Keyboard AND Touchpad not working on WindowsClosed

Question

Keyboard AND Touchpad not working on Windows XP

Hi, I've got a friend's Packard Bell EasyNote Model MV35-V-007 laptop and I just want to copy her files before doing a clean XP install. The problem is NEITHER KEYBOARD NOR TOUCHPAD WORKS, so I cannot do anything with the computer! 

I've tried plugging an USB keyboard/mouse, didn't work. I've tried using Windows XP install cd-rom, but after "checking for boot files on cd-rom drive" I'm prompted to "press any key to boot from cd" - I CAN'T!!! 

Pls help!!! It's driving me mad!

xpcman · Answer

You may need to remove the hard drive and use a USB adapter to attach the hard drive to another computer.  There may be a hardware issue with the laptop and you may never get the keyboard to work.

Good Luck

millawitch · Answer

Thanks for the reply!

How do I do that? Can I take the hard drive and plug into my healthy laptop somehow? I just need to copy her files, if at least the mouse or the keyboard was working, I could use Kanotix to copy them, but none...

xpcman · Answer

You can buy a USB external drive enclosure that the hard drive slips into.  You use its USB cable to plug into the other laptop. This makes a nice portable external drive.  Take the drive into a PC repair shop and they can sell you the correct enclosure.  You can also buy a bare cable and power supply that will temporary do the same USB connection.  The one I have adapts both laptop and desktop drives of both SATA and IDE (PATA) types.  This is temporary because you have the bare drive exposed and wires running everywhere.
These adapters cost 25 to 35$ US.

Good Luck

millawitch · Answer

Thanks for the reply, but I would like to try to fix this without having to buy anything, at least for the moment.

I've tried using the XP CD, couldn't "press any key to boot", and I cannot enter BIOS to change boot options so it only boots from the CD as the keyboard doesn't respond... Any other way around this?!

Maybe a "bootable runtime" that would override BIOS settings or  a SLIPSTREAMED XP CD (BartPE comes to my mind) - of the kind that cuts out the typing and clicking parts of an installation, making them automated... And, hopefully, when it's all finished, the drivers for keyboard and touchpad would work afterwards!

Any help?

xpcman · Answer

You should have drivers in the BIOS for the basic keyboard function.  If you can't get into the BIOS then nothing works.  If they don't work I don't think you will ever get the laptop to work with or without Windows being reinstalled.

millawitch · Answer

Humm... Do you think I can flash the BIOS on boot and maybe get things to work? I think my friend mentioned that a virus has responsible for all this trouble...

millawitch · Answer

FOLLOW UP

Ok, guys... After a long time and a few advances, I give up. I've managed to wipe clean her HDD using DBAN CD in automated mode, cleaning the MBR sector which was severely corrupted (MBR virus). After that and about 7 wasted cds, I was finally able to reinstall Windows XP Media Center via a slipstreamed CD that I built with nLite to run fully automated too - remember KB or mouse wouldn't work. Even though I went this far and now the machine boots the OS, still I couldn't make the KB or touchpad work, not even USB connected ones. I presume this is either a KB/touchpad hardware issue, or more seriously, a motherboard failure. I'll tell my friend that it's maybe time to buy a new laptop, cause I know that a new motherboard will cost pratically the same as a new machine - and it's not worth the trouble!

Thanks to all!

Keyboard AND Touchpad not working on Windows

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