It's a long story but the basic problem is that the computer won't boot and when I get into the BIOS (or boot menu) the keyboard won't work. Specs are as follows (if you want anymore information please tell me): HP Pavilion 6511 Intel Pentium 4 2GHz P4VMM2 mainboard mPGA478 Socket Okay, now here's the story in detail. A month or so ago I upgraded my motherboard and CPU. Since the old motherboard and CPU were still in good working order, we decided to try replacing the motherboard in the Pavilion, (which had died) with the motherboard (& CPU) I'd taken out of my computer. When we started up the Pavilion it booted up and started detecting the new hardware. Then it froze so I restarted it. Upon restarting it sort of froze while booting; at the screen with all the information about the Processsor, Hard Disks, PCI Devices etc. Since the HDD hadn't been reformated prior to changing the motherboard I decided to try getting into the boot menu so I could reformat. Upon getting into the boot menu, the keyboard wouldn't work. Additionally, the keyboard wouldn't work in the setup either. Although it functions perfectly well on other computers and did so to for me to actually get into the setup and boot menu. So, I took out the hard drive, attached it to my other computer, reformatted it and put it back into the Pavilion. No problems. Keyboard worked fine in setup and boot menu and I could install Win98SE and everything else. Then I needed a driver for the modem. You see, the problem with putting my old non-HP motherboard into the Pavilion was that I couldn't use the "system restore" software that came with the computer. (It contained everything which was pre-installed on the system, including the OS. I ended up laying my hands on a generic copy of 98.) So I got on to an HP online chat support thing and she told me where to get the driver I needed and how to install it. But when I came to restart the computer (having removed the drivers she'd told me to remove), the computer wouldn't boot up. It freezes at the same place as last time and we have the same problem with the keyborad. Naturally I took out the hard drive and reformatted it on my computer again, but this time when I put it back in to the Pavilion the problem hasn't resolved. The problem isn't the keyboard as I've tried a couple of different keyboards (both PS/2) and the same thing has happened (and they also work fine on other computers). Can anyone help? If you want more information just let me know. I don't know where to go from here.

What driver did HP support provide for you. If the MBoard isn't HP, why would you go to HP support? Clarify something for me, does the KB work to enter the BIOS or not? Are you connecting the PS2 KB directly to a PS2 keyboard port on the MBoard? You shouldn't need any drivers to use the KB, if connected to the KB port, not USB. You may have an issue with the backplane on the case not aligning properly and thereby not allowing proper contact for the KB.

I have no idea what driver they gave me, but it shouldn't matter now that I've reformatted the hard drive again, should it? (If and when I do actually get it working again I think I'll just use an old external modem I've got.) I went to HP support originally to find out (well actually confirm really) why the system restore software wouldn't work. I went back again because I needed a driver for the modem, which is still HP. It made sense, well to me anyway, to ask HP where I could find a driver for their modem. Yes, the keyboard does work to enter the bios (and boot menu). Once I'm in the bios (or boot menu) it doesn't work anymore. Yes, I've connected it directly to a PS/2 keyboard port on the motherboard. Yes, I know I shouldn't need any drivers for the keyboard; I didn't before. I am quite sure it's not a connection problem considering that several keys work on that initial screen that tells you what keys to hit to get into the bios etc. - can turn CapsLock and NumLock on and off; pause works; F8 for boot menu and Del for setup both work; other miscellaneous keys work to "un-pause". Thank you for replying.

Have you tried resetting the BIOS to default by using motherboard jumpers or removing CMOS battery?

You may have a hardware conflict. Try entering the BIOS and searching for a setting called reset configuration data. Should be in the advanced settings. Enable this setting, save and exit. This will allow the system to reallocate the IRQ assignments. This setting should revert back to disabled after one boot cycle but check it anyway to be sure. You don't want to reallocate on each boot. If this doesn't work then remove all non essential hardware cards and disable non essential onboard hardware in the BIOS and reboot. If that works, add back in one be one.

street1, no. How do I do that? Although as far as I'm aware I haven't changed anything in the bios. OtheHill, I can't change anything in the bios because the keyboard doesn't work in there. I'll try removing the non-essential hardware. Thanks for the replies guys.

Just removed the internal modem and it works! Thank you so much. Just out of curiosity, why would the PCI card cause the keyboard not to work in the bios? Thanks again!