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Thread ID: 85758 2007-12-20 21:28:00 USB keyboards FoxyMX (5) Press F1
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623272 2007-12-20 21:28:00 Something that has been on my mind lately is USB keyboards.

Given that a number of motherboards these days do not have PS/2 ports and one has no option but to use a USB keyboard, how on earth does one use it prior to loading the operating system? By that, I mean press the Del key to enter the BIOS or press F8 to get into Safe Mode, etc. On all my PCs the only way to enter these modes is to use a PS/2 keyboard. The USB keyboard is not accessible until Windows or Linux has loaded.

Do these PS/2-less motherboards recognise the USB keyboard upon POSTing so that one is able to use the keyboard before fully booting up?
FoxyMX (5)
623273 2007-12-20 21:32:00 Hmm I use USB kb's here. And have never had any probs, with using one normally, or when I format these. They work fine.

It may depend on what the mobo is?

On whether USB works or not.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
623274 2007-12-20 21:36:00 Mine is an older keyboard it is PS/2 but it has a USB Adapter plugged into the PC/2 so I use it as USB. It works fine in BIOS.

I use an ASUS Board but did have a Gigabyte board in for a while it worked fine with both.
Bantu (52)
623275 2007-12-20 21:44:00 had a similar issue on my old board. all i had to do to get it to work was enable it in the bios. it may work. most that don't have ps/2 ports should have usb enabled on post anyway. otherwise its rather pointless really. Cho (12330)
623276 2007-12-20 23:28:00 My USB keyboard works fine to get into the BIOS and such before Windows, BUT I can't use it to wake up my PC from power off where as I can with a PS/2 keyboard. The_End_Of_Reality (334)
623277 2007-12-21 01:17:00 Given that a number of motherboards these days do not have PS/2 ports

What boards don't have any? I've seen them without PS2 mouse but not none at all.
pctek (84)
623278 2007-12-21 01:31:00 What boards don't have any? I've seen them without PS2 mouse but not none at all.

My new asus one doesn't have a mouse one, but still has a keyboard one.
robbyp (2751)
623279 2007-12-22 13:13:00 The basic Keyboard should work fine. We use a USB keyboard on various machines with or without O.S. No Probs.Sometimes you will have to go to setup and enable related features.

Hope this help.

Jasii
Jasii (13192)
623280 2007-12-23 01:31:00 Any motherboard which does not have PS/2 connectors will have a BIOS which can use a USB keyboard without any manual intervention .

The manufacturers would certainly realize this could be a problem before any were shipped . ;)

Some BIOSs needed to have a BIOS configuration setting made with a PS/2 keyboard to allow use of USB "Human Interface Devices" . This is what the "Legacy Device" settings do . But if you haven't got a choice, the BIOS code will be written to make the USB devices work immediately .
Graham L (2)
623281 2007-12-23 01:47:00 I use a USB keyboard on a boardwith PS/2 and USB. Works fine, never had to change any settings (although I went to BIOS setup and enabled USB keyboard support just in case)

I think for boards without PS/2 ports that setting is on Auto, so if you have a USB keyboard it will work (provided it gets detected properly I guess)
Agent_24 (57)
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