Some keys on my laptop have stopped working. If I put a USB keyboard in, will it install and be functional when I get to the windows log on screen, otherwise I can't log on to my PC.

Yes.

No offense, not sure I trust you.

Yes. Believe me!

I don't believe so. That sounds like a hardware issue. What I would do, until I get it fixed, is cut and paste individual letters (or combinations of letters, the keys that're broken) and paste them where needed.

Oh wait, you can't log in without them? Oh man. I'm not sure, sir. You could try the USB keyboard. Worst thing that could happen is it doesn't work.

yes unless you fail your saving throw. =/

What does that mean?

If you get a wireless keyboard that has a small plug that goes into a USB port on the computer, it might just work.

I bought a new PC laptop a couple of weeks ago and I had a wireless MOUSE on my old laptop that connected through a little USB plug. I put the little plug into the new PC laptop and the old wireless mouse worked almost immediately (after some beeping and booping on the new laptop where it seemed to be identifying the wireless mouse and loading the appropriate driver or whatever). I didn't have to do anything special myself.

Wireless keyboards and mouses can be bought together as a pair that both work through the same USB plug but I'm sure you can also get a separate keyboard that works this way.

I'm planning on replacing the wireless mouse I'm using now with a pair: wireless keyboard plus wireless mouse.

That sounds like a true M.Sc in Computer Science, bleeps n bloops everywhere.

Well, I didn't specialize in PC laptops in grad school.

My focus was in Software Engineering (and Design).

Yes it will, it works already very early on the startup process, as a generic keyboard driver is loaded by the BIOS. Depending on what operating system you use, you can usle use on-screen keyboards as a workaround.
On Windows 10 Login-screen e.g. there is on the bottom right a Circle-sign which lets you enable the onscreen keyboard.
More:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10762/windows-use-on-screen-keyboard

You are 50 shades of awesome. Thanks.

Shutup you dunderheads.

USB legacy drivers will be loaded as part of the boot sequence - before windows.

It will even work in the BIOS.

P.S. I've been using a wireless keyboard for my MacBook Pro for several years.

I like wireless keyboards. They make less of a mess than a keyboard with wires running around.

Wireless USB may not work.

Those drivers are device proprietary.

You might have to start windows as normal, then plug in the device and let windows load the drivers for you.

Next time it will work.

The only ones I know of use disposable batteries which is a toxic waste and waste of money.
I was doing the right thing and using rechargeable batteries, unlike the majority. It was still a hassle to change them.
So I got a PC one for only $10 plugged into my mac. Prefer it to the wireless, double A battery one.

New keyboard time.

Try jerking it into a sock next time.

>>18
Is that what you do?

OK, so I can now log in, what can I do to fix the problem outside of new keyboard?

Clean it and pray, or replace the Laptop keyboard (costs can vary heavily depending on model)

Yep - one time I spilled a cup of coffee on my old Dell - it went dead.

I took it apart, cleaned it, let it dry, put it back together - presto!

Everything worked!

Thanks to everyone who has assisted.

Yes plug in a USB keyboard, it will almost certainly work.

Anytime, mate.