Both keyboard and mouse refuse to work in Windows 98

[sealracer]

I have another computer with Win98. The keyboard and mouse both refuse to work, but only in Win98. They work when I run a hardware diagnosis or boot setup or whatever. I cannot operate anything in the OS.

Im looking to format the HD anyways. Is there a way I can save the data though?

[DMR]

Any idea what might have contributed to the problem? That is, can you think of anything abnormal that happened just prior to the kb and mouse dying?

Does the keyboard work long enough to let you get into safe mode during the boot process? If so, you'd at least be able to access your data.

In the worst case, you could pull the hard drive and install it as a slave drive in some other system. At least that you'd be able to burn your data to CD/DVD or copy it to the Master hard drive temporarily.

[Catweazle]

Put another hard drive in it, load Windows onto that, and then and copy the files across?

Put the hard drive into a system with a CD-Burner and copy the files to CD?

Edit: oops, beaten to the post! I'll run away now.........

:o

[sealracer]

:mrgreen: thanks guys

dmr- dont know what could have contributed. the computer was my dads and was never used for a while. i will try what you said.

[DMR]

D-oh! Forgot to ask a rather important question:

Are the devices USB or are they ps/2?

[sealracer]

D-oh! Forgot to ask a rather important question: Are the devices USB or are they ps/2?

sorry i was away. the devices are not usb they are ps/2.

I connected the second hard disk as slave to copy its files. another related problem came up however- I cant access the other partition of the slave drive.

The only drive that comes up is "Drive F".

[Catweazle]

If the partition you can't access is an NTFS partition that would explain Windows 98's inability to find it. You can, however, install utility programs which lett Windows 98 read NTFS partitions, and using one would allow you to copy the files across.

Try finding one in the results of this Google search

[sealracer]

If the partition you can't access is an NTFS partition that would explain Windows 98's inability to find it. You can, however, install utility programs which lett Windows 98 read NTFS partitions, and using one would allow you to copy the files across. Try finding one in the results of this Google search

oh no- i forgot to mention- my master HD is win2000. i will look for the utilities either way though

[Catweazle]

If it's a Windows 2000 system drive, then it's highly likely you have an NTFS partition. Like with Windows XP, NTFS is the 'native' file system for Windows 2000

[DMR]

Is the drive recognized when you go to the Computer Management->Disk Management window in your Administrative Tools folder?

[sealracer]

Cheers Catweazle. Im looking for a util that lets me read FATs but cant seem to find one.

DMR- It recognises it, but does not let me access it.

The second partition is a FAT, while the primary is a FAT32. I can access the FAT32 drive but not the FAT. Im not sure why.

Both partitions on my master HD are NTFS.

[DMR]

The second partition is a FAT, while the primary is a FAT32.

There's something about this that's stuck in the back of my brain, but I can't quite put my finger on it- how large is the second (FAT) partition, and is it a Primary or Logical partition?

[sealracer]

There's something about this that's stuck in the back of my brain, but I can't quite put my finger on it- how large is the second (FAT) partition, and is it a Primary or Logical partition?

It says 15MB FAT, but on the list it says 14MB, with 12MB free . it also says 'Healthy (EISA Configuration)'

[Catweazle]

That's a 'hidden' partition, created by the system manufacturer for the storage of utilities which operate at the system level. Forget about it. It's only 15Mb, which is bugger-all, and you'd need a low-level disk format utility to remove it.

Losing 15 megabytes from the drive isn't gonna hurt anything.

[DMR]

That's a 'hidden' partition, created by the system manufacturer for the storage of utilities which operate at the system level.

Yup, that's exactly what it is. Specifically, it's an HP utility/diagnostics partition; as CW said, don't sweat it. (Any of the diagnostic tools in that partition can be downloaded from HP's support site in the very unlikely event that you would ever need them.)

[sealracer]

thanks guys

[caperjack]

If the keyboard on the win98 machine works when you run diagonist tools ,maybe you could boot with a windows boot disk and reload windows over itself ,this might fix the mouse keyboard problems in win98.

[danmonk]

I am new to this forum but I have a problem that someone may be able to help me with.
My Windows 98 computer's power unit died and I replaced it and now my mouse will not work so I can't do anything. Anyone know what the problem might be and how to fix it? The Power unit I replaced was a HP-50CLFA6 REV:01.
I did replase it with the same kind of power unit and I clearly get power now but no mouse action. HELP! (The computer is for my 5 year old to train on.