Inpsiron 1525 stopped responding in windows. Works in BIOS

[Crephix]

My girlfriends computer just randomly stopped accepting keyboard and mouse input in the Windows environment. You can load up another live OS with full functionality and everything seems fine. But as soon as you end up loading windows vista ultimate, the factory default OS, the keyboard and mouse stop responding. I've tried running a few live antivirus programs as well as the "Startup Repair", "System Restore", and ran tools such as bootrec and bcdedit to no avail. I have determined that the hard drive does have a couple bad sectors but nothing else really helpful. I am avoiding doing a clean install or restoring from factory image. Data is a top priority in this situation. Also anybody know if doing a Dell Factory Image Restore will restore factory premium software like Office, Photoshop, etc? That is the reason for avoiding wiping the hard drives as I already paid for these programs along with vista ultimate and don't want to pay again.

Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[smorizio]

the factory image will wipe any personal data and programs off the laptop and only install the factory image. have you tried plugging in a usb keyboard or mouse to the back of the laptop?? windows should load the drivers for a keyboard if it finds one.as the keyboard is working all i can think of is a virus. you may want to make a dos boot disk for ant virus and scan the drive.

 

[Crephix]

yes to both keyboard and mouse. and I've also tried the antivirus. Panda and avg disks to be exact. updated both but nothing. Any other ideas. If all else fails i will just do the factory image. Any idea if it comes with the added software that was purchased with it?

Also ive been thinking of backing up the registry, doing a repair install, and then restoring the old registry? Do you think that would work?

 

[smorizio]

before i did that i would go into the bios and hit factory default. if you can get into the laptop in safe mode i would try and reinstall the intel chipset drivers. could be a damaged usb hub driver.

 

[Crephix]

I cant even access safe mode. The keyboard and mouse/trackpad all stop responding once i get to the "Windows Loading" screen.

Is it possible to install drivers through a live cd of some kind. I can get anything to work as long as its not the windows install on the HDD.