Unique kind of keyboard problem

[rattrap1337]

I have a fairly old dell model desktop computer. Usually I can fix any problems that come up but I need some help with this one. Couldn't say what specs I have b/c I can't remember. The load screen says "dell dxp061 series. Bios revision 2.4.2".

The normal OS is XP but I have vista instead. I've been using it this way for 5 years at least. It does not have the old style keyboard/mouse ports, instead it has quite a few usb ports and you have to have a usb keyboard and mouse. I also have a webcam and phone charger plugged into the usb slots.

Today.. it started making the sound that it discovered a device and then the device was unplugged over and over. I couldn't do anything with it. I had to forcibly shut down the computer and now it does't recognize the keyboard at all. Windows can't just start up because some time ago the air temperature sensor has stopped working so I have to push F1 to go on. (It's pretty cool where I live and I don't fear overheating.) Anyway, the light on the mouse comes on. The phone will still charge... so.. I am scratching my head a bit on this one. With no keyboard I can't even start the computer up fully to try and diagnose the problem.

 

[B00kWyrm]

It may be that your usb has failed (partly or completely),
or it may be that the keyboard has failed.

Have you tried unplugging all usb devices, then attach your keyboard to different usb ports?
Have you tried a different keyboard?

Since you note a heat issue,
I would tend to suspect the failure is internal, but that is just suspicion. ...
eg that the mainboard has reached (or is reaching) the end of its useful life.

If you find that your keyboard will not work in any usb port,
and that the keyboard swap also does not work,
one final option MAY be to add a USB PCI card,
if you have a regular pci expansion slot free.
(though some Dells are very limited in this regard)
This may get you back into business for a while.

Another warning...
USB was designed only to allow a certain amount of current draw per port.
If that is being exceeded, it could damage the port,
or it could cause the external device to malfunction.

This can be especially problematic with USB drives.
These should be used with their own (wall-wart) power supply,
rather than even the USB "Y" cable work-around.
(though some may work beautifully with the "y" cable for quite some time,
leaving one mystified when it finally does fail.)

HTH