USB Keyboard works in BIOS but not in Windows 2000 unless...

USB Keyboard works in BIOS but not in Windows 2000 unless you replug it in

Hey,

I've got an issue on a HP Compaq where the USB keyboard will not work unless I unplug it and plug it back in.

It works in the BIOS
The PC does not have PS2 support therefore cannot use a PS2 keyboard
I have checked event viewer and have notice Event ID 256

Timed out sending notification of device interface change to window of "C:\WINNT\system32\hidserv.exe"

This file hidserve.exe is related to MS USB PnP but after investigation this message can be ignored as does not cause an issue (apparently)

I have also tried uninstalling the keyboard but same issue.

Any one help?

OS: Windows 2000 SP4
Make: HP/Compaq
Model: D530

J

I have a similar problem, although without any error messages.
I use a Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop 700 that has a shared USB Receiver for mouse & keyboard. Mouse always works, but Windows randomly fails to detect keyboard.
Keyboard always works in BIOS and always works when booting into Linux on same machine. Keyboard batteries are good, keyboard-to-receiver distance OK. Even when no text appears on screen in Windows, the Receiver LED flashes in sync with keys being pressed.
After having shut system down and removed AC power altogether then rebooting some time later having changed nothing in the meantime, keyboard may or may not work when Windows loads.
If keyboard doesn't work, the fix is to unplug & replug the receiver into the same or any USB port.
Your thought, pkellmey, that the keyboard might be using the registry to load a specific driver seems logical to me under the above circumstances, hence this "reply" seeking further info...
I use the drivers built into Win2k for mouse & keyboard and have tried reloading these with no improvement. I have had no luck in googling for a "stand-alone" driver.
Even when the keyboard isn't working after a reboot, Device Manager shows all drivers OK.
I have removed all other devices from all USB sockets except my printer (whether this is switched on or switched off at time of boot makes no difference to the keyboard behaviour).
You suggest "try removing everything from your startup and adding the apps back in until you find the culprit process that is killing it or change the order of the startup applications (it could be a timing issue)".
- Do you mean I should disable all items listed on the Startup tab in Msconfig? If I do this, will they be retained in the list although unchecked after the next and subsequent boots or they be lost and have to be added back in manually?
- How can I change the order in which applications start up?

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