (including all the bloatware programs). You can make a backup DVD of the recovery partition usually through a tool HP provides (not needed for what you are doing, but these are good to make).

Again, don't feel that you need to do the restore until you've exhausted other options. If you do the restore, make triple sure you have any data you need backed up to your external, because once you restore it will all be gone, and unplug the external before the restore (just in case).

Before you restore, do you by chance have any keyboard software such as Logitech Intellipoint or anything like that? It's possible that it is broken after the restore and causing the issue, uninstalling it may also help.
Also uninstall the USB keyboard drivers, then move it to a new port (so it re-installs them).
If that doesn't fix it, buy a cheap ps/2 keyboard (or dig one out of your basement from an old computer, all the old ones had these from at least 1998 onward), if that works, that can tell us a lot about the situation.

Please let me know what you've tried from my suggestions and if it worked, so I don't start sounding like a broken record