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Thread: MSConfig Dianostic Startup has Killed Keyboard

  1. #1
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    MSConfig Dianostic Startup has Killed Keyboard

    Hi - ages since I've posted.

    Friend has just phoned - he has set Diagnostic start-up in msconfig (for no good reason ) on his laptop (Dell Inspiron + XP service pack 3). How the laptop hangs whenever he uses the keyboard - so he can't enter his password to logo, SWMBO can login as she has no password, but as soon as she touches the keyboard the machine hangs.

    We tried safe mode and last known good configuration over the phone - no joy though.

    Any idea what diagnostic start-up sets as a flag and where (hoping it's a boot.ini type setting that I'll be able to repair easily, rather than a registry setting). A quick google didn't reveal much.

    Ideas please.

    Steve

  2. #2
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    Got the PC now - managed to remove diagnostic start-up, but problem still exists. We seem to have a driver conflict between the keyboard and the laptop mouse pad (on ports 60 & 64).

    Keyboard driver has the yellow pling and is showing as not started - any key press hangs the system.

  3. #3
    Stark Raving MOD Midknyte's Avatar
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    did you try booting to safe mode? did you try an external keyboard?

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    Quote Originally Posted by steves View Post
    We tried safe mode and last known good configuration over the phone - no joy though.
    Quote Originally Posted by Midknyte View Post
    did you try booting to safe mode? did you try an external keyboard?
    Like I said safe mode didn't help - external USB keyboard installs OK.

    Main question now is how I resolve the driver conflict on I/O ports 60 and 64, that is stoping the laptop keyboard driver working (and causing the hang if you press a key).

  5. #5
    Senior Member Lgbpop's Avatar
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    Using an external keyboard, go to Start | Run; type sfc /scannow in the text window and click OK. Have the Dell XP CD handy for this - Windows will require it when the System File Checker finds files that need fixing. Let it run until finished (you won't get any results dialogue, it'll just end) and reboot. See if that does the trick.
    Thank God we're not getting all of the government we're paying for!

  6. #6
    Stark Raving MOD Midknyte's Avatar
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    Ah missed that about safe mode.

    You can try going into the bios to disable the touchpad and/or keyboard (if you have an external).

  7. #7
    Ultimate Member Ol'Tunzafun's Avatar
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    Have you tried uninstalling these devices, allowing them to be redetected and reinstalled?

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    Yes - for the keyboard, not yet for the mouse.

    sfc didn't show anything.

  9. #9
    Stark Raving MOD Midknyte's Avatar
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    So I'm guessing it doesn't lock up with the external keyboard? did you reset msconfig to normal?

    The keyboard is supposed to use memory I/O range 0060 and 0064, so it's the touchpad that's probably causing the problem.

    Is there an option in the bios to set the touchpad to ps/2 mode?

    Unfortunately, diag mode in msconfig also removes system restore points, so that's no longer an option.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Lgbpop's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by steves View Post
    Yes - for the keyboard, not yet for the mouse.

    sfc didn't show anything.
    I mentioned you wouldn't get any results dialogue. You haven't mentioned yet if you've tried the keyboard since trying sfc.
    Thank God we're not getting all of the government we're paying for!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lgbpop View Post
    I mentioned you wouldn't get any results dialogue. You haven't mentioned yet if you've tried the keyboard since trying sfc.
    Didn't ask for a disc so I'm assuming it didn't change anything (was late last night over here so I'll check when I get home).

    Quote Originally Posted by Midknyte View Post
    So I'm guessing it doesn't lock up with the external keyboard? did you reset msconfig to normal?
    Actually external keyboard doesn't work - it's shown in device manager but keys don't do anything (at least they don't lock the system either). Sorted out msconfig buy finding where the .exe is stored (windows\pchealth...) and running it with the mouse pad (and created a batch file on a USB stick to run sfc).

    Was shying away from disabling the touch pad incase I lose all input - will check a USB mouse works tonight and then try disabling the keybad (hopefully at this point the keyboard will spring into life).

    Will report back in a couple of hours when I'm back from work.

  12. #12
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    Latest:

    USB mouse works - realised that the keyboard isn't hanging the machine, just kills the mouse pad input, which if you haven't got another mouse connected give the impression of killing the machine.

    Disabled mouse pad in BIOS, device manager still has a ! but no no-entry signs on ports 60, 64 and no explaination of why the ! and keyboard does not work. In device manager by connection view the keyboard is the only thing on those ports now. But still getting device cannot start errors :-(

    Keyboard works fine in BIOS.

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    Solved it - well got around it.

    Checked out the driver files and all looked OK. Tired uninstalling devices a few times and re-installing. Tried to find a different version of the keyboard/touch pad drivers to install - ended up installing the logitech mouseware ones for a standard 101/102 keyboard and hey presto it all works. The actual driver files claim to be the same MS files and versions but with an additional mouseware file for the touch pad. All works now. Beer needed.

    I didn't say did the guy I fixed this for had been to India last week and was advised to try diagnostic mode by a Dell call centre he met socially while out there - makes a change "insert the recovery disc" I suppose. Although if this had been a supprot call I image that would have been the next answer having screwed up the keyboard.

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