Keyboard and mouse unresponsive under Windows. OK with LinSpire

Try and external keyboard and mouse. If they work then re-install keyboard and mouse drivers by removing then first and let the OS do it.
If this doesn't work your pc might be infected. Try to clean it or save data and re-install OS, that is if the external keyboard and mouse work. If not then it is a hardware problem.

Which model of laptop ?

Nearly every device in your computer system can be turned off and on by accessing the Windows Device Manager with a few clicks of the mouse. It gives you plenty of flexibility and allows you to customize your computer on a whim. The Device Manager will allow you to enable your factory keyboard and mouse and disable your current ones, effectively resetting them to the default settings

Make sure that your default mouse and keyboard are plugged into your computer. Click on the Windows "Start" button in the lower right corner of your desktop. Type "Device Manager" in the "Start Search" box. Click "Device Manager" under "Programs." Click "Continue" if the Windows permission window pops up. Click the "+" next to "Mice and other pointing devices." Right-click the default mouse and click "Enable." Switch to your default mouse then right-click your other mouse and click "Disable." Click "Yes" in the warning popup window. Unplug the other mouse. Press the "+" next to "Keyboards." Right-click your default keyboard and click "Properties." Click the "Driver" tab then click "Enable." Click "OK." Right-click your other keyboard and select "Properties." Click the driver tab then click "Disable." Click "Yes" in the permission window then click "OK." Your computer is reset to the default keyboard and mouse.

Yes you probably pulled out the cable. Take your keyboard back out and look for a small flat cable that runs under the palm rest.

Don't think it could be a mouse driver problem since you already said that it stopped working which meant that the mouse was in fact working before under Windows 7 on your netbook. Based on this, here are some suggestions to resolve your unresponsive mouse problem. Basically, you are trying to determine if the problem is due to the mouse or due to the netbook....
1. If you have a wireless mouse, did you try replacing its battery with a new battery?
If the wireless mouse now works with the new battery, your problem is resolved.
2. If you have another laptop, did you try moving the unresponsive mouse to try it there?
If the mouse also does not work on the other laptop, then suspect the mouse is faulty.
3. If you have another mouse, preferably a wired one, did you try it on your Asus 1201N?
If the replacement mouse works on the Asus 1201N, then suspect original mouse is faulty.
4. Finally, just an observartion, the Windows 7 mouse driver expects a Microsoft mouse and if you click on Control Panel > Mouse, the Mouse Properties window will say No Microsoft USB Mouse Detected but this should not prevent the use of any generic mouse.

is it a usb keyboard? If so it must be enabled in BIOS. Also if enabled OK, then when at desktop next,, unplug and re-plug into another usb socket and it should be detected and a driver will install, thaat may fix it?

I guess you have a mechanical problem, sounds like the mother board have some issues on starting all devices.

If you could use keyboard to go in the bios, and see the screen, if would be the OS that need to be repaired.

DriverPack Solution driver update software Download Windows 7 XP 10 8 and...

Usually computer keyboards are not locked. The problem which you're facing it due to the non-recognition of the keyboard by your computer. You should shut down your computer, switched off the power supply then remove the keyboard connectors and plug them again. Then you should on your computer and your problem will be solved.
If you'd still face problem then go to My Computer>Control Panel>Keyboard>Hardware settings> Troubleshoot. And your problem will be solved.

or

Remove any special drivers for your keyboard/mouse (if you have any drivers other than the normal windows drivers), then remove keyboard and mouse from the device manager.

Reboot the machine and let windows refind them and install the default mice/keyboard drivers. Don't mess with any other fancy drivers to support extra mouse buttons or anything until you know you are working at this "basic" level.

Leave it like this for a few days to see if it works ok. If this works, then my guess is its a driver problem....be very careful if you install additional drivers. If it still does not work ok, since you say you've tried the keyboard on other computers, then I might suspect the ps2 port has gone south. That would be bad, because that would require a motherboard RMA/change.

Well start a bit slower then.
go into the bios at startup F2, and navigate around does it freeze there. if no then
start windows in safe mode F8 when windows logo shows.
freezing ?
If its not freezing then turn off the startup programs.
Start/run/msconfig and then uncheck load startup items
and start normally, click the dont show me this again /ok
any freezing.
If its freezing you may have a hardware issue.
if you have 2 sticks of memory remove on and or /reseat them
boot the dell diagnostics cd and check the cpu and memory.
report back

Try using an external keyboard and see if that works.