Grub, bios or what

[jensobb]

Hi!

I used to have both Red Hat 8.0 and windows going on a computer (Dimension V400) anyhow there was a problem and I decided to solve everything by reinstalling Linux. It went well. After that I decided to install a W XP pro. After finding the button for BIOS. I finally got the message to hit any key to install from CD. I hit a key but nothing happens even tries with other keys are useless. The keyboard works for getting into BIOS. The keyboard is a USB keyboard as the PS2 for keyboards doesn't work on this computer.

It seems like my keyboard hits doesn't work even though I take use of diskette installations. The first diskette is run through but when inserting the second diskette and hitting Enter nothing happens.

Does anyone know what the solution(s) of the above might be?
Could it help to uninstall Linux and install Windows instead and after that reinstall Linux?
The Linux CD doesn't seem to need any key hits to start....

Thanks in advance

[nihil]

When you are prompted to hit any key and nothing happens try hitting <caps lock> and <Num Lock> do the lights on the keyboard go on and off?

[cacosapo]

USB keyboards sometimes are a nightmare...
im confuse about on what O.S. you are in trouble.

step by step:
- u have an USB keyboard only PC.
- USB KB support is enabled on BIOS
- you can use it on BIOS screens
- you put an Windows XP install disk and boot from it.
- you cant hit a key to begin the installation.
---> is that correct?


-

[nihil]

Hmmmm,

Dell Dimension V400 shipped with a PII/400MHz processor and Win98

Please go here and check your specifications against the hardware requirements, particularly the RAM. You should have at least 128Mb

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...n/sysreqs.mspx

Cacosapo............it is WindowsXP Pro, but the box is originally Win98

I have an old PII that boots WinME, but when I boot into safe mode NO USB device will work

USB keyboards sometimes are a nightmare...

True, and mice as well.

It could be that USB support is one of the features lost if the box does not have 128Mb of RAM?

EDIT:

Have you tried starting the machine with your Windows 98 boot disk? There should only be ONE of those. Change directory to your CD drive and type in "setup" or whatever if you are using a non-English version.

[jensobb]

Thanks to all of you. I found out in the bios that there was a setting for USB support. Enabling that one made it possible for me to boot from a CD as well as entering more stages in the diskette boot sequences. Unfortunately I have found out that the CD is not totally correct and it crashes depending on a damage so right now I'm into the second phase of learning how a computer really works meaning I will create a new bootable CD from what I can get from the damaged one.

[nihil]

I would suggest using a CD cleaner and a CD drive cleaner. Clean the drive about 3 times then clean the CD. Remember to wipe OUTWARDS from the centre, NOT in a circular motion.

Cheers