Keyboard works to input Windows XP login password, but nothing after that

[news.dslextreme.com]

My friend inputs his Windows login successfully, but can't input anthing
from the keyboard after that. He has already tried going into the Device
Manager, deleting the keyboard and rebooting so the drivers are reinstalled.
He's also tried both PS/2 and USB keyboards with the same result. He is
running the XP with the latest updates and as well as up-to-date antivirus
and antispyware. The OnScreen Keyboard works ok. Also (maybe unrelated),
he just started getting this diagnostic: `Microsoft Office Outlook - Error
in registry for extension "exchange extensions?" The syntax or format of
the registry entry is incorrect. Check the registry settings to compare the
registry for this extension to other extensions in the registry.` What can
he do?



TIA.



Trish

 

[gsjutla]

Is he getting the following eevent in the event log

"Event ID: 26 - Source: i8042prt - Exceeded the allowable number of retries
(configurable via the registry) on device \Device\KeyboardPort0."

If yes then do the following

1) backup the registry

2) open regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt

3) Set the 'Start' value to 0 instead of 1.

4) Removed any PS/2 devices listed under keyboards and mice and other
pointing
devices in device manager.

5) Restart the system and test the issue

 

[gsjutla]

Check Event Viewer. When using the Event Viewer, do you see the following
Error: "Event ID: 26 - Source: i8042prt - Exceeded the allowable number of
retries
(configurable via the registry) on device \Device\KeyboardPort0."

If yes then

1) backup the registry

2) open regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt

3) Set the 'Start' value to 0 instead of 1.

4) Removed any PS/2 devices listed under keyboards and mice and other
pointing
devices in device manager.

5) Restart the system and test the issue

 

[gsjutla]

Check Event Viewer. When using the Event Viewer, do you see the following
Error: "Event ID: 26 - Source: i8042prt - Exceeded the allowable number of
retries
(configurable via the registry) on device \Device\KeyboardPort0."

If yes then

1) backup the registry

2) open regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt

3) Set the 'Start' value to 0 instead of 1.

4) Removed any PS/2 devices listed under keyboards and mice and other
pointing
devices in device manager.

5) Restart the system and test the issue

 

[news.dslextreme.com]

Thanks a million, Gurpreet. I'd never heard of event viewer, but we will
give it a try tomorrow.

Trish

 

[gsjutla]

There are events recorded on your system for any kind of information, erros
or warnings, this gives us the history of what happened on the system. To see
the events you can simply run eventvwr from the start>>run. You will see
application event logs as well as system event logs. Hope this helps. if not
let me know.

 

[Roy Smith]

Thanks a million, Gurpreet. I'd never heard of event viewer, but we
will give it a try tomorrow.

Trish

To find this event viewer Gurpreet is talking about click Start -
Control Panel then what you do next depends if you are in Category View
or Classic View in the Control Panel. In Category View click on
Performance and Maintenance, then Administrative Tools. In Classic
View, just click on Administrative Tools. Once there you'll see the
Event Viewer.

 

[news.dslextreme.com]

Thanks for everyone's input. There was no corresponding event. In the end,
the problem turned out to be that somehow the Filter Keys option in the
Accessibility Features got set (maybe a corruption?). All we had to do is to
go into Accessibility Features and uncheck that box.

Thank you both for your input, though!

Trish