Computer and BIOS don't recognize keyboard and mouse anymore: dead motherboard or PSU?

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veelva

Commendable
Sep 3, 2016
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1,520
Hi,

on powering up, neither my computer nor my BIOS recognize my mouse and keyboard. The boot-up is otherwise normal.

I've tried all the USB ports and different keyboards, removing the cables while the computer is powered down and reattaching them on login screen, removing everything and just pressing the power button down for a minute, nothing works.

The mouse, curiously, still lights up when I try to click anything with it. The keyboard doesn't respond to capslock or anything.

I've had weird power issues in the last few months (kernel-power 41 if I recall), and I wonder if this might be a case of a PSU unit dying (just because it is my oldest component) or a dying motherboard (3 years old). I've personally seen the same case of no keyboard/mouse recognition on a computer with a dead motherboard, but it would be easier to just switch the PSU. However, all the voltages I've been observing from the PSU (using SpeedFan) have always been fine.

The motherboard is Asus M5A78L--M-LX3.
The PSU is XFX Pro 550W.
Other components are
AMD FX-4300 Quad-core 3,8
GeForce GTX 960
Kingston 2x4Gb (Hx316C10FBK2/8)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I will next detach the PSU and just wonder at it, I guess.
 
Solution
V
The problem has been resolved, and it did take a manual reinstall of Windows 10. Luckily I only lost my applications and all the data, down to Firefox tabs, was recoverable.

For posteriority, here's what the early warning signs were, what solutions I tried and what finally worked.

Earlier problems
I started having kernel-power 41 issues where my computer would randomly reboot; it didn't matter what the computer was doing (gaming, idle or going to sleep), and there was only one bluescreen that was related to memory IIRC. PSU voltages and component temperatures were always fine. I had kept the computer running for 10 days, simply playing games with no new downloads, when I powered it down for the night and woke up to the USB...
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Ralston18

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Oct 11, 2014
34,905
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If your mouse and keyboard work on another computer then the problem is your current computer.

I would also suspect the PSU and consider swapping it out.

Did "removing everything" include opening the case and ensuring that all connections, chips, PCIe cards etc. are all securely and firmly in place?

Worth the effort, I believe, to open the case (power off, unplugged) and wiggle, push, reconnect, reseat every component. Just as a matter of elimination.


 
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V

veelva

Commendable
Sep 3, 2016
11
0
1,520
Thanks for your reply. I did remove the power cords and firmly reattach them, and it was then that I finally took note of the fact that there were no beeps coming from the motherboard. I tried powering up only the motherboard; no beeps. The PSU seems to still be living, then. I'll be picking up a new motherboard tomorrow.

If the new motherboard fixes this I will update once more on the warning signs I had so someone having similar issues in the future might use this thread to narrow down their problem.
 
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V

veelva

Commendable
Sep 3, 2016
11
0
1,520
It was neither the motherboard or the PSU.
It is the Windows 10. BIOS recognizes the keyboard and the mouse now but as soon as it boots the OS no response.
There seems to be absolutely nothing I can do except format my drive and buy a new OS.
 
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Ralston18

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Oct 11, 2014
34,905
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Would not buy a new OS. No need to do so as I understand it all.

Your original installation may be been corrupt or was corrupted.

If you have a legal copy just "do over".

E.g.:

www.zdnet.com/article/hands-on-with-windows-10-upgrading-installing-and-activating-in-the-real-world/

Feel free to google for similar links and tutorials. May save yourself money, time, and hassle.
 
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V

veelva

Commendable
Sep 3, 2016
11
0
1,520
Thank you, that link was actually were helpful. My OS was upgraded from Windows 7 during the free upgrade campaign so I have no true copy of it, and assumed it was done for now. However, we found Microsoft has a free install ISO file for Windows 10 and it was downloading into an USB stick all night from a slow laptop. It's been over 2 years since the upgrade from 7 to 10, so hopefully the USB stick can be used to just repair the OS.
 
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V

veelva

Commendable
Sep 3, 2016
11
0
1,520
The problem has been resolved, and it did take a manual reinstall of Windows 10. Luckily I only lost my applications and all the data, down to Firefox tabs, was recoverable.

For posteriority, here's what the early warning signs were, what solutions I tried and what finally worked.

Earlier problems
I started having kernel-power 41 issues where my computer would randomly reboot; it didn't matter what the computer was doing (gaming, idle or going to sleep), and there was only one bluescreen that was related to memory IIRC. PSU voltages and component temperatures were always fine. I had kept the computer running for 10 days, simply playing games with no new downloads, when I powered it down for the night and woke up to the USB recognition problem described above.

What I tried
First, obviously checking multiple other mouses and keyboard, all the USB ports and powering down, removing keyboard and reattaching it once OS had loaded -> no effect
New motherboard identical to old one -> no effect, but I got to BIOS now simply because I hadn't button smashed enough before (old mobo is fine)
BIOS USB configuration legacy enabled -> no effect
Three different PSUs tried, all working and with sufficient W -> no effect
Tried different PSU settings in BIOS -> no effect
Switched to an older GPU -> no effect
Removed probably both of the 2x4Gb RAM sticks -> no effect
Tried to repeat bootup with only one 4Gb RAM stick -> OS wont boot anymore, stuck in bad_system_config_info loop

What fixed it after previous step
Made a USB Win10 ISO file for repair, had to do it twice as the first one didn't work for some reason -> tried all troubleshooting & repair options, but computer was unable to initiate any of them
Used the USB to run the command prompt and chkdsk /f on the HDD. It wasn't assigned as the C drive so had to look around for it (it was named E) -> reported having fixed a load of issues, tried rebooting OS, bad_system_config_info again
Tried to recover Win10 using the USB -> no option would initiate
Tried to reinstall Win10 as an update that would keep my files using the USB -> didn't allow it updating, can't remember why
Manually ("advanced" install option) installed Win10 over the old one, files were kept in the Windows.old folder -> boots normally, all data safe.

I ran chkdsk /f on the drive again after Windows had finished updating the system, and it found no problems. However, it remains likely that my HDD is going bad, but it is only 3 years old and all programs think it's in good health... will have to monitor.

Tl;DR: Windows 10 was corrupted with possible causal links to HDD health, had to reinstall Windows 10.
 
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