Acer Aspire TC-281-EB11 no keyboard on windows install

I have acquired an Acer Aspire TC-281-EB11 desktop system and the previous owner installed windows 10 with a pin. The pin is no longer available, the Microsoft account it was setup with no longer exists so I can not recover the pin.

With that said, I want to install a new version of Windows on it, wipe everything off, etc… Windows 7 is the choice. However I am running into an issue. This particular unit has no PS2 style kb/mouse inputs, only USB stuff. I can boot from a DVD unit, the Windows install screen comes up but… the USB keyboard is dead. Seconds before the "loading files" disappears and the install screen comes up, they keyboard system, lights etc… all go off.

I have tried everything I can think of in the BIOS, setting the boot filter between both UEFI and legacy, and a host of other options. I even have a Win10 install on a USB drive and I have set the boot option to 'removable device' but it doesn't see it, no matter what I select in the BIOS…

How can I get a kb/mouse to work for this?

Thanks kindly in advance…

Gary :)

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Accepted answers

GaryDev

OH.. this is most interesting… added in the 2nd boot device, set the boot priority to the usb first, then windows boot manager.. saved, rebooted… pressed F12, didnt get what your pic showed, BUT… IT DID load the windows 10 install… keyboard and mouse working…

Been doing this for like 40 years now, this is the first time I have encountered anything this strange..

Thanks for listening, thanks for the help… most appreciated :)

Gary

All comments

Larryodie

How are you changing the bios setting with no KB or Mouse ??

Anyhow

Set Boot Enable to Enable in Bios then do a F12 boot with your bootable USB inserted. The F12 menu should show the bootable drive.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d

GaryDev

both the kb and mouse "work"… I can boot into win10 and get the pin security screen… I can mouse around and I can attempt the pin entry… no issues, and of course both also work in the bios screen. :)

The problem comes in when I boot the Win7 dvd… 'loading' comes up, the keyboard is on. Moments after the 'loading' is complete, and just prior to the win cgi coming up to select language, kb type etc… the kb lights go off and the KB is dead.

I always have this "problem" when installing win7, and every other system in the past has the PS2 ports for both the kb and mouse. And they work fine. This motherboard has the 3 audio jacks, 6 rear usb ports, 2 front usb ports (and I have tried them all) etc..

Thanks for the F12 tip, I will give that a try.

billsey

The TC-281 models do not support Windows 7, they shipped with Windows 10 and don't have drivers for the Windows 7 OS. Likely your Windows 7 install image can't figure out what chipset is in use, so can't load even simple drivers like the keyboard. Just install W10 instead.

GaryDev

Ah, that makes sense.. since I always had motherboards with the PS2 side. and i always acted that way. O just presumed it was the same way. My next step is the win10 usb, and using the F12 at boot time… will let you all know what happens there.

Thanks for the responses :)

GaryDev

For Larryodie.. I did the F12 thing, with the bios set only to boot from a removable drive.. I get no "menu options" show up, it just tries to directly boot from the usb drive. and of course, it insists there is no boot media there. I know the usb is boot-able and works, I have tested it on another system.

Larryodie

20230907_215640 (1).jpg

Here is the way that my create a disk shows . https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d

Larryodie

The picture is after a F12 boot. I hit enters and it boots OK to install.

GaryDev

The MS link is the one I did several months back, and its loaded onto a 32gb flash drive. I re-tested this device on another system moments ago, and it boots fine into the win10 setup. I also had a thought, perhaps the kb I was using needed a function lock of some kind to get the F keys working, and since finding out about the win7 no-go… I took my wireless keyboard/mouse and put that on the Acer.

Tested the operations in the bios, both kb and mouse worked. I re-checked the boot sequence, and it is set for UEFI and the removable drive. So… bios boot options are as follows:

Launch CSM - Always, Boot filter - UEFI, 1st boot device - Removable Device. 2 3 and 4 are disabled. If I select the removable device priority, that screen is blank, no options shown. So I save and exit the bios

BIOS boot screen comes back up, I press F12, I get a 'loading boot' message appear, and then immediately it comes up with the error, no boot device found, press any key to try again "type of thing".

I have tried the flash drive in all 6 rear and 2 front usb ports… zero success. I have to admit, I am totally stumped. I will try and set the 2nd boot device to the windows boot manager, and see if that changes anything. :)

GaryDev

OH.. this is most interesting… added in the 2nd boot device, set the boot priority to the usb first, then windows boot manager.. saved, rebooted… pressed F12, didnt get what your pic showed, BUT… IT DID load the windows 10 install… keyboard and mouse working…

Been doing this for like 40 years now, this is the first time I have encountered anything this strange..

Thanks for listening, thanks for the help… most appreciated :)

Gary

Larryodie

Congratulations.

Yes Something has changed ???

Roncz….. has been discussing this for several days.

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/691324/bios-boot-options

GaryDev

I know things change…. some of which defies logic. :) When I see a BIOS that has drive boot options, to me… it just means THAT… I don't want "this" drive booting, but I want "that" one to boot. The BIOS is smart enough to know what physical drives are installed.

In this case, it seems Acer has decided that if a drive boot order is marked as disabled, then Acer seems to take the approach that the drive on "that" port is also not available. Which defies decades of logic. On my main system, I have 14 (yes… 14) hard drives installed, 3 of which are SSD units. If and when I want to do a new boot drive, I will physically unplug all of the other drives so there are no boo-boo's…

Anyway, Win10 installed. I am not fond of that OS, Microsnot wants all kinds of different information to register the system and it wont even begin to install until it gets access to your first born… *sigh

Thanks again for the lessons… I learnt something new. :) Now its time to hit the downloads page and check for the latest drivers and maybe a BIOS update..

Gary

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