My keyboard doesn't work before my Windows XP boots, after which it works well. Mine is a USB keyboard. I find it difficult while reinstalling the OS. I now have to borrow a PS2 keyboard every time. Is my problem solvable?!
Solvable? Perhaps, but probably not.
But if it makes you feel any better, I have exactly the same problem.
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The answer is in your question - you (and I) have a USB keyboard.
The process of booting your computer is handled first by the BIOS, and then by the Windows bootstrap loader. Neither of those have the drivers required for every possible hardware configuration, so they rely on a default. Sadly for you and me, USB keyboard support is not part of that default. It's not until Windows loads that all the hardware on your system, including the USB keyboard, becomes available, and ready to use.
I believe, but I'm not certain, that newer computers may include a BIOS with more robust USB support. I kind of expect it, since USB has become such a popular standard for peripheral devices.
Even then, though, I think I'm still screwed. I happen to have a USB Bluetooth keyboard. As a result, USB support in the BIOS is not enough ... I'd need it to support Bluetooth (a short-range wireless technology) as well. So depending on the specific type of USB keyboard you have, you may also be out of luck.
And yes, I do keep an old style PS2 keyboard in a drawer nearby, in case I need to do something with computer at some point before Windows XP starts up.
Related:
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Ask Leo! - How can I disable my "Windows" key? Or for that matter, remap my entire keyboard?
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Ask Leo! - How do I setup a 'headless' machine?
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Ask Leo! - How do I install my new USB device?
Article C2537 - January 30, 2006
I have a problem with my ps2 keyboard working in BIOS. I think my little niece and nephew were messing with the settings. My system in an IBM Netvista 8305-pcu.
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Posted by: Henrik at July 3, 2008 12:55 PMi have an idea of this problem. Just buy a new keyboard with a round adapter and not for USB port.
Posted by: jan at July 16, 2008 9:33 AMi bought a new one and now it works perfectly.
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Posted by: newby at October 21, 2008 1:26 PMdurin the boot keyboard is working proper but after load windows xp not working keyboar. and i cant restart or shutdown computer usin mouse,
Posted by: farook at November 25, 2008 1:12 AMis this is a virus problem?
how can solve this problem
Hi there! I had the same problem, but just fixed it, so I thought I would share this with you all!!
Basically, I knew my PC was capable of booting with a USB keyboard, because it always did before! I went into the BIOS settings, and evrything seemed to be okay! (USB Keyboard support was enabled, and so was USB legacy support) However, the problem arised after the house had an electricity power-cut. This seems to be what had caused it, and sometimes people experience similar problems after fresh installs of either software or new hardware. Basically, the way I fixed it was to go into the BIOS settings, and saved those settings! (Which saves the configuration to the CMOS battery, where it stores all your hardware configuration.) This fixed the problem! So even though in the BIOS, it still showed that these settings were correct, these settings were previously not saved in the CMOS, (which is where your computer will look when it trys to load everything up when it boots up!) So this is something I urge you to try if you've been having this problem, because it's so easy to miss, that I almost didn't think to check it myself! In fact, it's something I discovered completely by accident! On a further note to this, if this still doesn't fix the problem, it could also mean that your CMOS battery needs replacing, because once they start to go, it will forget all your CMOS settings, and certain things just won't be remembered everytime you do a cold boot! (cold boot = a bootup from when the power is off). Anyways, hope this helps some of you that were also having this problem! Just remember these three steps:
1) from the BIOS set USB keyboard support to "Enabled"
2) also from the BIOS set legacy support to "Enabled"
3) SAVE SETTINGS (which saves them to CMOS)
Job done!! ;)
Posted by: Belial9 at May 18, 2009 2:00 PMBe very careful when using the BIOS. If you make mistakes, you can render your PC Unusable.
Posted by: Pookey at September 8, 2009 4:23 PMI have had no problems on a USB keyboard on an older PC, huh, must be different BIOS software
Posted by: Roland Pedeferri at September 9, 2009 1:40 AMThank you Belial9... it works.. just enable the legacy on bios setting...
Posted by: bli at November 12, 2009 11:01 AM