Haven't run into this one before. Over the years, have used all types of keyboards (USB, serial, PS2) on all kinds of PCs and all worked OK.

My 2001 Compaq Presario (running XP home) gave up the ghost. Purchased a new Compaq Presario (running Vista). The Compaq keyboard that came with the new PC (PS2) was poor quality, poor keyboard touch, etc., so decided to
install old Compaq keyboard. When I powered up, there was no response -- no error message, but lights did flicker on the keyboard.

Went to Control Panel and checked the drivers for the keyboards and found 2:
C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\i8042prt.sys
C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\kbdclass.sys

Swapped drivers to see if that would help. It did not. I realize that there are special keys on every keyboard that are designed to work with particular systems and that substituting another keyboard will change things -- but usually, the normal alpha/numerical keys work fine.

Any ideas?

P.S. This is the 4th time I've tried to type this message
and each time the ENTER key caused it to be lost.
This time it worked.

CFJ

Does reverting back to the original keyboard 'fix' things?

Do you have access to another machine to try the old keyboard on? Or another keyboard to try on the new machine?

Those 'machine specific things' you talk about are just software mappings of the additional keys and as such shouldn't matter. They just won't work properly, unless the software for the new machine uses the same mappings as the software for the old machine did...

MJC: Original keyboard is what I am using now. Will try 'old' keyboard on another PC - could be this got zapped when old PC burned up motherboard and PS. Will try some other keyboards on this new PC.

Thanks for help & suggestions.

CFJ

'Old' keyboard doesn't work on another PC. Must have gotten damaged when PC went down.

Tried to access BIOS -- tried F1, F2, F10 & Del, which are
usual Compaq BIOS access keys. None worked. Changed battery and let CMOS clear. Same result. PC goes through POST, finds everything but the CD/DVD drive and then stops.

CFJ

Yep, sounds like the old keyboard when to that great recycling bin in the cyber sky...