So I have an old desktop machine running Windows 98 SE, works fine, but now I wanna try to run games in pure DOS mode. But when I restart in pure DOS mode, the keyboard isn't working. This is odd to me as the keyboard does work during pre boot (I can enter BIOS) and legacy USB support is also enabled in BIOS.
Anyone know how I could fix this?
JustRob wrote on 2020-01-07, 16:27:Anyone know how I could fix this?
I ran into the same problem today and maybe this might be the solution?
Re: Bret Johnson's USBMOUSE - high loss of conventional memory
I'll definitive give it a try.
You have to boot to DOS directly with F8, do not restart to DOS from Windows.
As soon as you start Windows, it will take over control of the USB keyboard from the BIOS.
Which means there is no USB to PS/2 emulation anymore when you go back to DOS from Windows.
(Had the same problem on my converted IBM 122 😜)
schmatzler wrote on 2020-01-08, 09:14:You have to boot to DOS directly with F8, do not restart to DOS from Windows.
Does not work in my case. I can enter BIOS setup with the USB keyboard by pressing F2 but as soon as the "enter F2 for setup" prompt vanishes, my stops working until Windows 98 boots up. I've looked through all my BIOS options and I don't have anything regarding "legacy USB".
Your keyboard probably has an internal hub or isn't a proper HID device but an USBGCP device as with modern Joysticks and other sort of control devices. 1997-2000 AMIBIOSes had 2 different modules to drive input devices from Real Mode with manufacturer sometimes only updating the BIOS USB HID driver, but not the DOS INT emulation module, and that's why sometimes builtin BIOS SETUP utility supports Internal USB HUBs and USBGCP composite input devices, but not the DOS emulation code (input from keyb "dissapears" in dos mode). Sometimes you can fix it with a firmware update for your motherboard, but sometimes the only fix is using an older usb keyboard... or a PS/2 one.
hyoenmadan wrote on 2020-01-08, 20:07:Your keyboard probably has an internal hub...
That's most likely it. It's a keyboard with internal HUB to connect a USB mouse etc. Linux lsusb shows me that the HID devices are connected to this internal HUB so yeah..
Booting directly into DOS on startup worked, thanks guys
