laptop keyboard quit working

I'm using Zorin 9 premium version. All of a sudden my Alienware 14 laptop keyboard no longer works once I'm logged into the desktop. Strange thing is, if I log off, and back in I can type my password in and login screen, but once logged in my keyboard won't work in a text editor, in Firefox, or in the Terminal,(those are all I've tried). Another strange thing, if I log off, and back in as a guest, the keyboard works ok again in all those apps. The keyboard also works fine if I boot into Windows 7,(dual boot system). Has anyone ever come across this problem and know what to do to fix it? I'm pretty sure something was "broken" in the last update, because it's been working great since I bought Zorin 9 when it was first available.
One other related thing: every once in awhile my sound will quit working and I can usually do a software update and it will fix it, but this hasn't worked with the keyboard.
Thanks,
Snyde

Hi, can you use your mouse/touchpad to go to 'synaptic package manager'? (Menu | System Tools | Administration | Synaptic Package Manager) - if you click on 'Fix broken packages' do you get any errors?

Swarfendor437 wrote:Hi, can you use your mouse/touchpad to go to 'synaptic package manager'? (Menu | System Tools | Administration | Synaptic Package Manager) - if you click on 'Fix broken packages' do you get any errors?

This doesn't work because it asks me for my password and the keyboard won't work. I tried to do it with the software updater and I get an error saying "failed to download repository info, cancel, try again," I wonder if I'm going to have to boot into my desktop via a command line and run commands that way, even though I don't have any idea on how to do it, though I follow directions well!
Thanks,
Snyde

How about activating Accessibility on-screen keyboard?

Swarfendor437 wrote:How about activating Accessibility on-screen keyboard?

I'll try that, though it doesn't fix my problem. I think I'll also create another partition on the hard drive and install Zorin 10 and/or Ubuntu until I can get this straightened out!
Thanks,
Snyde

I know it doesn't fix the problem - it was a suggestion so you could check things out in Synaptic Package Manager - like entering your password using the on-screen keyboard and using your touchpad to select the characters etc.