Unresponsive Keyboard During Clean Install

I have an interesting problem. I bought this computer five years ago. It is a Micron Millenia EX PIII, 733 MHz. It was originally designed to run Windows 98. Whenever I try to perform a clean install of any other version of Windows besides 98, my keyboard becomes unresponsive and I cannot select the appropriate items to continue with the clean install. For example, if I put the Windows XP cd into my system and restart, I will boot from the cd. The cd will then load setup files and go to a screen that asks if I want to continue to install Windows XP; then I'm supposed to hit ENTER. However, my keyboard is completely unresponsive and the computer will accept no inputs from it. I can't even change the caps lock or num lock settings. This occurs with Windows 2000 as well. I can perform a clean install of Windows 98, however, probably because the entire sequence is automated and I don't have to make selections until the main components of the OS are loaded on and Win98 is already running from my HD. This is a really fustrating problem because I want to do a clean install of Windows XP but I never can. I always just upgrading over 98. I have also tried another keyboard that was functional on a different computer when performing a Windows XP/2000 clean install. When I plugged this new keyboard into my system, it too became unresponsive during the setup screen. My keyboard is a Microsoft Natural Keyboard and is PS/2. I'm sorry for the length of this post, but I'm really desperate. I've been trying to figure this out for five years now! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance, James.

 

We went through this yesterday.

For your own benefit as well as other members, don't double-post.

If you haven't found a suitable solution, keep the original thread going so people don't go over ground that has already been covered.

 

Just curious, but did you try going to Micron's website and downloading drivers?

 

According to the Micron website, my model keyboard has no driver.

 

Unless it's a multimedia keyboard, it doesn't require extra drivers.

Even then, they are only required for extra functions like CD play and volume buttons etc.

The keyboard overall will still work, and moreso, any keyboard drivers are only installed once Windows has been.

 

mine just started after i repartitioned my hdd with reiserfs to try a linux install- in my case i had to go through the xp cd to reformat into ntfs & reinstall xp for enough time to burn another linux distro to try.
by the time id spent a half hour or so i forgot to shut off the pc w/ the problem & it just went away- after 10-20 mins the enter key worked again.
i dunno what happened but since i found no answers i figured id put one up
good luck...... just another reason to ditch windows, huh

 

Well, after almost six years I finally solved the problem. It was a matter of flashing the BIOS to the most up-to-date version. I did this and now my keyboard works during the install sequence. Thanks for everyone's help!