can you get into the bios with a USB keyboard????

[AMD4ME2]

I'm building a new system for a friend and it donned on me that she only has a USB keyboard... so when I boot for the first time and need to go into the bios will I be able to? or will I need to take a ps2 keyboard to her house tommorow?

The board is a Tyan Trinitity KT s2390

thanks!

 

[FriedRiceBob]

Most boards, you first need to boot ps2, then enable boot from usb keyboard, at least in my experience.

 

[Davegod75]

you can if your mobo has legacy USB support. But it has to be turned on. which is the trick if your ps/2 is broken or something like that. I'd bring the ps/2 keyboard with you.

 

[Peter]

Usually, those USB keyboard ready BIOSes will have the USB controller enabled and the legacy keyboard emulation running during POST, regardless of what you set in BIOS setup (which is still valid for OS boot and runtime then).
This is exactly because those people with USB keyboards may want to enter BIOS setup too.

What you'll lose is those magic power-on hot keys for CMOS clear, Load Defaults etc. that some BIOSes have. Those cannot work with USB keyboards.

Regards, Peter

 

[Flat]

it depends of if it is a pure USB or combo like Microsoft's intellitype keyboards are. but regardless it should work

 

[AMD4ME2]

it was an antec USB keyboard... with passthru's for mice and stuff... got it working ok but had to get into the bios with a ps2 keyboard first.. I don't think I will be building at someone elses house ever again.. if they want a system they will have to ship the damn parts to me and I'll build it here.


you don't even want the details

 

[Brainiac2000]

I had a Tyan mobo with a generic usb keyboard, and it worked on the first boot.

 

[MrMojo]

I sure hope you can use a USB keyboard on my PC. I tinkered around with my box, i.e. re-inserted some cards, it got into Windows fine, but one of the cards reinstalled itself on IRQ 12, thereby screwing up the PS/2 ports. Unless the keyboard ps/2 port decided to spontaneously die, which might be the case given my kiss of death with PCs lately.

So I had a computer that would boot into Windows, but without keyboard support. Then some genius told me to reset the CMOS, which I did without thinking too much about.

So now my damn PC boots up and gives me a CMOS error and stops right there. The ps/2 port is either dead or diabled, no floppy support nothing!

If the USB doesn't work on a fresh CMOS install, I'm going to personally call up Abit(its a Bx6r2) and bitch at them for being so stupid. A tiny 2 cent PS/2 connector could potentially cause me to have to buy a new motherboard and it pisses me off! If I do have to buy another one it won't be an Abit.