Keyboard won't work

I have a huge problem and I can't fix it. I've looked all over various boards, and done all I can think of.

I ran spybot -search and destroy (it was updated), it found 3-4 entries, I researched each one to make sure they're all spyware. Then I deleted them and rebooted. Keyboard stops working.

went back to spybot, restored the changes it had made. Same problem.
the keyboard doesn't work in safe mode, but it does in BIOS. The NUMlock led is on during regular windows sessions, but none of the leds can be toggled. the mouse is fine, the usb ports work fine. the keyboard is ps/2 but I also have a usb adapter, neither works.
It's drivers are kbdclass.sys and i8042.sys
kbdclass.sys can be deleted/reinstalled however I want.
But i8042.sys cannot. If I remove i8042, unplug the keyboard, and reboot, no driver installed. plug the keyboard in (usb OR ps/2) it finds i8042.sys right away. I can't remove this driver, even if I go to system32/drivers and delete is, as soon as I press F5 i8042.sys is back (this might not be bad, I don't know).

The keyboard is generic. Windows seems to switch off between giving me a code 10 and a code 13 when I go to device manager. (there is always an exclamation point by the keyboard these days)

I saw online some people had a similiar problem and fixed it by going to HKEY_LOCAL/system/class/random_number and deleting the Upper_filter and Lower_Filter registry entries. didn't help, put them back.

Nothing else seems to be affected. I went into BIOS and toggled all the I/O variables (when I get this desperate I just start randomly clicking things) one by one. Each reboot was the same.

If anyone has any ideas please help.

 

buy a new keyboard they're like 10 bucks.

 

I tried 2 other keyboards, nothing seems to work.
Alot of people have said to just reformat my HD. I say NEVER! this can be fixed! I... just don't know how.

 

WinXP home - SP 1
Emachine 1.8ghz

 

tried deleting the keyboard from device manager, to no avail.

no SP 2 because MS doesn't think my copy of windows is legit
(it is legit though)

this thing is getting really frustrating.

 

Does the keyboard work in BIOS?

Do the Num Lock/Caps Lock keys actually toggle the lights?

Have you tried plugging the keyboard into the other PS/2 port? (the one for the mouse)

LOL, apparently I didn't read any of your post. Anyway, have you tried plugging it into the other port?

 

I had no idea you could plug the keyboard into the mouse ps/2 port, are they really the same? I'll try that.

 

well you could do that but it wouldnt work.

 

I'm kind of curious as to the logic behind the plugging the keyboard into the wrong slot. Is it a nice way of asking if it is plugged into the right ps2 port ? If the keyboard works in bios, then it is not a hard ware issue, There is a piece of spyware out there that disrupts the association of files, and the repair is to download a registry patch, that you copy the file into the folder and it replaces the corupted parts, it might be something to look into. The second thing, if you have an e-machine then most likely you have a COA stuck to the back of it, if you bought that system legaly then you own that copy of xp, call up microsoft and complain. They can change your status in the computer, so you can continue to get updates. I have installed a pre service pack 1 copy of xp using a COA from a service pack 2 system and had to talk to microsoft for a minute or two and they corrected the issue. If you have a COA you own a copy of windows, with or without the disk.

 

"well you could do that but it wouldnt work."

Sure you can. It's just another PS/2 port. It's only color coded for your convenience.

As for the logic, it was just an extension of the first question, "Does the keyboard work in BIOS?" Then I actually read the whole post. lol Then I figured it would at least rule out the port as being the problem.

 

It's not just another PS2 port, many systems if not all systems have the ports configured through the bios. This is evident by the fact if you plug the wrong item into the wrong port it will tell you on start up, something to the effect of keyboard error, or your basic stop message that says you screwed up, and then correct the problem then hit F1 to boot.

 

Tried plugging the keyboard into the mouse ps/2 port, nothing. Doesn't have LEDs, doesn't work in bios. Idea made sense to me though. Thanks Wyatt Earp.

Sunscreen, any idea what the registry patch is called, or where I can find it? Also, thanks for telling me about that COA thing, I really need to get SP-2. I'll try that as soon as I get off work today.

Thanks everyone for your help so far!

 

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm Here this is that fix I told you about, it is for a diffrent problem but I think it is the same result.

It is all explained in the profile on how to use it. I have personally burned these files to a disk and have had a good amount of success repairing the problem they where inteded for.
No side effects either, so incase it dosn't solve your problem, it won't set you any worse off.