Computer Can’t See Keyboard or Mouse

Name: Debbie

All of a sudden yesterday my computer on restart can’t see the keyboard or mouse? I unplugged them and re-plugged them in again but no luck. So I can’t access anything on this computer. It is a Dell 3000 desktop with WinXP service pack 2, been working fine for a couple years, I just ran Macfee and defrag and it was ok until I turned it off and then on again?
Thanks for help.

That’s really quite odd that they would both go out at once. The first thing that comes to mind is that perhaps the PS/2 ports are shot. (Unless of course your keyboard and mouse are USB)

The fastest way to check what the culprit is, is to grab another keyboard and mouse from somewhere (ones that you know work) and try hooking them up. Maybe a kid spilled a drink on them or something (assuming people are ever around your machine.

If it does turn out to be shot PS/2 ports (the two round ones) then you can always try a USB mouse and keyboard combo. You might even want to spring for a wireless set, as they’re pretty cheap nowadays and have the advantage of only using one USB port for both the mouse and KB.

Name: Debbie

I tried another keyboard and now they both work but, I am having some other random problems, like no sound now?  I checked the sound card configuration and all looks well. I have ran two virus scan programs and found nothing. Could this be a worm or something?

It’s very likely that your speaker cord came unplugged slightly from the back of the computer. It also may be in the wrong spot. Modern computers color code their output jacks for sound, and the one that you plug your speakers into is almost always green. Make sure the plug is in the right jack, and in all the way.

If it’s not that, then click the volume icon in your system tray (looks like a little speaker) and make sure the slider is turned up. Also make sure that mute isn’t checked.