Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Keyboard and mouse gets power but does not work

Apr 9, 2015 8:13PM PDT

I recently bought a new computer and built it myself. I do not have an operative system yet, so i need to get into bios to install it. I've tried every f-button, del, esc and every combination i can find on the internet. The problem seem to be that the keyboard and mouse can communicate with the motherboard or so. Both of them is getting power, but it wont work. I do not have a Serial port connecter (COM?), do i need it to be able to communicate? Both keyboard and mouse is USB.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Re: BIOS
Apr 9, 2015 8:50PM PDT

The manual of your motherboard should tell you how (what keys to press) to get into the BIOS setup when booting. You can't use the mouse to get into the BIOS, but possibly you can use when in the setup.The keyboard (if it's a USB keyboard connected to a USB-port on the motherboard) should work (unless the mono-manual says it must be a PS/2-keyboard, but that's unlikely).

Why do you think you need to go into the BIOS to install an OS?

Kees

- Collapse -
re:
Apr 9, 2015 10:19PM PDT

Yes, i know wich button to press, but as i said it does not work. Could it be something wrong with the motherboard or some wires that is not on the right place/ is missing?

How can i install an OS without entering BIOS?

- Collapse -
Re: motherboard
Apr 9, 2015 11:10PM PDT

If pressing the right key doesn't show the BIOS setup on the monitor something in the chain keyboard-cable-motherboard-cable-monitor is wrong. It's up to you as system builder to find out what.

You install the OS by booting from an install medium (disk or USB) on an empty hard disk. No need to go into the BIOS for that. But if the keyboard doesn't work you don't come far.

Kees

- Collapse -
Answer
USB setup
Apr 9, 2015 11:24PM PDT

Alot depends on the bios here for USB. Some USB ports are to be used for kybd. and mouse use prior to booting as in accessing the bios. You need to check the manual if that is pointed out. However, I have found in typical cases using the immediate 2-USB ports by themselves as a pair, usually the uppermost location or top USB ports if desktop or those to the most left. That's not a given but does seem to cure an issue like yours. The reason, is USB also needs to be acknowledged during the boot-up but at the bios level during boot-up NOT ALL USB are given immediate attention. Again, this is all about the bios make-up. Further, if you have any wifi kybd. or mouse setup and are now trying to access the bios after a successful build, that too is similar during the boot-up at the bios level.

The cure, if you have std. mouse and kybd. PS-2 connections use them during this initial stage of early build. Do all that required and once and saved, etc., then swap to USB port use and remove the PS-2 type. If you have no PS-2 type connection then follow the above suggestion. I leave any so called unique or special optional mouse or kybd. devices, use std. USB mouse and kybd. during the early stages.

Serial port??? That IMHO is not an issue here.

tada ------Willy Happy