Can't Reinstall XP Pro

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...

Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.

We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
work fine other than at the critical point above.

Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>
> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>
> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>
> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>
> Any thoughts? Thanks.

Purchase a cheap, temporary PS2 Keyboard. Or if there is a USB to PS2
converter
on your mouse, use that for the keyboard. I always keep an old PS2 mouse
and
keyboard stored in the closet for just such reasons.

If your in the market for a new mouse, many new USB mice come with a USB to
PS2 converter.

moncho

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>
> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>
> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>
> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>
> Any thoughts? Thanks.


The BIOS should have a setting for USB Legacy mode. Turn it on.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 10:18:39 GMT, "moncho"
<moncho990009@somehownowhere.net> wrote:

>
><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
>> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
>> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>>
>> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
>> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
>> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>>
>> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
>> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
>> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
>> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>>
>> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
>> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>>
>> Any thoughts? Thanks.
>
>Purchase a cheap, temporary PS2 Keyboard. Or if there is a USB to PS2
>converter
>on your mouse, use that for the keyboard. I always keep an old PS2 mouse
>and
>keyboard stored in the closet for just such reasons.
>
>If your in the market for a new mouse, many new USB mice come with a USB to
>PS2 converter.
I have about six PS2 keyboards but, unfortunately, there's no PS2
socket in the 9100!

BTW, I did see the XP startup load a USB keyboard driver...

Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:atmdh1148ek6vuqt7nrm9lfr8brohv11ej@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 10:18:39 GMT, "moncho"
> <moncho990009@somehownowhere.net> wrote:
>
>>
>><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>>news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
>>> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
>>> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>>>
>>> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
>>> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
>>> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>>>
>>> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
>>> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
>>> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
>>> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>>>
>>> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
>>> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>>>
>>> Any thoughts? Thanks.
>>
>>Purchase a cheap, temporary PS2 Keyboard. Or if there is a USB to PS2
>>converter
>>on your mouse, use that for the keyboard. I always keep an old PS2 mouse
>>and
>>keyboard stored in the closet for just such reasons.
>>
>>If your in the market for a new mouse, many new USB mice come with a USB
>>to
>>PS2 converter.
> I have about six PS2 keyboards but, unfortunately, there's no PS2
> socket in the 9100!
>
> BTW, I did see the XP startup load a USB keyboard driver...

Sorry, did not realize that.

I did a google search and found this on Dell's support site.
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_input&message.id=28780

They had the same problem with an Inspirion 5000.

Have you tried using a different USB port?

moncho

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:14:26 GMT, "Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net>
wrote:

>
><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
>> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
>> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>>
>> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
>> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
>> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>>
>> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
>> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
>> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
>> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>>
>> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
>> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>>
>> Any thoughts? Thanks.
>
>
>The BIOS should have a setting for USB Legacy mode. Turn it on.
>
Thanks Tom but nothing in the BIOS about USB legacy, which I remember
my 4300 had. Cheers, Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:28:12 GMT, "moncho"
<moncho990009@somehownowhere.net> wrote:

>
><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>news:atmdh1148ek6vuqt7nrm9lfr8brohv11ej@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 10:18:39 GMT, "moncho"
>> <moncho990009@somehownowhere.net> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>>>news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
>>>> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
>>>> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>>>>
>>>> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
>>>> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
>>>> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>>>>
>>>> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
>>>> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
>>>> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
>>>> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>>>>
>>>> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
>>>> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>>>>
>>>> Any thoughts? Thanks.
>>>
>>>Purchase a cheap, temporary PS2 Keyboard. Or if there is a USB to PS2
>>>converter
>>>on your mouse, use that for the keyboard. I always keep an old PS2 mouse
>>>and
>>>keyboard stored in the closet for just such reasons.
>>>
>>>If your in the market for a new mouse, many new USB mice come with a USB
>>>to
>>>PS2 converter.
>> I have about six PS2 keyboards but, unfortunately, there's no PS2
>> socket in the 9100!
>>
>> BTW, I did see the XP startup load a USB keyboard driver...
>
>Sorry, did not realize that.
>
>I did a google search and found this on Dell's support site.
>http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_input&message.id=28780
>
>They had the same problem with an Inspirion 5000.
>
>Have you tried using a different USB port?
>
>moncho
Well spotted Moncho! I moved the keyboard to the top-right USB socket,
(looking at the rear) and I'm in business! Many thanks, Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:tqtdh19s323lni88odb5tbfron8bk7m8j1@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:28:12 GMT, "moncho"
> <moncho990009@somehownowhere.net> wrote:
>
>>
>><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>>news:atmdh1148ek6vuqt7nrm9lfr8brohv11ej@4ax.com...
>>> On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 10:18:39 GMT, "moncho"
>>> <moncho990009@somehownowhere.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>>>>news8edh15ep597jfl05b3h35r9gg54i87igr@4ax.com...
>>>>> Yesterday I was on the phone with Dell tech support for two hours.
>>>>> Objective was to reinstall XP Pro on my new 9100. Couldn't do it...
>>>>>
>>>>> Problem is that when the reinstallation CD has booted and invited you
>>>>> to "press enter to continue", "R for recovery console", "F3 to exit",
>>>>> the USB keyboard is dead; Nadda.
>>>>>
>>>>> We played around in the BIOS, resetting to factory defaults, disabling
>>>>> the diskette drive, even popping the battery - nothing. Tried a
>>>>> Microsoft USB keyboard I happen to have spare. Nothing. Both keyboards
>>>>> work fine other than at the critical point above.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tried two reinstallation CDs; one original Dell sent and one I cut
>>>>> from the Dell support on the hard drive. Same result from both.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any thoughts? Thanks.
>>>>
>>>>Purchase a cheap, temporary PS2 Keyboard. Or if there is a USB to PS2
>>>>converter
>>>>on your mouse, use that for the keyboard. I always keep an old PS2
>>>>mouse
>>>>and
>>>>keyboard stored in the closet for just such reasons.
>>>>
>>>>If your in the market for a new mouse, many new USB mice come with a USB
>>>>to
>>>>PS2 converter.
>>> I have about six PS2 keyboards but, unfortunately, there's no PS2
>>> socket in the 9100!
>>>
>>> BTW, I did see the XP startup load a USB keyboard driver...
>>
>>Sorry, did not realize that.
>>
>>I did a google search and found this on Dell's support site.
>>http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_input&message.id=28780
>>
>>They had the same problem with an Inspirion 5000.
>>
>>Have you tried using a different USB port?
>>
>>moncho
> Well spotted Moncho! I moved the keyboard to the top-right USB socket,
> (looking at the rear) and I'm in business! Many thanks, Tom

Welcome. Glad I can help.

Boy do I love Google.

moncho

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

> Have you tried using a different USB port?

Funnily enough I was helping someone out with a "similar" problem on a
laptop the other day - a PCMCIA network card was just not getting
recognised for some reason, until I suggested he try the other slot...

Computers are sent to confound and confuse us at times :-}

--
Please add the word "newsgroup" in the subject line of personal emails
**** My email address includes "ngspamtrap" and "@btinternet.com" ****

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

tom,
So Dell tech support didn't suggest this? Guess this wasn't on their
flow chart. Moncho, thanks, good thing to know.
Paul

<tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:tqtdh19s323lni88odb5tbfron8bk7m8j1@4ax.com...

snipped

> Well spotted Moncho! I moved the keyboard to the top-right USB socket,
> (looking at the rear) and I'm in business! Many thanks, Tom

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hi Paul. Nope. They were amazed when I emailed them the solution,
"they" being Dell France's off-shore tech support team in Morocco(!).
Tom
On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 14:48:12 -0400, "Paul Schilter"
<paulschilter@comcast dot net> wrote:

>tom,
> So Dell tech support didn't suggest this? Guess this wasn't on their
>flow chart. Moncho, thanks, good thing to know.
>Paul
>
><tom_nospam_ba@pobox.com> wrote in message
>news:tqtdh19s323lni88odb5tbfron8bk7m8j1@4ax.com...
>
>snipped
>
>> Well spotted Moncho! I moved the keyboard to the top-right USB socket,
>> (looking at the rear) and I'm in business! Many thanks, Tom
>