Keyboard & Mouse INOP!

[consumertalks]

Dell 2350 P4 2.2 w/XP 1GB PC2100

Last night I turned my computer off, it was just fine. This morning, I turn it on, and my keyboard *and* mouse aren't working. Restart, same thing. I use a Viewsonic Wireless, so I tried the factory Dell keyboard & mouse. Still nothing! I have an old GE keyboard, still nothing. I can hit F2 and F8 to enter setup, but after that they're just dead. (Keyboards & mice tested ok on other system.) I called Dell, and after the guy has me do the same thing ten times, he tells me that if I re-install XP I won't lose any data, and it's the last option before taking the drive out, backing up what I want on another machine, and wiping the drive. Then he says, "Call back us" for help on the install. Yeah, I'll call back you. I probably could have slaved it before the re-intall started. >>

So I do it. But 10 minutes into the re-install, I'm supposed to click 'ok'. Ummm.. my mouse doesn't work!! So, I'm stuck. I restart the computer, and it refuses to do anything other than attempt to re-install again. I need to get this data. AAAnd I'm selling this to a friend, he was supposed to get it tonight!

I don't want to put it in another system as a slave if it'll freak out, but I can't think of anything else.. would that be a bad idea? ANY suggestions welcome, I need the files on that drive.

[osprey4]

I would try slaving it in another system. Should be OK, even if the OS is messed up.

Did you try booting with an emergency boot disk? I take it you don't have a backup of the hard drive you could restore.

[consumertalks]

No back up.. in the future, I think I'll put all important files on the slave, just in case. This isn't fun.

I tried with the XP boot disc, even resetting to the last known good option, still nothing. I guess I'll try to slave it.

[mar122999]

Did you try entering into Windows XP setup with the boot disk CD and choose that you want to "install Windows XP". It then tells you that you have an OS already on the hard drive and then choose "repair". This will install some necessary files for installation and the Win XP setup will begin. See if you can use your keyboard for making changes instead of your mouse. If you have already tried this, have you tried using a USB mouse and keyboard instead of a PS/2?