My Dell XPS-M2010 wireless keyboard stopped working a couple of weeks ago.  Over two hours spent with Dell phone support.  I must say the troubleshooting has been hapless.  I was told that, because Windows does not see the keyboard in the Device Manager, it had to be a hardware error.  Dell said they would send a BlueTooth controller, but instead sent a new keyboard.  I had just gotten a new keyboard a month or so prior (the first one was replaced by a Dell technician on another unrelated error--Dell seems to like to replace this keyboard). 

Windows XP SP3.

I did things like update the BT stack, update the Setpoint software/drivers.

The symptoms of this error are very interesting to me.  And, in my mind, absolutely rule out a hardware error of any kind.  The only way the BT controller will fix it, I think, is if it cures whatever software problem is really at the bottom of this.

The keyboard WORKS JUST FINE before Windows boots.  I can enter bios, put my password and username in, go into the boot menu, etc.

This is also interesting: the keyboard WORKS JUST FINE while Windows is booting.  In other words, as Windows is loading up, I can scoot the mouse all over the desktop, put things in the recycle bin.  But when Windows stops loading, the three "trying to connect" lights go on.  

This machine has been tested virus, malware and spyware-free.  It seems to me that the error popped up after that big Windows update a couple weeks ago.

My gripe with Dell's approach has been that the phone technicians don't really listen to you.  Also, what was the point with wasting my time to send out a technician with a keyboard when you said you'd send a controller? My gripe with Dell is that this machine has been a bit of a lemon.

I am eager to hear any thoughts on this weird error.

Thanks.