# [SOLVED] Laptop keyboard stopped working suddenly



## laptopdude

Hello, I'm new here. Really hope you guys can help me out.

I have a

Dell Studio 1555
2.4 Ghz Duo Core
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 512mb
4 Gig RAM
Windows 7 64bit Pro

and it randomly stopped working. I was literally using it one second, playing PS3 the next for about fifteen minutes, went back to it, and the keyboard had stopped functioning. Not a single key was working so I restarted it.

As it came back on a Windows low resolution screen appeared telling me it was attempting to 'repair problems and that it may restart several times in the process' - something along those lines. When it did restart and load up Windows 7 as it always does, everything was the same except I still couldn't use my laptop keyboard. I can't even get into my main (admin) account because it's password protected. I can only get into the unprotected guest account but I can only use the touchpad mouse.

So I tried restarting and hitting F12/F8/F1/F2 etc in an attempt to load the boot up settings for the laptop - and to also see if the keys would work in DOS/BIOS. They didn't. Not even on boot-up does the keyboard work.

Following this I brought an external USB keyboard and hooked it up. On boot-up, keys like F8/F12 worked and I could access BIOS settings or whatever with the external keyboard. I tried to find an option to make it the main keyboard but no information for keyboard did I see. When Windows started up I was however unable to use the external keyboard so it's still hopeless. I went into the guest account control panel and the laptop was detecting the device and reported it to be 'working properly,' but obviously it was not.

What on Earth has happened? I don't know if this is a virus or a hardware failure. I can't format the laptop as it has my dissertation and a whole bunch of other work. I feel like such a fool now for not backing it all up but I've never had to in the past.

There's only one variable to report that might have somehow given it a virus. Right before it happened, I changed my wireless router's settings for the sake of my PS3's connectivity. I saw this video on youtube How to Open your NAT Type on PS3 - YouTube and followed the instructions. 

Here is a screenshot of what I changed:










I checked Default DMZ server and entered the IP of the PS3; 192.168.0.5.

So... what on Earth is happening? Did opening these ports get me some bad virus? What solutions do I have?

Thanks so much for reading this long post.


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## makinu1der2

*Re: Laptop keyboard stopped working suddenly*

If the keyboard is not working in the BIOS then you may have a physical problem.

Perform the following steps:
-Remove the battery and Power adapter
-Press and hold the power button for 30-45 seconds (with battery and power still removed)
-Insert just the battery and attempt to boot the laptop.
-Insert just the power adapter and attempt to boot the laptop.

Boot the Laptop into Safe Mode (tap F8 during boot) and test the keyboard.


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## laptopdude

*Re: Laptop keyboard stopped working suddenly*



makinu1der2 said:


> If the keyboard is not working in the BIOS then you may have a physical problem.
> 
> Perform the following steps:
> -Remove the battery and Power adapter
> -Press and hold the power button for 30-45 seconds (with battery and power still removed)
> -Insert just the battery and attempt to boot the laptop.
> -Insert just the power adapter and attempt to boot the laptop.
> 
> Boot the Laptop into Safe Mode (tap F8 during boot) and test the keyboard.


It worked! Thanks so much!

:beerchug:


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## makinu1der2

*Re: Laptop keyboard stopped working suddenly*

Glad you got it sorted.


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