Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.compaq (
More info?)
Older Pentium III class computers, even as old as 450MHz have decent (USB 1.1)
support for USB keyboards built-in. Almost every motherboard I've touched from
that era (I am currently working with HP small form factor VLi8 P3 boxes) has a
BIOS setup option to enable/disable USB. It would be a big surprise if the
DeskPro SFF lacked USB keyboard support entirely, but name brand manufacturers
often do really stupid things in an effort to control costs.
Can you get into the system BIOS setup, usually the F10 key on Compaq DeskPro
boxes? If not, there is often a good explanation. Unlike many other name-brand
and generic computers, many Compaq DeskPros need to have a diagnostic partition
filled with software, and the BIOS setup is actually software run from the
diagnostic partition. Stupid, stupid, stupid, but that's the way Compaq did it
back then. This is no better than the IBM's follies with MIcroChannel in the
late '80s, or the response of the rest of the industry (including Compaq) with
the EISA setup follies.
So if your system does not respond to F10 with setup menus, you need to download
the diagnostic/setup software for your system, remove all partitions from the
hard drive, then load up the diagnostic partition. Do the necessary setup, then
load up the operating system.
You might also clear the motherboard CMOS (a jumper or switch on the
motherboard) to see if that improves the situation and/or allows you to get into
the BIOS setup... Ben Myers
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 14:31:52 +0100, "Richard" <o@o.com> wrote:
>
>"Frank le Spikkin" <zaq@invalid.jp> wrote in message
>news:Xns95562F609678FlSxxx@130.133.1.4...
>> "Richard" <o@o.com> wrote in
>> news:ch094s$o2h$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk:
>>
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > It spits out a 'keyboard error, press F1 to boot' if I boot
>> > without a keyboard plugged into the keyboard PS2 port.
>> >
>> > It doesn't seem to recognise the USB keyboard that is attached,
>> > so I plug a board back into the PS2 and press F1 and it boots up
>> > as normal.
>> >
>> > Is there a way to get it to recognise the USB keyboard at this
>> > level (ie: before windows had loaded) or a way to get it to
>> > ignore such an error.
>> >
>> Suggest you check your BIOS setup, looking for:
>> - USB ports enable/disable
>> - USB keyboard enable/disable
>> - boot error ignore settings
>>
>>
>
>Thanks for the replies, Frank and HH.
>
>There is no obvious BIOS USB setting, in fact USB isn't even mentioned in
>any page.
>
>No boot error ignore either.
>
>Maybe it's cos it's an old archaic architecture or something, PIII 450.
>
>Unless....there's another name for USB, like it is listed as a serial port
>or soemthing, but that page has devices listed in Hexadecimal codes instead
>of saying what they are.
>
>Ho hum.
>
>If anyone has any more thoughts, I will be here to try em out!
>
>Richard
>
>
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