No Keyboard using Windows XP restore CD

My Emachine desktop will not load Windows XP so I decided to use the restore CD to reinstall.

My PC recognizes the CD and takes me to the screen where I can choose option 1 or two, with option 1 being reinstall. However, my keyboard is locked and, no matter what key I press, I get an A: prompt. I can't type anything either, so even if I knew the correct prompt I couldn't use it.

My keyboard works in BIOS (up and down arrows) so it's actaully working correctly. If I remove the restore disc, at startup my computer will run POST then take me to the error page advising that Windows did not shut down properly last time and gives me "choices" of safe mode, etc...however it's actually frozen on "Start Windows Normally", which it won't do. It'll count down from 25 to 0 and just sit there without loading Windows. I assume I have an error in the MBR.

Help!

 

I have an Emachines whose hard drive has forgotten how to load the OS (WinXP). So I decided to run the restore disc.

The CD is recognized and takes me to the page where I have options 1 and 2, with Option 1 being reinstall Windows. However, at this point my keyboard will not let me do anything.
I will eventually get an A: prompt but, even if I knew the correct command, I couldn't type anything.

The keyboard works otherwise, it only locks during this process.

Any ideas?

 

Have you tried tapping F8 while it's starting to manually take you into safe mode? From there you could do a system restore...Or, a repair from the CD...

 

Welcome to TSG....

The recovery disk is it the correct one for this computer?

 

Or maybe even try a different keyboard. Somebody probably has a spare lying around that you could borrow. It might be some sort of weird recognition problem in the CD environment..

 

Hi, You have another thread about this same issue going, so I will Merge the two, it gets pretty confusing for everyone with more than one thread, TSG Rules state that you are to post in ONE thread, for the same problem.

You've had one other same issue thread Deleted by another Mod, and 2 merged, and one other Closed by myself.
That's all we want to see!

 

Hi All-

Thanks for your input and sorry about the multiple posts. When I submitted my post I kept getting an error message stating that there was a problem and I should try again...so I did. I'll ignore the error message from now on.

OK. My keyboard works in BIOS and allows me to boot to the restore CD (which is the one which came with the computer), however that's it. I can't go into safe mode or choose an option. I've used the F8 option to go into the boot menu, which is how I choose the CD, but this takes me to the page with Options 1 and 2 (and I always end up there) At this point, nothing works. I will eventually get the A: prompt but can't type.

The keyboard seems to be disabled once the CD starts and I have tried another working keyboard with the same results.

 

Hello Kinseygram!
I have the same issue. Did you find out how to solve it?
Cheerio.