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Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

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Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

Postby Hapkido » Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:49 pm

This has happened to me before over a year ago and I can't remember how to resolve the issue. I'm tri-booting Vista (default), Win 7 and XP. When I bootup the PC I get the boot menu where you choose which system you want to boot into. However, I can't choose either of the other two systems (Win 7 or XP) using the arrow keys on my USB keyboard. I can reset the default OS using VistaBoot Pro 3.3 and the it will boot into that one. But that's a pain having to do things that way.

Sooooo, how do I get the arrow keys to function again on that initial boot menu?

All 3 systems are 100% up-to-date, no infections, etc...

THANKS! :notworthy
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Re: Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

Postby yeshuas » Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:10 am

what kind of keyboard connection, e.g. USB or the round connector, is it wireless etc.
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Re: Can't select OS with keyboard arrows - RESOLVED

Postby Hapkido » Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:34 am

As stated in the original post, it is a USB keyboard. Everything was working fine until a power outage, if that helps? I did connect an old PS2 keyboard and that worked fine. So, something is awry with the USB keyboard. Otherwise, the keyboard works 100%... no problems whatsoever using it. It's no likely something mechanical/electronic with the keyboard itself but perhaps a Registry or Bios issue? FYI, it is a Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 using the default Windows drivers in XP and Intellitype drivers in Windows 7 and Vista.

RESOLVED: I don't know if or even what I just did had anything to do with the problem being resolved or not, but just for the record, here's what I did. 1) Switched to an old PS2 keyboard, which worked, and then back to the USB keyboard but putting it into a different USB port. 2) I went into the BIOS and disabled USB 2.0 support and then enabled it again. Booting back up after the BIOS change with the USB keyboard connected, I could navigate between the 3 systems in the boot menu using the arrows again. Image
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Re: Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

Postby yeshuas » Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:09 am

like you said it probably and obviously isn't something electrical with the keyboard but possibly the USB port you had it in got discombubulated with the power outage and now may work again, but since you have it working in another port why mess with it.
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Re: Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

Postby Hapkido » Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:16 pm

Well, my excitement was premature it seems. On the next boot, the problem returned... nothing on the keyboard works at the boot selection menu. So, since the keyboard works perfectly thereafter, I'm thinking it has to do with the "timing" of what is loaded at boot. In short, and I may be batting at the air here, could it not be that the USB ports and/or keyboard drivers aren't being loaded soon enough, i.e., before the boot selection menu? IF <----- that is the case, is there a way to force it (whatever is not loading soon enough) to load sooner?
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Re: Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

Postby shreader » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:01 pm

You might take a look in your BIOS under the "Advanced" tab./ USB Configuration.

All mine are either Enabled, HiSpeed,& the last (lagacy) is set at Auto
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Re: Can't select OS with keyboard arrows

Postby Hapkido » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:37 pm

Yeh, as previously mentioned, I went into the BIOS and disabled and then re-enabled the USB items. All were set as enabled. But thanks for joining in and offering a suggestion.
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