Usb Devices stopping windows from booting

[Andyuk2007]

Hey all, I had this really weird problem today at one of my call outs and i wanted to share it with you in the hope of a solution.

A woman's computer wouldnt boot into windows xp so i did the usual boot repair options, then i decided to unplug all her usb devices and plug my ps2 keyboard in and the computer booted into windows with no problems.

I wanted to see why that was so i plugged her usb mouse back in and rebooted, windows failed to post or anything, i did clear the cmos but this still didnt fix the problem. So i tried my ps2 mouse and keyboard again and it worked every time that was plugged in.

Has anyone ever come accross this issue and how did you resolve it ?

[Simmy]

Just to clarify - it fails to boot with just the USB mouse or with any USB device? Have you tried all the USB ports? Have you tried a different USB mouse/keyboard?

It's strange problem and not one I've come across. Could just be a dodgy USB device?

[Andyuk2007]

Originally Posted by Simmy

Just to clarify - it fails to boot with just the USB mouse or with any USB device? Have you tried all the USB ports? Have you tried a different USB mouse/keyboard?

It's strange problem and not one I've come across. Could just be a dodgy USB device?

Yep thats right it failed to boot with any usb device plugged in i did try all of them with the usb mouse and usb keyboard but it just wouldnt boot so i eventually told the customer to get a ps2 mouse and keyboard as windows worked with the one i bought with me. I wish i had found a solution to the problem incase i encounter it again but i couldnt find any hardware fault with there motherboard as i ran microscope's tools.

it was just plain weird

[Simmy]

Maybe give them a USB PCI card and tell them to avoid using the onboard ones? assuming a new PCI card works, it's the simplest solution.

Do they have an external USB hub or anything? Come to think of it, I've had similar problems with mains powered USB hubs before.

[Andyuk2007]

Originally Posted by Simmy

Maybe give them a USB PCI card and tell them to avoid using the onboard ones? assuming a new PCI card works, it's the simplest solution.

Do they have an external USB hub or anything? Come to think of it, I've had similar problems with mains powered USB hubs before.

Hello simmy, well there going to get a ps2 style interface keyboard and mouse now as its easier but i do wonder why on earth it wouldnt boot when a usb keyboard was inserted hmmm, but not to worry they seem happy i had given them an alternative although i felt kinda guilty billing them as i didnt really fix there problem. Maybe i should refund them i just dunno

[Simmy]

No need to refund them You spent time working on it and found a solution which means they are now able to use the computer.

Have you recently started working for yourself then Andy?

[Andyuk2007]

Originally Posted by Simmy

No need to refund them You spent time working on it and found a solution which means they are now able to use the computer.

Have you recently started working for yourself then Andy?

Hi again, yeah i started PC wizard around 2 months ago now business is a little slow at the moment but i enjoy doing it. my advertising is in a advertising booklet called the local which goes around to 18,000 homes. I understand it will take time but this week work has been slack ive only had 1 call out but the week before i had 12 call outs, is that the way it goes or what ?

[Simmy]

Yep, that's what it's like for me and I would say to expect it to go like that for the first couple of years until you build up a big enough customer base. I sometimes wonder if my phone is ever going to ring again It's quiet over the summer but gets busier over the xmas period, which is when you should really push your advertising campaigns.

In my opinion, avoid advertising in the yellow pages and bt phone book. I tried both last year and the response was very disappointing and I didn't make back the money I invested in the ad. I wasn't really surprised though, considering there are around 15 pages of adverts under computer services.

Your local rag is where I would advertise. For example my local paper, the observer, charge £135 for a 6 week advert distributed around east Bristol. All I needed was 3 hours of work to recoup the costs, which I got after the first week. After that I got a 3-4 responses each week.

[Andyuk2007]

Originally Posted by Simmy

Yep, that's what it's like for me and I would say to expect it to go like that for the first couple of years until you build up a big enough customer base. I sometimes wonder if my phone is ever going to ring again It's quiet over the summer but gets busier over the xmas period, which is when you should really push your advertising campaigns.

In my opinion, avoid advertising in the yellow pages and bt phone book. I tried both last year and the response was very disappointing and I didn't make back the money I invested in the ad. I wasn't really surprised though, considering there are around 15 pages of adverts under computer services.

Your local rag is where I would advertise. For example my local paper, the observer, charge £135 for a 6 week advert distributed around east Bristol. All I needed was 3 hours of work to recoup the costs, which I got after the first week. After that I got a 3-4 responses each week.

Yeah this "The Local" booklet is delievered to 4 villages i've advertised locally because at the moment i've only got a moped as transport as i cant afford a car but i do have a meeting with the prince's trust in a few weeks time to see about a grant, I told them all about my business and they seemed very keen to help me, i guess it also helps the fact ive been doing it for 2 months with some success but i do need more money to take PC Wizard to the next level