# PC Question -- GUI will not recognize keyboard input

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-question-gui-will-not-recognize-keyboard-input/647594>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 18, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-question-gui-will-not-recognize-keyboard-input/647594 "2013-01-18T05:12:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-question-gui-will-not-recognize-keyboard-input/647594/1 "2013-01-18T05:12:59Z")

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For those of you with good memories, yes, this did happen to me before. This time, however, I have not made matters infinitely worse by attempting to re-install windows with a different disk. (and got stuck when I still couldn’t enter the code key)

There was no precipitating incident, as far as I know. I booted yesterday morning, and couldn’t enter my profile password. Sometimes that will happen if I have been using sundry USB devices, I guess the IRQs get mixed up or something; so I booted again, but no dice.

Mouse doesn’t work either. I have tried a different USB keyboard, and also a PS2 keyboard. I have tried all six USB slots.

The keyboard(s) work fine in the BIOS. It’s only when Windows (XP, BTW) starts up that I cannot input anything. I have the recovery console installed, but I’m really not sure where the problem is and how to proceed.

Any advice? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-question-gui-will-not-recognize-keyboard-input/647594/2 "2013-01-18T05:21:09Z")

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In the Device Manager are there any exclamation points in the list?

Oh wait, I suppose you can’t get to it… I wonder how one gets around Windows if the input devices aren’t working.

Are the USBs turned off in the BIOS perhaps?

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-question-gui-will-not-recognize-keyboard-input/647594/3 "2013-01-18T05:30:38Z")

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Good guess. But no, I checked that. There are options for USB keyboard and USB mouse support in the BIOS, and they’re both enabled.