No keyboard input

[chulamin]

Ubuntu Version

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Desktop Environment (if applicable)

GNOME

Problem Description

Totally lost any keyboard input after login. I can log into the computer (Surface pro 3) but after that, nothing will accept any keyboard input: on screen, USB, even remote entry with RDP… nothing.
I know exactly when it started and what I was doing (in terminal changing a file permission). A message popped up behind the terminal window that I couldn’t get to or read and then it disappeared. Since then I have no keyboard access so I can’t take any corrective action short of reinstalling. the mouse works fine.

What I’ve Tried

Initially it was only the arrow and enter keys that wouldn’t work so I was able to enter my password to try different input methods, but eventually the whole keyboard stopped working so I couldn’t try anything else such as reinstalling drivers etc. I know the system sees the keyboard because eventually a couple of characters do come up so some input is recognized.
I’m in the process of trying to fix it with a live USB and if all else fails, just reinstall, that is unless someone has a better idea. This isn’t a critical machine so there’s no urgency, but I really wouldn’t want to start from scratch. Thanks.

[Actionparsnip]

Is the system fully updated?

[chulamin]

Not for a couple of days. But now it’s impossible.

[chulamin]

Okay… it took too long to get here and it should have been easier. All it was was an accessibility setting for slow keys that jammed everything up. I must have held a key too long and the message that popped up behind the terminal was that the setting was being turned on. Everything is back to normal now.

[eeickmeyer]

Be sure to mark your solution as the solution so that the post closes and so that people know something to check if they have a similar problem.