Help! Is This A Hardware Problem?

Hi, I have a very strange problem and I'm looking for help or at least some ideas.

A friend of mine updates his Norton Antivirus, the Compaq PC restarts and the computer stops working. The original restore disks wouldn't work. A bootup Windows XP disk delets the current partitions, makes a new one and copys the windows files on the hdd and after restart the PC does not boot from the hdd with the message:

I decided that the PC is gone and plugged a new custom build PC which has worked perfectly so far. After installing AVG antivirus, I started installing Norton Firewall. The install prog checked for viruses with the built-in Norton Antivirus, finished its work. After the restart the new PC stopped working. Most of the time it would not even pass the Bios test with the message: Keyboard error or keyboard no present. I checked the k. cable a 100 times.

Both PCs were plugged into the same surge protector plug.

Pls, help! 10x!

Obviously, the problem must be hardware related since there is a problem at bios level.

I cannot believe that the surge protector will be the problem, unless there is the unlikely situation that it is causing a voltage reduction which is preventing the power supply from delivering 5V correctly. But you can rule this out simply by connecting directly to the mains outlet and trying the test again.

What sort of keyboard connector is it? Usb, ps2 or at?

If usb, is the bios set for usb keyboard support?

If ps2 or at, have you got any extension leads on the keyboard and/or mouse cables, or unusually long cables? Some keyboard controllers (which also control ps2 mice) cannot supply sufficient current to drive a keyboard more than the standard cable length, and consequently an extension could cause this sort of problem.

First of all, thanks Lynx for the reply.

The keyboard is USB. It used to work perfectly before the problem. Although most of the time the PC stops with the keyboard msg, when it doesn't the Windows XP freezes on startup.

I tried to plug in the Compaq PC into another plug. Unfortunately that does not help.

Any other ideas?

Only other thing I can think of is that perhaps the power supply is failing. If your bios supports it, go in and check the voltages. If any are below (or way above) specification, that is probably the problem.

It's nearly 3am here, I'm off to bed. I'll try to check back again in the morning.

Quote:

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Originally posted by EvoinIxtlan@19 January 2004 - 17:47


Most of the time it would not even pass the Bios test with the message: Keyboard error or keyboard no present. I checked the k. cable a 100 times.

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Reboot the machine, go into BIOS and look for the setting that says something like "Halt on ALL errors". Change this to halt on NO errors.
This should get you past the boot and into desktop.
If the keyboard still doesn't work use a PS/2 (older) one till you can get into Device Manager and check your USB Devices. You may need to repair some drivers.

10x to everyone for the help! I am thinking that somehow the Bios settings are messed up or there is really some power problem.