I'm having a problem while trying to re-install. My keyboard will work to enter setup and change BIOS/CMOS settings, but when I try to boot off of a CD to format and re-install it doesn't recognize any key presses. This is when I'm at the "press any key to boot from CD" prompt. I try pushing keys but nothing happens and then Windows boots normally. I have a USB keyboard, I've tried another USB kb and a PS/2 keyboard, none of them work. I've also tried two different boot discs. My CMOS settings are correct, the boot sequence isn't the problem, it just won't recognize any keystrokes. Ideas? Thanks in advance.

Is the CD drive properly identified in the POST screens? Sounds like your CD drive isn't working properly. Is it a SATA CD drive?

I'm not sure if it's true for the XP install CD, but I've found that 'sometimes' the only key that works for the 'any key' prompt is the <Enter> key.

The CD drive is fine, it will get to the "press any key to boot from CD" prompt. I'm starting to think i have a bad ps2 port. I know usb keyboards can be pretty hit or miss when it comes to this. I'm gonna snag another ps2 keyboard from work today and try it out later. If that doesn't work then i'm guessing the port is bad.

If you can get into the BIOS screens why would you think the port or keyboards are bad. They are obviously working. That is why I mention the CD drive. Did you watch the screens to see if the drive is identified by model? If it is SATA you may need to use different BIOS settings. You might try clearing the CMOS and then entering immediately to reset values as needed.

Well i got it, and i'm still confused. This makes no sense to me at all but i tried a different ps2 keyboard and it worked. The other keyboards i tried could get me into setup so they obviously worked fine, but they wouldn't let me boot from cd. I snagged another keyboard from the office and tried it and it worked like a charm. I'm confused as to why, but i'm good now. Thanks for the replies. For the record, the SATA drive thing was a good idea, but my drives are all standard IDE and they show up in the POST.

In the interest of science you might now try plugging in a USB keyboard, in addition to the Ps2, and see if the USB works now? I have a machine that won't boot with a USB mouse. I plugged in an old ball type Ps2 mouse, (in addition to a USB type) and I'm not even sure it works, and the machine boots as advertised. I just leave the old Ps2 mouse dangling in the ball of wires behind the machine.