keyboard not attached--Win98 thinks it is

[lemur]

PC previously worked & was ok. Problem arose when trying to set PC up after a move. Older pc, two ports on back labeled "M" and "K" (in pencil). Mouse is connected to serial port. When keyboard inserted into K, there was a continuous beeping while booting, and stopped at the CD-ROM message. When keyboard inserted into M, made a couple of beeps, when past CD-ROM message & gave message concerning "configuration" and "rebooting" (I wasn't there, friend is telling me this.) She tried it several more times, never got that first message, but kept getting the couple of beeps, then it goes past the cd-rom message and gave "keyboard error" and "stuck key FF" and then F1 to setup, F2 to resume.

I had disconnected the keyboard after rebooting once, and Win98 started right up. The mouse worked, and when I looked at System Devices, the keyboard looked as if it was functioning normally (except it wasn't plugged in!), the video adapter & the mouse had the exclamation point, with errors. When I removed all three devices, then rebooted (without kb plugged in) it gives the New hardware found message, and adds all three back in. Same results. After shutting off pc, then back on and rebooting with kb plugged in, goes back to beeping continously.

Is this a hardware or software problem? I checked the kb scan codes, didn't find "FF," and I didn't see anything about continuous beeping. Any ideas?

Thank you!

[mjc]

Give the connector a shot of compressed air (you can get a can at Wal-Mart or Radio Shack), check for anything in the connector. Check the connector on the keyboard for any bent or missing pins also give the keyboard itself a blast of air and look closely for any suck keys.

If you can grab another keyboard give it a try.

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mjc
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468th Rule of Aquistion: Debugging of software is foolish, there is much profit in updates and upgrades.