USB Keyboard not recognised

KeithMac

Member
Hi, I've installed EasyBCD 2.0.2.117 to dual boot between Windows 7 and XP. However, when presented with the list of operating systems to choose from, keyboard input is not recognised, so I can only wait for the timeout to boot the default operating system. The only workaround I've found is to swap my USB keyboard for one that plugs into the old keyboard port. I can use the USB keyboard for configuring the BIOS and the RAID matrix storage manager, but it's dead while the boot manager is running, and springs back to life when Windows has booted. Is there a simple solution to this? Thanks, Keith
 
I use an adaptor and have my USB keyboard permanently plugged into the PS2 socket, likewise my mouse. (that'll give you another 2 free USB ports, so well worth doing)
 
The full functionality of MS Digital Media keyboards is only supported when they are plugged into USB ports, so using the legacy PS/2 port is not an option in this case.
 
What doesn't work ?
My cheap multi-media keyboard (£7) all works through PS2 (though I don't have MS office, so I've reprogrammed those keys to work with other software)

(Hideous isn't it - though this Czech version is a slightly different colourway to mine, but I don't believe in spending unnecessary money on non-performance critical peripherals - and it came with an adapter)

24220v.jpg
 
Last edited:
This is a BIOS related issue.

Check for options in the BIOS such as legacy USB support, support for non plug an play operating systems, etc.
 
I don't understand how it can be a BIOS issue, when the BIOS can be configured using the keyboard. Anyway, I've tried disabling legacy USB support, and the serial and parallel ports (no option to disable PS/2), but that hasn't helped. The PC has a relatively recent motherboard (2007, Intel D975XBX2), and its BIOS (the latest available from Intel) doesn't have an option for non-PnP operating systems. Any other suggestions?
 
The BIOS uses USB emulation mode internally. The Windows bootloader needs UHCI/OHCI (USB 1.0/1.1) support from the BIOS to use the USB. Windows itself needs EHCI (USB 2.0) support from the BIOS.

So if your BIOS isn't doing UHCI/OHCI support right, Windows won't deal with the USB correctly.

Do you not have a "USB Emulation" option in the BIOS?
 
Back
Top