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keyboard does not work

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7 replies

by parts

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we have a pentium 1 machine and the problem we are having is...the machine switches on fine with no error messages ,but when we try to use the keyboard we cannot get it to work,the numlock light stays on and no keys are useable...i have tried different keyboards but with no avail.I have taken it to a computer repair shop and at first they said it was the harddrive and they replaced it..the machine worked fine for a few days and the same problem has come back...took it back to them and this timethey say it's the motherboard...some how I am not convinced that the motherboard is the problem...pls can u help me with this problem

Thank you

7 replies

by ann777

It probably IS the systemboard. If anyone has disconnected/reconnected the keyboard or mouse with the computer on, there's a very good chance of shorting out the connectors on the systemboard and with time, the problem will only get worse.

Never reconnect items powered by the computer, when the computer is powered on... the computer should be OFF when these devices are re-connected.

by thechas

To check if it is a hardware, or a software problem, create a bootable floppy.

(Double click on my computer, right click on the floppy drive, select foramt, and check the box to make bootable, or copy operating system)

Boot from the floppy.
press the keys on the keyboard.
do the charactors display on the screen, or does nothing happen?
If the charactors display, then it is not a hardware problem.
A system file is either corrupt or missing.

If the keyboard doesn't work from here, then it is a hardware problem.

It could be as simple as a loose connection on the keyboard socket.

If you have Windows 98 or newer, a work-around would be to use a USB keyboard.

Chas

by swomack

I had a similar problem because I was using a keyboard extention cable. The computer worked fine with the extention for a while but then began having problems. When I removed the extention, all my problems were solved.

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