Keyboard doesnt work, no desktop icons

Hewlett-packard / A645c
April 4, 2010 at 13:02:39
Specs: Windows XP
A few days ago, all my desktop icons and the task bar disappeared on my hp pavillion desktop computer. All I can see is the desktop background I set.

I first restarted the computer multiple times to no effect. I then went to the windows task manager and typed in explorer.exe in the create a new task box and that didnt work either. I then decided to scan my computer with malwarebytes and it detected many viruses on the computer.

However, before the virus scan could be completed and I could delete the viruses, the malwarebytes program disappeared and my keyboard stopped working. I tried using a keyboard from a different working computer but it doesnt work.

Now, how can i fix both these problems (the nonworking keyboard and the disappearance of the desktop icons and the taskbar)? I cannot use my keyboard so I cannot try to press F8 to do a system restore and I don't know any other ways that I can fix the problem.

Please help.

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April 4, 2010 at 13:03:51
the computer is an hp pavillion a645c, not hewlett packard

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April 4, 2010 at 18:21:09
The crap software on the hard drive can't affect the keyboard while booting, at least, it can't affect a PS/2 keyboard (it could have disabled the USB controllers in the bios).
Your keyboard should work fine before Windows loads.
Does it?
If it doesn't something else is wrong.

Apparently this is a desktop computer.

If it's a PS/2 connected keyboard, make sure it's cord is plugged in all the way before you boot.

If it's a USB or wireless keyboard, the crap that was installed may interfere with the USB working properly in Windows - use a PS/2 keyboard.

If it's a wireless keyboard, are you sure it's batteries are okay? If it has a switch, for conserving battery life, is it on ?

If it's a corded keyboard, it's common for wires to get broken inside the cable, often right where the cable enters the keyboard - try another keyboard.

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April 5, 2010 at 08:48:37
Yes, I have already tried multiple working wired keyboards as I have no wireless keyboards and they do not work on the infected computer. However, they do work on my other desktop computer. I know its not some problem with the keyboards but with the actual computer. So what might the problem be and how might I be able to solve it?

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Related Solutions

April 5, 2010 at 14:41:51
A PS/2 keyboard that works with other computers should always work with your computer before Windows loads. The hard drive doesn't even have to be installed. E.g. you should be able to get into the bios Setup, no problem.

Are you sure you're plugging the keyboard into the right PS/2 port ? Usually it's purple.

If your mboard is okay, the only reason a PS/2 keyboard would not work is your power supply is failing and is not putting out +5v.

A USB keyboard should work too, if the bios Setup has Legacy USB devices enabled, or similar, and the USB controllers are enabled there - in fairly modern bioses both are enabled by default - however it's possible, but extremely unlikely, malware could disable those. USB also requires that the power supply is putting out +5v .

Can you borrow a power supply from another computer and try connecting that to yours?





What to look for, mboard symptoms, example pictures:
Home page that site
- what the problem is caused by


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