Keyboard acting screwy, please help!

[Muse]

I started a thread in General Hardware which describes the goings on, and it will be easier to just point to it. Basically, the KB is on an XP system that dual boots XP in both OS partitions. The KB acts screwy in both OS partitions. There's a different system (Win2000) that shares the KB, mouse and monitor with this system (Linksys KVM), and the KB works OK on that system. Suddenly and without warning I get either no key response from most all the keys or the system acts as if I hit Control+<the key> evidently. It went away on a reboot, returned, remained with reboots, went away with a device removal, came back with no apparent provocation in the middle of my composing an email message in my email client, I'm flummoxed. Please help! 😕


The above is a simplification, please see the thread in General Hardware:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=29149906&posted=1#post29149906

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Cross posting will get locked by mods. Just an FYI.

As for your problem, have you tried removing the KVM from the picture?

 

[mpilchfamily]

If you have problems even with it dirrectly connected try clearing the CMOS. I've had problems in the past like this where both PS/2 and USB KBs and mice where acting up and clearing the CMOS fixed it right up. Kind of like the information stored int eh CMOS had gotten currupted and was causing the problem.

 

[Muse]

Cross posting will get locked by mods. Just an FYI.

As for your problem, have you tried removing the KVM from the picture?

Haven't tried that yet, and yes I know that cross posting isn't allowed, but it's not exactly a cross post. I'm just not getting any help in General Hardware, no response to my last several posts. This is obviously a Help issue, so I posted here, linked the other thread because it has a lot of details I don't want to have to rethink, remember and reiterate. It's kind of a complicated bunch of facts.

I have a cordless keyboard/mouse that's also attached to the main system, BEAUTY. It's by USB (the receiver), and I haven't checked to see if that keyboard's screwed up at the same time that the wired one is (the wired one is on the KVM). If the wireless one is likewise screwy I suppose the keyboard controller is likely dodgy. I've used the system for around 3 years without this kind of problem...

 

[Muse]

If you have problems even with it dirrectly connected try clearing the CMOS. I've had problems in the past like this where both PS/2 and USB KBs and mice where acting up and clearing the CMOS fixed it right up. Kind of like the information stored int eh CMOS had gotten currupted and was causing the problem.

Thanks for this tip. It occurred to me a couple of hours ago that clearing the CMOS is something that might stop the issue. I think I'll try the cordless keyboard and see if it's working and if not, clear the CMOS (Easy enough because the cordless KB is already installed and working. Well, it was a few days ago!). I believe that would return the BIOS to default settings, no biggie. I've done very little in there and I can restore it in less than 5 minutes.

 

[Muse]

Last posts from laptop. Now I'm on BEAUTY, the problem system, a midtower XP machine. Turned on the powerstrip, booted the machine and no mouse, I hit KVM combo and mouse back, tested KB, screwy as hell. I picked up my cordless KB, and it seems OK. The cordless KB So, I have to think it has something to do with the KVM. How should I deal with this? If I remove the KVM and then reinstall it, presumably just reconnecting all the cables, I don't believe there's any software or driver or anything, maybe it will work right again? I think it might be "confused."

 

[mpilchfamily]

Try checking your connections but if the problem persists and you still need a KVM then its time for a new one.

 

[Muse]

So, I leave the system for an hour after my last strokes were from the cordless KB. Come back and try the wired one connected to the KVM and it's working. Monster weird.

 

[Muse]

Try checking your connections but if the problem persists and you still need a KVM then its time for a new one.

I guess I could live without a KVM. I'm going to see if I can get it to work reliably again. I think it was a mistake to try hot swapping the keyboard around 2 months ago. That's when the problems started IIRC.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Have you cleared teh CMOS yet. Often these problems can be intermitant. So while everything seams fine now it may not be.

 

[Muse]

Have you cleared teh CMOS yet. Often these problems can be intermitant. So while everything seams fine now it may not be.

Haven't yet. Got to get the mobo manual and figure out how. It's working at the moment, but expect it'll go nuts again real soon. Turning it off the for night right now. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I'll post back here as this plays out.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Unplug the system from the wall then pull the battery off the motherboard. Wait a minute then plug everything back in.

 

[Muse]

Unplug the system from the wall then pull the battery off the motherboard. Wait a minute then plug everything back in.

Thanks. I guess this is the quick and easy way to clear the CMOS, right? 8 more posts and I'm at 10,000!

 

[Muse]

No problems the last couple of boots, so I'm holding my breath. Maybe unplugging system 2 got the KVM working again -- I was mistaken that I'd unplugged it before. I mean removing it from power. If the problem returns, I'll likely clear CMOS, although I may try removing the KVM and reinstalling it first.