Win98 Usb Keyboard/Mouse

H

H-street

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Any old Win98SE Gurus still around?

Problem is i have a retro rig i have been working on and trying to get usb keyboard and mouse working


Currently don't have a PS/2 keyboard or mouse so have to try and get this working

in Safe mode the mouse and keyboard work great using the bios USB Legacy Support

rebooting into regular windows mode i get 1 of 2 things

#1

I get a popup that says no PS/2 keyboard or mouse detect

I got rid of this screen by disabling SkipRedetectMouse=0 in the Win.ini

#2

now i get the problem where upon bootup i get the Found new Hardware dialog that i need to be able to Hit Next to get the USB generic keyboard and mouse drivers installed.. ofcourse the problem is i can't hit Next without the keyboard or mouse working

Anyone have any ideas?
 
mmm, kinda a catch 22 there.

If networking is working I suspect you could install a vnc server while in safe mode then reboot into normal mode and use the vnc server to install the USB keyboard and mouse.

If the motherboard has a PS2 port i'd suggest just buying a PS2 keyboard, keyboards aren't exactly expensive.
 
plugwash said:
mmm, kinda a catch 22 there.

If networking is working I suspect you could install a vnc server while in safe mode then reboot into normal mode and use the vnc server to install the USB keyboard and mouse.

If the motherboard has a PS2 port i'd suggest just buying a PS2 keyboard, keyboards aren't exactly expensive.
Click to expand...

+1
I'm an old Win98 SE tech support and you're fighting a losing battle because Win98SE doesn't support USB natively. Until you get to the OS, you can't use a USB keyboard or mouse. Period.
 
hell, a NICE rig still has a PS2 keyboard

no NKRO without it
 
Magnus said:
+1
I'm an old Win98 SE tech support and you're fighting a losing battle because Win98SE doesn't support USB natively. Until you get to the OS, you can't use a USB keyboard or mouse. Period.
Click to expand...

Wait, what? I'm pretty sure that Windows 98, both first and second editions, did not only support USB out of the box but also USB human interface devices i.e. keyboards, mice, and joysticks. Are you sure you're not thinking of Windows 95 (including its service releases) or USB 2.0?


Anyway, I would also go with plugwash's VNC suggestion if you have no PS/2 KB avail. Maybe get the non-installer version of TightVNC 1.3 (you usually can't install software in safe mode), configure the server, and place a shortcut in the startup folder. Unplug both the keyboard and the mouse on the next reboot so Windows doesn't pause start up looking for KB/M drivers.
 
Last edited:
GushpinBob said:
Wait, what? I'm pretty sure that Windows 98, both first and second editions, did not only support USB out of the box but also USB human interface devices i.e. keyboards, mice, and joysticks. Are you sure you're not thinking of Windows 95 (including its service releases) or USB 2.0?
Click to expand...

Win98 FE had USB support issues.

OP, are the drivers for the USB controllers installed?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/206002/EN-US
 
Have you tried a usb to ps2 adaptor? Use the ps2 ports. The things are maybe $3 new. Post in the freebies thread, and I bet you will get a pair for shipping.
 
Well it's been a long time for me to work on a 98 machine but I would not expect USB to work natively. I think you have to start with PS/2 then add the drivers for USB.
 
ryan_975 said:
Win98 FE had USB support issues.

OP, are the drivers for the USB controllers installed?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/206002/EN-US
Click to expand...

Yea the drivers are installed, once i get through the "Clicking" next the drivers do get successfully installed.


I have in the past used an old PS/2 mouse to hit the next and once the drivers are installed everything works great. unless you plug in a new keyboard or change the keyboard's usb port (changing the port prompts for driver installation)


I am thinking of just picking up a PS/2 Keyboard sounds like it might be the easiest way to get this going.

I was just hoping there was some way to not be tied to a PS/2, maybe like disabling the built in win98se usb keyboard and running off the legacy (bios) stuff like the safe mode does.
 
USB support in Windows started around the Win95 "B" era, OSR 2.1.
Win98 does/did natively support some USB contrrollers.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/258773

here's the list of supported USB controllers in Win98 and ME, per Microsoft.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/184400/EN-US

OHCI
Windows 98 and Windows Me include drivers for the following OHCI USB host controllers:
•Symbios
•RealTech (based on OPTi hardware)
•CMD Technology (except the REV_04 version)
•Silicon Integrated Systems
•OPTi
•Ali
•National Semiconductor
•NEC
Note that other OHCI host controllers that comply to the OHCI specification are supported by Windows 98 as a standard OHCI USB host controller.
Click to expand...
 
USB will work in Win98 provided you have the proper driver from the manufacturer. If you don't have a driver it won't work.
 
I remember this happening all the time... you have to press a key to install the driver, but you can't install the driver without pressing a key...

As a tech, I always carried a PS2 keyboard with me... that was the quickest way I found.
 
Someone gave me a ps2 mouse. Going to hook it upand then get the voodoo2 going again :)
 
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