Microsoft Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Highjacked My Windows 10 Gateway PC

My daughter had a Gateway computer running Win 10 with a Microsoft keyboard and mouse. Everything worked fine. She got a new laptop and gave me her PC.
Someone took the computer apart and boxed it and delivered it to me.
I set up the computer and booted up and all was normal except the wireless keyboard and mouse did not work. I checked batteries and all ok there. The I discovered the USB dongle to communicate with the mouse and keyboard was missing; not in any of the USB ports.

I hooked up a wired keyboard and mouse, that I know works on this PC But Win 10 didn't recognize them. When the computer boots up, the light on the optical mouse turns on and then off; and the light on the keyboard turns on and then off. But when Win 10 comes up they do not work. And since they do not work I can't do anything to disable the wireless and enable the wired.

I guess that if I obtained another Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse and plugged in the USB communicator it would all work. But that's just a guess.

Should I try another wireless and it works; How would I disable the wireless setup and enable a wired setup?


I think I remember a Microsoft program that manages the mouse pointing device; I that what is hijacking my system?

Why didn't the plug n play feature support the wired keyboard and mouse?

Hi @vistahell

There is usually a Connect button somewhere on the USB receiver. Press that, and a light on the receiver should start flashing. Then press the Connect button on the keyboard and/or mouse and the flashing light on the USB receiver should stop. Your receiver is now synced with the keyboard and/or mouse.

It's possible there's an issue with one of your devices. To find out if this is the case, connect your devices to a different computer to see if you encounter the same issues.

Boot your computer into BIOS setup screen to find out if keyboard and/or mouse works from BIOS setup utility.

Hi FreeBooter,
Thanks for the response.
The problem is I don't have the USB receiver.
On boot up, the wired keyboard works in the BIOS. It does not work with Win 10.

Can you boot Windows 10 into Safe Mode and let us know keyboard works in Safe Mode.


"How to Boot Windows 10 into Safe Mode"
https://geekpolice.forumotion.com/t31067-how-to-boot-windows-10-into-safe-mode

Hi FreeBooter,
The F8 key does not work on boot up.
Once booted, the wallpaper display has time and date. Neither the keyboard or mouse work, so I can't log in, and therefore can't click on the Start Menu button.

What do you think about getting a new Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse and USB connector?

Hi @vistahell

Starting with Windows 10 you can't use F8 key to boot Windows 10 into Safe Mode please follow the below instructions to boot your computer into Safe Mode.

"7 ways to boot into Safe Mode in Windows 10"
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/4-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-10



If you have Windows 10 Installation DVD you can use Startup Repair and System Restore tools to repair Windows 10.


If you can try different keyboard and mouse if they don't work as well then you have no choice but clean install Windows 10.

Hi Freebooter

I went the interrupt normal boot method. The wired keyboard and mouse worked up to clicking on restart. The keyboard light was on and the optical mouse light was on. The system came up in safe mode with the wallpaper display and the login box. However, the keyboard and mouse was no longer functional. The keyboard light was not on and the mouse light was not on.

I don't remember if this was a win 7 system or a XP media system. I upgraded it to win 8 from a download file. When Win 10 came along I upgraded it from another download. I didn't see a reset to new button and if there is one, which system would I get?
It might be best to obtain a Win 10 install disk; how do I get one?

Hi @vistahell

I think your only choice now is to clean install Windows you can download Windows 10 from below Microsoft website link.

"Download Windows 10"
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

@vistahell - do you still need help?

Hi FreeBooter
I've got to find the product code first.
I think there was a code for the win8 upgrade, but I don't recall one for the win10 upgrade.
Is there a way to obtain it from Microsoft?

Is there anything else I could do if the search of my notes prove fruitless?

Hi @vistahell


You will not need a Windows 10 product key if the installed Windows 10 activated you can install Windows 10 without activating it will activate it self after there is internet connection.

Hi FreeBooter

Great. Thanks. I guess this is all I need. Thank you.

You are very welcome!

Hi FreeBooter,
More stuff happening.
I downloaded Win10 Install on a 16GB USB drive; I selected 32-bit because the Gateway 835 was purchased in 2005; however, I discovered that it is a 64-bit computer.
I redid the run with 64-bit set but something happened and it could not write to the usb drive.
I reformatted the usb drive, with default settings, and tried again and got the same result,  could not write the usb drive.

I deleted the Win10 Install file and downloaded it again; then I reformatted the usb drive to NTFS. The install got stuck at the 50% mark of the install and never finished.

I tried to reformat the usb drive to default settings but that no longer works. The system thinks the usb drive might be set to read only, but I could not find such a setting anywhere.

So now my usb drive is toast.

What should I do now?

Hi @vistahell

Please open Command Prompt by typing cmd.exe into Start Menu search box and right click cmd.exe select "Run as administrator".

Type in the command DISKPART and hit Enter.

Now type LIST DISK and hit Enter. This command will list all the disk connected to your computer. Take a note of the USB flash drive disk number you will use this disk number with next command.

At this point, type SELECT DISK 1 and hit Enter. Replace disk number 1 with your USB flash drive.

To remove the write protection with Diskpart, type the command ATTRIBUTES DISK CLEAR READONLY. If it works, that will be confirmed by the line Disk attributes cleared successfully.

Use RUFUS program to create bootable Windows USB flash drive.

Hi FreeBooter,
I did that and the RUFUS program created a flash drive. While I was at it, I also created a DVD boot disk by using the Win10 utility. Neither boot method brought me to an install screen, the normal Win10 boot up happened.

I looked at the materials on the PC used to create them. The Windows.iso file properties show 3.80 GB. The Flash drive shows as ESD-ISO in File Explorer with 3.80 GB used. There are four folders: boot, efi, sources, support. There are four files: autorun, bootmgr, bootmgr.efi, setup. The DVD shows as DVD RW Drive ESD-ISO and has the same 3.80 GB used and the same folders and files.

When booting on the same PC used to create the disk; I heard activity from the DVD drive, but then the normal Win10 system booted up. The .iso disk did not bring up an install menu.

I'm guessing the boot process failed on the DVD and then resorted to HD.

What should I do now?

Hi @vistahell

There is two ways you can use RUFUS to create Windows installation USB flash drive, if your computer booting from UEFI firmware make sure to create Windows installation USB flash drive UEFI compatible from RUFUS program. You can test to make sure Windows installation USB flash drive is bootable by using Qemu Simple Boot program.



How to Clean Install Windows Directly from the Hard Disk Drive
https://geekpolice.forumotion.com/t30783-how-to-clean-install-windows-directly-from-the-hard-disk-drive


How to Reset Windows 10 PC
https://geekpolice.forumotion.com/t30775-how-to-reset-windows-10-pc