Laptop keyboard lock

[john carey]

I can not sign in to windows. the keyboard is locked. can not get to desktop. when I turn on the computer the screen that comes up has several options one of them is safe mode. my up/down arrow keys and all the other keys do not work. sometimes I get the windows sign in screen but I can not type anything. the keyboard locks. I fixed my neighbors computer once by restoring the system to another working date, but I can not do it again. don't know how I did it. after it was fixed the next day when she wanted to use it, it was locked up. the keyboard is good. is there a function key or any other keys that allow me to type or select?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Have you tried a different keyboard yet, with the problem PC? Or at least a different USB port, assuming that the keyboard is USB?

 

[john carey]

she has a laptop.

 

[john carey]

she has a laptop

 

[Ketchup]

Try a USB keyboard.

 

[sm625]

Does the touchpad work? If so you can open the onscreen keyboard from the login screen via accessibility options.

 

[C1]

Ive had laptops go squirrley but these were the older P4s.

I would unplug as well as pull the battery out & let the unit sit for an hour.

Put the unit on line power & enter the BIOS & check setting, particularly anything to do with the keyboard.
(For example, many units allow on/off toggle for the track pad.) This also should verify now that critical portions of the KB work which is important as that tells you that the unit is able to recognize the KB. Ensure the BIOS settings make sense, save settings & reboot.

If there still is a KB issue, test that the TAB key works (as that is typically what is used to navigate Windows when the mouse/trackpad has been disabled.

If there still is a KB issue, then you may have to verify that the KB ribbon cable has not become problematic, so attempt to re-seat that.

You may end up having to do an OS repair.

If the KB is functional except with the OS then you might try a "scannow" repair ( https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161 ).