keyboard stopped working

[brandylee]

Ok, I have some experience with computers but not lots so bear with me please; and help as much as you can.  I have a Toshiba laptop and I went to use it and the keyboard was no longer working.  I checked in the my computer section & it states keyboard is in working order.  The computer is about 2 years old and nothing happened to it from the last time I used it until now.

I bought a usb keyboard to see if that would work and it does not either. 

I took it to my computer person who lives a fair distance from me & upon quick troubleshooting thinks I may have done one of the windows updates and it corrupted it?? 

When the computer is booting up I clicked on F2 & F12 and then I am able to use my keyboard arrows to move around the screen whereas even those don't function at any other time when the computer fully boots up. 

I brought my computer home to attempt to save anything I could by putting it on my hard drive.  The option the computer tech suggested was possibly reinstall XP in which case I would loose all my data. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Broni]

Will F8 key work to boot into Safe Mode?

[BC_Programmer]

If Broni's Safe mode suggestion doesn't work- you could try removing the keyboard from device manager and rebooting. hopefully, windows will redetect the keyboard and reset the config data you need.

[brandylee]

Yes the keys do work in any function button I push.  F2, F8, F12. 

[brandylee]

And yes I am able to use the keyboard in the safe mode.  I am looking for some quick help as I can not function without my computer, please help! 

[Broni]

Try System Restore.

[brandylee]

I did a system restore and now when I type on the keyboard it beeps at me whereas before it made no noise.  Still the keyboard is not working.  I am almost to the point of erasing the hard drive & starting over.  I am so frustrated. 

[Broni]

Try what BC_Programmer said.

[brandylee]

Still no luck (  It uninstalled it and reinstalled it and the laptop claims the device is in working order. 

[Broni]

In Safe Mode...

Go Start>Run ("Start Search" in Vista), type in:
sfc /scannow
Click OK (hit Enter in Vista).
Have Windows CD/DVD handy.
If System File Checker (sfc) will find any errors, it may ask you for the CD/DVD.
If sfc won't find any errors in Windows XP, it'll simply quit, without any message.

[brandylee]

I tried the sfc/scannow command and got told that windows could not find sfc/scannow.  make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

[Broni]

There is a "space" after "sfc"