Optiplex 755, USB keyboard double types in BIOS and DOS, please help

GeneralJim25

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Sep 1, 2012
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This is going to make me pull out my hair at this point. I can not do anything of note in the BIOS. I can access the BIOS, but the cursor will jump 2-3 spaces up and down at one key press from my USB keyboard. In an attempt to update the BIOS using FreeDOS bootable USB, typing from the keyboard is doubled up so I can even update the BIOS. I have reset the CMOS already on this PC, and i just want to install a hard drive and operating system but cant
 
Sep 21, 2018
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The effect you describe was common long ago with terminals (or terminal emulators) connected to a computer. Early systems did not automatically echo characters to a screen so the terminal had an option to provide "local echo" which you could turn on or off at the terminal (or emulator). If you left it on with a system that had built in echo (like your Optiplex 755) every character appeared on screen twice.


What *exactly* are you using as a keyboard?

I can't remember if the double characters were actually sent twice to the computer or just appeared on screen twice. Try booting to FreeDos again, type some simple commands ignoring the fact that every character is double and see what happens.



 

GeneralJim25

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Sep 1, 2012
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What I was using at the time was a usb Blackweb backlit gaming keyboard. I decided to check my local Goodwill to see if I could find some era appropriate gear to try with the computer and found a dell keyboard from about the same time frame. It worked like a charm and I was able to get into the computer