Strangest keyboard problem ever...

[blue-eye-boy]

So I'm busy helping my in laws with their pc. Their keyboard is fine, cause the problem is the same with 3 keyboards, 1 usb ones, and 2 ps/2.

What happens, when any of the keys are pressed, there's just a tiny "peap" sound inside the tower case, and no response on the screen, so you can't type or anything. We bought a new usb one too, the same problem.

Where can I start looking? Cause it cant be the female ps/2 plug on the motherboard, cause it's the same with the usb plugs.

 

[LazyLion]

sounds like the "keyboard buffer" is somehow getting full. That normally happens when a key is pressed and held down and after a few seconds you hear that pinging sound. But how this is happening I have no idea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_buffer

 

[LFX]

list as much of the pc's specs as possible!

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Okay, not sure what specs to list, it's a Gigabyte amd motherboard, with 1,8 ghz cpu, 512 meg ram, windows xp sp 3. What else does matter to list here?

@ Gary, it might be it, but why then it is with all the keyboards, and why doesn't it goes away when I restart the pc?

 

[LazyLion]

Okay, not sure what specs to list, it's a Gigabyte amd motherboard, with 1,8 ghz cpu, 512 meg ram, windows xp sp 3. What else does matter to list here?

@ Gary, it might be it, but why then it is with all the keyboards, and why doesn't it goes away when I restart the pc?

I would guess that something is either wrong with the bus on the motherboard itself, or something is pressing against the board somewhere and triggering input.

How far does the PC boot into Windows? When does this start happening?

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Everything else is fine, windows boot perfectly, the mouse and everything else works, programs, the lot. It's just the keyboard (s). As if the pc doesn't "except" key input, there's just that strange peap noise inside the tower case when a key is pressed.

 

[Conradl]

What happens if you use the XP OSK??

 

[blue-eye-boy]

What happens if you use the XP OSK??

It works, so then I suppose it's not a software issue?

At first I thought it is the ps/2 female on the motherboard, but then I tried the usb keyboard, and it was the same. So it isn't the female "plugs" on the motherboard then.

 

[Conradl]

Perhaps its a faulty keylogger? Have you scanned for viruses/spyware??

 

[Park@82]

Is usb keyboard support enabled in the bios?

+ does it do the same thing when in the bios?

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Perhaps its a faulty keylogger? Have you scanned for viruses/spyware??

Okay, pls explain a bit, what or where is the keylogger? I didn't scan yet, didn't think it can be a virus.

Is usb keyboard support enabled in the bios?

+ does it do the same thing when in the bios?

Just checked now, it is enabled. And working in the bios, and I just remembered I did use the older ps/2 keyboard in the bios yesterday too. So now I am sooo freaking confused.

 

[Park@82]

then it is probably virus/software related as Conrad said. Update the antivirus and run a full scan.

edit: also would be interesting to see if it does the same in safe mode.

 

[Conradl]

Okay, pls explain a bit, what or where is the keylogger? I didn't scan yet, didn't think it can be a virus.

Was thinking that perhaps there's a piece of malicious code somewhere scanning the keyboard buffer (for passwords etc.); and that maybe the sniffer was buggered, thus causing what sounds like a keyboard buffer problem.

 

[labratza]

have you tried going into the Bios and see if the keyboard works there if not then it sounds like the board is stuffed and they will need a new board or use the osk

 

[blue-eye-boy]

I just checked for hardware conflicts (start-->run--msinfo32) and I dont see anything there, but dont really know what to look out for? I'll try the virus scan now and let you know.

 

[labratza]

also if it is a virus then try using stinger it genreally helps I love that program it always sorts my issues out

 

[blue-eye-boy]

then it is probably virus/software related as Conrad said. Update the antivirus and run a full scan.

edit: also would be interesting to see if it does the same in safe mode.

Was thinking that perhaps there's a piece of malicious code somewhere scanning the keyboard buffer (for passwords etc.); and that maybe the sniffer was buggered, thus causing what sounds like a keyboard buffer problem.

I was just informed, after I looked for the antivirus software, that a "friend" uninstalled the antivirus for them. Can you believe it! So I think it is a virus, I'm busy installing it again and see what happens. I'm so p!ssed now, the friend bugger it up, now I must fix it again. And this is not the first time!

have you tried going into the Bios and see if the keyboard works there if not then it sounds like the board is stuffed and they will need a new board or use the osk

Yes it works in the bios, just double checked.

 

[blue-eye-boy]

also if it is a virus then try using stinger it genreally helps I love that program it always sorts my issues out

Thanks, will try that, just got it on google.

 

[Park@82]

I was just informed, after I looked for the antivirus software, that a "friend" uninstalled the antivirus for them. Can you believe it! So I think it is a virus, I'm busy installing it again and see what happens. I'm so p!ssed now, the friend bugger it up, now I must fix it again. And this is not the first time!

Yes it works in the bios, just double checked.

try avast home (free) it will run a scan before staring up for the first time.

 

[blue-eye-boy]

try avast home (free) it will run a scan before staring up for the first time.

I did exactly that, it deleted 6 infected files, but its still the same.

That STINGER, is it also like a anti virus? If I download it, will it pick up something? Or what else can I do to pick up the virus?

Thanks for all the comments so far, much appreciated.