How can I enable USB support in BIOS when I can't hit the Delete button to enter BIOS

He means a serial-port (DB9) to PS/2 converter, as shown here:
http://sewelldirect.com/serialtops2.asp
This adapter changes your male DB9 serial connection into a female PS/2 (mouse and keyboard) connection.

A keyboard in the serial port? Even if you had a magical adapter (that adapter seems to be just wires between a DB9 and a DIN connector that knows nothing about protocols of any kind) that would translate between the AT keyboard and RS-232 you would still need special drivers for it. And how do you install drivers if Windows doesn't boot?

fro0tlo0p: how bad is the PS2 port screwed up? Take a close look - maybe you can take it to an electronics shop and let a skilled craftsman fix a new PS2 port there?

RealBlackStuff said:

He means a serial-port (DB9) to PS/2 converter,

Click to expand...

Aaaah! I see! And, when Widows XP is formatted, this port is enabled? I should have Ps/2 keyboard control again?

Nodsu said:

fro0tlo0p: how bad is the PS2 port screwed up? Take a close look - maybe you can take it to an electronics shop and let a skilled craftsman fix a new PS2 port there?

Click to expand...

It's totally chewed up. I can't get a PS/2 keyboard to plug in at all.

How did the BIOS setting for USB keyboard support get changed if all you did was reinstall Windows?

Your BIOS might not support the extended number keys (right side of keyboard).
Try using the number keys on the keyboard below the F keys to navigate the start-up menu..

fro0tlo0p said:

It's totally chewed up. I can't get a PS/2 keyboard to plug in at all.

Click to expand...

Is it the port on the mobo, or the keyboard itself with the pins in it? Are the pins bent? I can't imagine the port on the mobo becoming mangled, but where there's a will there's a way...

Triton said:

How did the BIOS setting for USB keyboard support get changed if all you did was reinstall Windows?

Your BIOS might not support the extended number keys (right side of keyboard).
Try using the number keys on the keyboard below the F keys to navigate the start-up menu..

Click to expand...

The default position for USB Keyboard is disabled.

It's the spacebar or delete key I need to work and it's not.

RealBlackStuff said:

He means a serial-port (DB9) to PS/2 converter, as shown here:
http://sewelldirect.com/serialtops2.asp
This adapter changes your male DB9 serial connection into a female PS/2 (mouse and keyboard) connection.

Click to expand...

This didn't work at all and I just wasted money buying the adapter. Any other ideas?

poertner_1274 said:

Is it the port on the mobo, or the keyboard itself with the pins in it? Are the pins bent? I can't imagine the port on the mobo becoming mangled, but where there's a will there's a way...

Click to expand...

It's the round part on the mobo. Its so torn up that I can't plug the keyboard in. That's why I went to a USB keyboard.

Replace motherboard

A serial / PS/2 adapter will only work with a serial compatible mouse or combo serial PS/2 mouse.
I don't know of any serial compatible keyboards (without middleware software) and this won't work at a BIOS level as Nodsu points out.

All PC I have worked with and their BIOS are set to HALT on keyboard error or keyboard missing.
Because a PS/2 port can / will be damaged if plugged in with power on the system needs to be shut down and power unplugged and a keyboard plugged in.
Because your PS/2 keyboard port is bad and no keyboard input was possible I don't see how the system was useable unless the USB keyboard support was already enabled before the PS/2 port went bad allowing you to enter the BIOS and enable boot without PS/2 keyboard.

Regardless, repairing the motherboard PS/2 port would most likely cost more then locating a new or used replacement motherboard.
Or you might see this a a good reason to upgrade the motherboard.

Good Luck.

what a load of cobblers. I have just tested a BRAND NEW keyboard with a serial adapter and it works FINE.

anywho - this doesnt help this guy much.

why dont you solder a new PS2 port to your mobo ? alternatively - buy a SERIAL keyboard off ebay or some other bucket of unwanted items....

Thank you for your kind comment. My sincere apologies if I have made erroneus posts due to my ignoance and I would greatly appreciate if you let me learn something new. Would you please post some links to the hardware in use and documentation/descriptions that would describe this computational wonder?

i can see sarcasm isnt your best quality.

look - what im telling you isnt up for discussion. Nor does it matter if you "the technological wizard" believes that something, outside of your realm of understanding, is or isnt possible.

I am just trying to help someone that's got a problem. Which is what I thought this forum was about?

Unfortunately I havent been able to help this guy - as hardware problems like the one described is difficult to help without actually being there.

But neither, in fact, have you. Instead, you have managed to waste time talking about things that dont have anything to do with helping this guy.

TS Special Forces - in your case, i'd imagine this stands for Talk $hite

undoubtedly i'll probably be banned for even contemplating, let alone actually arguing, with someone so deep inside the crux of this site....

but then again.... whats the point of having freedom of speech if we are only to be shot down by narrow minded people like yourself.

fro0tlo0p - aside from either soldering a new PS2 port or getting a new mobo - you're screwed

Well, you told this person to buy a totally useless gadget which, as I said right away, would not work.. Well done!

And how is requesting information that could possibly help this poor guy and dozens of others with proken keyboard ports irrelevant? Please, tell us how one can make use of a motherboad with a broken keyboard port and no USB capability!

GENTLEMEN! Can we please get back to the business at hand?

My computer is still fragged and I need help.

A really thin straw in addition to the "solder new port" fix..

You could check for a BIOS update for your motherboard that changes the default USB keyboard setting to enabled. The chances of your mobo having such an update are of course very slim.

If you find such a BIOS update then all you have to do is to pry the BIOS chip from your motherboard (pray that it is removable and not soldered) and flash it with the update.

You can make a bootable floppy that automatically performs the flash, you can use another identical motherboard or find someone with a EEPROM programming device.

Check if one of the retail BIOS upgrade services can change the default setting for USB support in the BIOS ROM or BIN file for your motherboard and then flash your BIOS with the modified BIOS. (automated flash).

While I've never heard of a adapting a PS2 keyboard to a serial port either, a quick search brought me to this adapter which includes a data sheet on emulation modes.

As far as the main topic, have you tried making an unattended installation disk, and installed windows that way? Once windows is up, your USB keyboard should work. I normally use the guides here to create my unattended installs.

Nifty

You'd still need custom firmware and/or drivers to make it work with anything though..

Nodsu - I know it must be hard for you to not be a complete *****. But, for the sake of the rest of the known universe, please try.

Firstly - I did NOT advise to buy a totally useless gadget - I merely informed that they were available and the course of action that I would take.

Secondly - "Please, tell us how one can make use of a motherboad with a broken keyboard port and no USB capability!"

I told you. I used a PS2 to SERIAL adapter.

do you understand ? PS2 to SERIAL

it's quite simple.

and whats wrong with soldering another PS2 port to the mobo ? or are you frightened you might break a nail?

now - back to the matter in hand.

fro0tlo0p - one of these perhaps ???

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/ps2-add-on-cable.htm

http://www.accesskeyboards.co.uk/AT2SER.htm

Simple PS2 to SERIAL adapters are designed for (serial compatible) pointing devices, mouse, drawing pad ect. and are not designed to work with AT/PS2 keyboards. They do not make the AT/PS2 keyboard hardware compatible with the common serial port (16550 U.A.R.T.)
The common serial port (16550 U.A.R.T.) is based on the RS232 serial protocol, (0 to 10 volt signaling.)
The AT/PS2 keyboard is a TTL (transistor-transistor-logic) device (0 to5 volt signaling).

If anyone has a simple (rewired, no active components) PS2 to SERIAL adapter and it allows your AT/PS2 keyboard to work an a common serial port (16550 U.A.R.T.) you have something very special.

If using a "active component" PS2 to SERIAL adapter that makes the hardware compatible you still need to deal with the PS2 (scan code output being converted to serial ASCII) not being useable by a PC without middleware (software, drivers) or an application designed for it.

http://www.barcodeman.com/altek/mule/mule.php
"Background: PC Interface limitations"
"A modern PC probably has two RS232 ports but should you want to use them for anything other than a mouse or modem you would most likely need engineering knowledge to make it work and also have support from the Application program. If the Application is not specially written to handle RS232 data it is sometimes virtually impossible."

I have tested several "simple" PS2 to SERIAL adapters and the systems always HALT on keyboard error. The system BIOS does not detect the PS2 keyboard connected to a common serial port (16550 U.A.R.T.). Award BIOS HALTS the system on keyboard error.
Does AMI BIOS time out and continue booting? Don't know, no AMI system handy.

I hope this helps and I hope the thread can go back to being friendly as I don't think anyone wants to help out while being insulted.

Can we quit arguing here and help fro0tlo0p out?

Nobody likes to be wrong, so let's just move on, or take your arguments to the irc channel.