Setpoint Uninstall Kills Keyboard

I uninstalled Logitech's Setpoint from my HP zv5000z laptop (AMD-64, WinXP Pro), and on Windows restart at the login screen the keyboard does not work and I cannot enter my password.

The mouse (wireless optical) still works, as does the Alps keypad.

I uninstalled Setpoint because it seemed to kill the button setting to get a double-click from pressing the scroll wheel, and I wanted to get back to an earlier, simpler Mouseware that worked.

Now I want to know if there's any way I can get my keyboard back without having to re-install XP. Needless to say, I sure won't be installing Setpoint again.

 

Is this a wireless keyboard or a USB one?

If it's USB it really should work without anything (no setpoint). If you have a friend who has a keyboard, use his to get into windows and to try to fix your keyboard. You certainly don't have to re-install XP to get this working.

 

I do not have (and if not before, NOW certainly never WILL have) a Logitech keyboard. It is the laptop's own keyboard (which, given the wide aspect ratio screen and corresponding case, is very nearly full size and perfectly useable - or at least it was until Logitech's sloppy and arrogant software got ahold of it!)

Perhaps plugging in an external keyboard would work - IF the laptop had a PS2 port, but it doesn't. If I had a USB keyboard, I'd try that.

I'm wondering if there is any service I could turn on from Windows repair mode, using the enable command, or if there is a better way to try a Windows repair installation than what I've heard.

I'm also wishing Logitech's programmers (I use the term loosely) could be waterboarded until they confess. To anything.

Once again, stay away, VERY FAR AWAY, from Logitech Setpoint - it's worse than worthless.

 

There is nothing wrong with the Setpoint software. I have personally never had such a problem be it with my Logitech mouse with my laptop or with my keyboard at home and thats with removing and installing the software. I would be looking for another cause to the problem instead of automatically blaming Logitech, are you sure you didn't remove another process or application?

 

I'm pleased with your good fortune. You may not be alone in your assertion of faith in Setpoint, but from what I've found in looking for clues the the problem, I'm certainly not at all alone in thinking it's a buggy and poorly thought out POS.

And, sir, allow me to disabuse you of the notion that I fell asleep at the switch. I did NOT remove another process or application. I went through the control panel and chose Setpoint and watched the Logitech logo'd uninstall run. That was the last time I saw Windows on that computer.

 

Calm down, man! SetPoint isn't perfect, but I have used it for years and it is not a completely useless POS like you assert.

First, have you checked the keyboard? Have you gotten to work in other places, like the BIOS or a Linux Live CD?
Second, if you know the keyboard is working, then see if you can get the "accessibility" options, then use an on screen keyboard to type your password. I use Vista, but they are available, and I would imagine that XP should be the same.

 

it's not setpoint. the problem is somewhere else.

 

Indeed I must also jump in again and defend SetPoint. It's certainly not perfect, but I've had no problems using it for the last year on my notebook (with my wireless mouse).

 

The keyboard works fine in the BIOS and in Windows Repair Mode. Do you know if there is a way I can turn on the accessibility on screen keyboard from the limited Windows repair DOS prompt? Once again, the logon screen comes up, and I cannot enter my password because the keyboard is then dead. This happened immediately following the Setpoint uninstall.

 

Lets backup a minute - SafeMode! If the keyboard physically works, this is a driver issue, right? Then SafeMode should help, right? Try that, turn your computer on, hold down F8, boot to safemode, and see if it works.

 

I borrowed a USB keyboard; no joy. Tried repair install from XP Pro SP1 disk, no joy, rebooted again, USB keyboard worked; rebooted again with USB kbd disconnected, regular keyboard now works fine. But of course my wireless network setup is totally bollixed, and I still have to d/l SP2. Would love to volunteer the team that wrote the uninstall to be waterboarded for the edification of Judge Mukasey, assuming of course he won't undergo it himself in order to figure out (hah!) if it's torture or not.

 

So after doing a WinXP repair install I found an old Mouseware CD, version 9.76; no improvement. Installed older still version 9.6, and I've double click from middle (scroll wheel) button and "Smart Move" enabled once again, which is all I ever really wanted.

Of course I had to tell the install routine TWICE that I didn't want to be blasted with emails offering whatever ("are you really sure you don't want this 'service'"), and even after opting out of installing various e-bay shortcuts and other garbage I was presented with yet another screen trying to get me to sign up with AOHell.

That sort of behavior is really annoying and unprofessional, but then so is putting all the identifying info (model and part numbers, battery orientation, etc.) in a tiny font and printing it in light gray on a medium gray background!!! Their graphic "design" staff should join those who wrote the Setpoint uninstall in a cell at Guantanamo awaiting a good long waterboarding. The guys who came up with the form shrunk heavy plastic clamshell packaging should have their hands sliced to ribbons trying to cut it open (I should have sued).

So - it's a good mouse; fits my hand, not too large, cordless and optical features work well and are very convenient. Too bad the packaging befits a Ronco Bass-O-Matic or Popeil Pocket Fisherman and the graphics emphasize trendoid style over good high contrast white on black functionality, and that the installs are cluttered with "Okie Charmer" junkware and annoyanceware that needs to be opted out of, and their support site doesn't offer older versions and just flogs Setpoint.

 

So, have you ever used or had something that was good? It seems that everything is so bad and wrong. If thats the case, just don't use it and stop complaining about it.

 

I would like to reopen this thread.

I seem to be running into precisely the same problem with my desktop computer running Windows XP home. My Logitech wireless laser mouse was causing a fairly minor problem in that every time I started up the computer was telling me that it had found new hardware and then a second window saying that it had failed to load the drivers. I therefore decided to uninstall setpoint software using the Windows control panel. As it was uninstalling I noticed the list of files which seemed to be including Logitech keyboard drivers. After this completed, I could no longer use the mouse but my Cherry PS/2 keyboard was working perfectly. I was then instructed to restart the computer, which I did... only to find that, whilst the mouse was working, the keyboard had completely stopped responding at the Windows logon page. I tried to do a safe mode start-up, the keyboard worked perfectly for the F8 key in selecting safe mode... and indeed in DOS mode but I have been completely unable to use it to logon to Windows in either safe mode or normal mode.

I have not fiddled with anything else during this session and, as I say, I did notice that the setpoint uninstall was uninstalling keyboard drivers which has obviously been the thing that has wrecked my system.

I for one will not be reinstalling setpoint and just hope that the trick of using a USB keyboard will get me back into the system.

Does anybody have any other ideas how I can get my keyboard working again from DOS.

Mark

 

Reporting back,

I have managed to solve this problem in much the same way as suggested in this thread.

Attach USB keyboard... this was not immediately recognized and I had to unplug it and replug it before it would respond and I was able to login. I then went into device manager and attempted to install drivers for my PS/2 keyboard. This was not possible but I was able to roll back to previous drivers.

Hey presto, a fully working system and I was able to unplug the USB keyboard and carry on as normal.

I have reported this to Logitech as I am sure that we cannot be the only people to have run foul of this problem on uninstalling setpoint.

Mark

(inserted for the benefit of anybody searching for a solution...
keyboard not responding after uninstalling setpoint)