Win 2K on Sony Vaio Laptop: Keyboard stoped working - can't login

I have Win 2k installaed on a Sony Vaio FX-220 laptop. My OS and laptop were working great until I fidled with the Accessibility settings (I have serious eye-sight problems) and did something to where now I cannot login in to the laptop past the initial screen. This is a standalone laptop but I have a password to enter the screen. NOTE: the Sony Vaio has a boot password that I can enter without problem so the hardware (keyboard) is working, just some setting when Win 2K loads is disabling the laptop keyboard. Mouse is working fine. Is there any way to get around that?
Cris

 

It is worth a try, but since you have told the OS somehow to ignore the keyboard I think it will ignore the external also.

Borrow a keyboard to try.

If that don't work then try hitting F8 while booting to get into safe mode. If you can get to safe mode you should be able to reverse the settings.

Mike

 

Right on both suggestions. I did not try an external yet but I did try the F8 Safe Mode with and without nework support. Both asked me for a password on the logon screen. No good there. Any suggestion on by passing a logon screen and enterring Win 2000 directly? Changing and config file via command prompt? Altering registry to a earlier setting via command prompt?
Thanks!

 

You mean you don't know the passwords for this machine?

If you don't know the administrator password then in safe mode change the username from administrator to what you use and use that password.

Unless you have a password you may be up the creek!!

There are ways to do this but are complex!

NOTE: for you and everyone using XP or 2K.

"You better know the administrator password. "

And you should not be logging on all the time for normal use as administrator.

A new user should always be set up with admin rights and you should use this.

Then when you kill that one you can log in as administrator and fix the other.

Mike

 

Thanks for the reply Mike. It is not a password issue. I know the password. The issue is that I accidentally changed some setting on Win 2000 where the touchpad laptop ketboad became disabled only when Win 2000 starts to load. I can enter the BIOS configuration (must earlier than Windows loads) and enter a type any data in any field that allows typing. That indicates that the touchpad keyboard (hardware itself) works however, when Win 2000 starts to load, it no longer works. I would like to know of a by-pass of the login screen of windows 2000 Pro so I can enter the laptop setup again from inside Windows.
Thanks!

 

I understand exactly about BIOS etc!

You cannot bypass logon in 2K or XP.

There is nothing you can do in the BIOS to fix this!

Your quote

" Both asked me for a password on the logon screen. No good there. Any suggestion on by passing a logon screen and enterring Win 2000 directly? "

end quote.

Did you mean to say here that after trying to enter safe mode that you have the same situation after putting in the password? In other words did you get thru logon?

Clarify this please!

Mike

 

Clarifying:
I boot the laptop. I can type anything on laptop keyboard (I can press F2 to enter the BIOS setup screen and/or press F8 to enter Win 2K boot menu). Keyboard works OK until then becuase no Windows drivers have been loaded yet.
Using the still functional laptop keyboard, I then chose one of the boot menu options (I tried every single one!), and then am taken to the logon screen. In all the options I chose to load with, the keyboard stops responding. I also inserted a USB keyboard with exact same effect (stoped responding). I also entered the BIOS setup and chose "NO" to Plug and Play OS? option, hoping that the CMOS would auto detect hardware settings for the keyboard. Did not work. I believe that if I can disable the Win 2000 drivers loading when it starts (Safe Mode did not work) I would be able to get in!! Is there a way to that Mike?
Thanks!

 

I totally understand that you can type untill windows logon. I was only unsure about what happened when you chose safe mode.

Now I understand this!

Now you need to understand this!

1. you cannot do anything for this problem in BIOS!

2. you cannot bypass the logon

This is a new one on me and I have been around a tiny bit!

Since we are not getting any input from the rest of the board they must not have any ideas either.

So the next step is the only thing I know to do at this stage.

I do not know if it will work but here goes.

We will attempt a repair install of 2K.

Insert the 2K install CD and reboot. If your settings are correct it will boot from the cd to install.

We will attempt a repair/overlay install that will keep your programs and settings.

Follow my instructions exacty here, do not experiment on your own.

When it boots it will ask about repairing (DO NOT CHOSE REPAIR HERE).

Chose to install.

It will detect that you already have an installation and offer to install or repair this installation, this time chose to repair at this point.

If it does not offer this then stop and get back to me.

Mike

PS I am at work and have a couple of meetings, I have taken the time to help you because you are in a bad way but it may be 7:00 tonight before I can get back to you. But I may get a chance earlier!

 

Awfull nice of you Mike! I appreciate a million! I thought of doing that as you suggested but I do not have the CD with me here. I need to find some copy of it and will report the outcome here as soon as I can!
PS: I love your quote! That is exactly why I ended up here!!
Thanks!
Cris