USB Keyboard Problems

[westerby]

I have a T42p (2379) laptop. I use a ps2/usb converter to attach an external keyboard. I have had this setup for over two years and all worked well. Recently I've had to take my laptop to other places. I suspend and take to client site where I plug in another wireless mouse, network etc. And this worked for a while.

Now when I plug in a keyboard (USB only or ps2/USB) the keyboard lights come up but typing does not register any keys. In fact I tried a keyboard with volume control and I am able to control volume but cannot type keys.

Here are the relevant items:
1. USB itself works since my mouse, external drives all work fine
2. I blew away the USB drivers and let xp load them on start-up
3. I did a registry cleaning

Anyone have ideas?

[westerby]

Still no takers?
Someone out there must have something I can try!

[GomJabbar]

Try your keyboard connected to a different computer. Perhaps your keyboard no longer works. If possible, also try it connected to a PS/2 port, to rule out a problem with the adapter.

[westerby]

I've tried 2 keyboards (one ps2, one USB) on other computers and they work fine.

My suspicion lies in the suspend scheme. Since I suspended with one setup (ps2/usb kb attached) and resumed with another (usb kb) it somehow got something unsynchronized.

Other things I have done:
1. updated to latest bios ... there is only one USB related setting (allow boot from USB device). Is there anything I'm missing here?
2. rebooted countless times

Thanks

[GomJabbar]

My experience with Suspend or Standby is that you should not add or remove hardware while in the Suspend or Standby state.

Here are a couple of things you could try.
1) You could go to Device Manager and uninstall your USB devices. Reboot, and your USB drivers should be reloaded.
2) You could use Windows System Restore to go back to a time when your external keyboard was working properly. I have had better luck using System Restore from SAFE MODE. If you use Norton AV, System Restore probably will not work for you.
3) If you have made a system backup, you could restore your backup. But if you restore a backup, you should first make a new backup so that you can recover your data files after bringing your computer to its previous state.

[westerby]

I tried 1. already many times with no luck. I tried 2. with no luck. 3. is my absolute last resort but my current situation is not dire enough to warrant the downtime. (I can use the laptop keyboard fine).

I was thinking there might be some registry keys I might be able to reset regarding USB/suspend/keyboard. Then a simple re-boot is all that is required.

[antelope]

I seldom use my T42 in laptop mode but when I do it goes into lockdown after about ten minutes and requires a password (sorry - cannot remember the technical term) since this is how I have it set up for docked mode (w/keyboard).

With the docked keyboard I have no problem logging back in. But when I am using it as a laptop I often cannot log back in since the keyboard does not seem to recognize capital letters, specifically the "J" I have in my passord. I then need to reboot to get it working again.