Keyboard AND mouse stopped working past BIOS and WinRE

[LS2]

This has got several of us stumped on how to resolve this issue, which at first seems a fairly easy issue to overcome.

We uninstalled a corrupted installation of PC Tools Antivirus Free manually off a Vista 64 system (Gateway LX6810-01) due to a non-executable main module and uninstall module. We used Revo Uninstaller Pro to clean out the registry of all program data and files associated with this application. (This was done before effectively on another similar system). But this time, we also deleted the associated device drivers per instructions by the tech at PC Tools, hoping this might fix the problem with the app not executing when reinstalled.

computer > "system properties" > "advanced system properties" > "advanced" tab > "Environment Variables" > system variables /"New" > "variable name" = devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices > "Variable value"= 1
"hardware" tab > "device Manager" > "view > show hidden devices.

Deleted the 2 PCT entries (one main module, one for browser module)

On system restart.. no mouse, or keyboard function after Windows loads.

Now I feel stupid since I did not bing them or try to disable first before deleting, since I was (and still am) confident they were connected to PCTools only.

However, obviously something bad happened.

So keyboard and mouse work in WinRE and with bootable media, but they do not work in Safe Mode or anything inside of Windows. (Pointing to a problem with a device driver, I assume).

Obviously the only thing to do here is to do recovery options:

1. Went into the recovery module to run System restore. No restore points found (although we saw it create a restore point before we did anything, and no, this is not a dual boot system, just partitioned).

2. Ran the automated repair, didn't help.

3. Command prompt > chkdsk /r fixed some errors but didn't help.

4. sfc /scannow (no matter what options, it either cannot run, or says a scan is already scheculed. We also tried Offline bootdir, etc).

5. Rolled back the registry via command line to before we changed anything, using the backup stored by Revo. Didn't help.

Now we obtained a full Vista 64 Installation disk to boot from (original system was OEM):

Repair Installation
It asks what OS to repair, however none are listed. (Of course some may call this a sign of a critical error, but remember that Vista boots just fine! Just with no mouse or keyboard function).

When this is bypassed, it will basically not detect a hard drive and therefore cannot perform any installation or repair.

Going to the command prompt, this is verified by not being able to cd to any other drive but the boot DVD, (whereas in the recovery module, we could do so).

So no restore points, registry was rolled back, OS (HDD) seems not to be recognized in the recovery modules, sfc will not function, repair Vista installation and reinstall will not work because of the absent OS/HDD to choose from. (or lack of drivers?), although the OS is obviously intact and boots perfectly (so I'm not sure if trying anything with bootrec would be indicated?). Nothing can be done in Vista or Safe Mode because of no input method. I'm not sure if getting the OS recognized by WinRE would facilitate the repairs, or not, but to me it seems to be the main roadblock, whatever is causing that. We also made sure Legacy support was enabled in BIOS for USB and other devices, but the mouse/keyboard still do not work within Windows. Putting all of this together, I can only assume device drivers got deleted, with all routes to restore or repair them blocked by other issues.
Of course I could be totally wrong here. I consulted with a few other techs at repair shops who were actually more clueless than I am and suggested a full reinstall of the OS. Seriously? no other way to simply restore keyboard/mouse function than to wipe and reinstall an entire OS? I have to admit thinking of trying a Win7 Upgrade they obtained from Gateway, but maybe that is going in a bad direction until the underlying problems are fixed, not knowing what else might be affected negatively if the initial problems were not repaired by the upgrade.

Needless to say, I am at a loss here. The answer might be something simple I haven't thought of, but this seemingly simple problem (with a fully bootable OS and no other errors), has got about 4 of us stumped.
Any ideas on this?

 

[DCGPX]

Can you connect a USB KB/Mouse?

If so can you try and reinstall the Gateway drivers for the KB/Mouse ( even just add standrd PS/2 manually and see if it updates) I would also do the chipset - It may re-detect them.

 

[LS2]

All keyboard/mouse functions work up until Windows (or safe mode) loads, after that none work. Yes, we tried 2 brand new USB wireless keyboards hoping that the driver updates. The USB "new peripheral" sound dings, but there still is no keyboard/mouse function. That is what boggles me about it being a driver, yet I don't know what else it could be. We also plugged in a USB camera and a window popped up and recognized it. So the USB ports and new device recognition seem intact, just not with any keyboard or mouse.

Have not tried to update chipset from the Gateway site, since I am not that familiar with the implications of doing so, at this point I don't want to make anything worse.
The only chipset drivers available on their site for this model are by NVIDIA, and one VGA driver by ATI. I don't see how that would affect anything except the graphics card and display. But that's what I am here to ask you guys. I'd feel more comfortable being able to isolate and identify where the actual problem lies before doing too many crap shoots that might make a bootable system nonfunctional. As it is now, the only problem is the mouse/keyboard function within Windows.

 

[mraikes]

Perhaps owning up to the "clueless tech" reference you made earlier, but I had something similar with a Dell computer a year or so ago. The only fix that worked was N&P.

Having said that, have you scanned for viruses? I could imagine a scenario where malware including a now-broken keylogger (which sometimes exist at the driver level) might exhibit symptoms like you describe.

 

[LS2]

Actually there is a keylogger that was intentionally installed (part of a NetNanny type of monitoring software), but this problem seems to clearly stem from the forced PCTools AntiVirus [drivers] removal. Only if in that process, PCTools took something the system needed with it when it was deleted, can I see that being possible. There theoretically could have been references to the logging software held in it's Virus/Spyware vault, from a previous installation, but I can't see how deleting any of this (which is meant to be deleted anyway) could affect crucial system function.

Also the "keylogger" only monitored keyboard input, not the mouse, and both are equally nonfunctional.

 

[Knightsman]

I ran into this with a friend of mine. His case was not grounding his motherboard properly. The mouse and keyboard would work at post, but stop working at windows loading.

Maybe its a power issue with the mb or ps.

 

[LS2]

Unlikely, since the only factor that changed was the deletion of PCTools including the 2 drivers. Whatever it is seems to be isolated to mouse and keyboard function within Windows, only. Possibly some controller that manages both?

 

[Knightsman]

Unlikely, since the only factor that changed was the deletion of PCTools including the 2 drivers. Whatever it is seems to be isolated to mouse and keyboard function within Windows, only. Possibly some controller that manages both?

Don't out rule it though. We all know with computers, you never know.