Restore XP with USB keyboard

How would you restore an XP installation when you only have USB keyboard and mouse options? There are no ps2 ports...

The USB ports are not powered until Windows is loaded.

 

Look in your BIOS setup for "Legacy USB" or similar, this should activate keyboard/mouse on startup

 

I cannot get into the BIOS because the keyboard will not let me and the boot from the CD function will not go due to keyboard failure. How can I change anything if the keyboard doesn't work?

 

Complain to the manufacturer, if they've prevented you from booting into BIOS with a USB keyboard then they should have provided PS/2 ports.

 

Plug the keyboard into the top usb connector on the front of the PC and see how it goes.

 

Now I have no keyboard, no OS and a messed up BIOS

removed battery and made things worse

 

Can you provide system specifications,

Make/Model of computer?

If DIY then make/model of motherboard?

BIOS version?

Startup Errors?

 

I am working on an Dell XPS 400 - I am trying to reinstall the operating system (XP Media Center) but I am having a problem with a keyboard failure error. I cannot press F2 for Bios setup or F12 for the Bootup Menu. Basically I can't do anything with it. There are no ps2 ports - only usb ports and my keyboard will not work on any of them.

I tried removing the battery on the motherboard and made the situation worse because it wiped out all its settings....The motherboard is pn 316736100010_R01_a00

Dell DXP051
Bios Revision A05

Errors:

Keyboard failure
Floppy diskette seek failure
Strike the key F1 to continue, F2 to run the setup utility

I get two beeps and 1-2-3 diagnostic lights are lit up on the case.

I have reset the CMOS three times but continue to get the keyboard and floppy drive error

It says to hit the F1 or F2 but the keyboard will not respond

The hard drive is formatted but I can't install the OS because it won't boot from the CD...help

At this point I believe it is a bad motherboard but I don't understand why the USB powered mouse works but the keyboard does not (the keyboard works fine on another machine.

 

Mojo,

Another quick question.

How do you know the mouse works if you can't boot the system (Generally POST will not report mouse errors)?

If your computers still under warranty contact Dell for support, if not you may be looking at taking it in for repair.

 

The red light under it. The keyboard has also shown signs of life although I cannot get past the post error.

 

bump me

 

There's not a lot you can do other than what I suggested earlier... Contact Dell Support

EDIT: Just reread the thread, this may be obvious but, have you tried a different keyboard?

 

3 of them

 

Dell support it is then.

 

Try switching the mouse and keyboard plugs for a test.

Next, leave the mouse unplugged and any other USB devices as well so as to test with the keyboard alone.

I presume you are plugged into the rear USB jacks. If not, do so.

If none of that works, your MOBO has probably failed.

 

I did all that in my experimentations, yep, I believe it is the MOBO