XP Home edition

I was trying to stop the new hardware wizard from kicking in just because the USB plug for my mouse got knocked out. Next thing I know, I'd deleted the mouse and the keyboard in the device manager or whatever it's called these days. Then guess what, I have a non-working mouse and keyboard. How do you fix the installation when you've done that without an input device?

F8 in the boot sequence allows you to restore the system to the last good working point, but apparently having no input device is fine. In the end, I booted from the CD and did a major reinstall. Of course, this knocked out a few updated files, but at least I could type and point & click.

Have I missed an easier method?

erm nice one is all I can say, that certainly original. :p

You should have let the new hardware wizard kick in ;) but I would have thought if you plug both of them back in the wizard would start again. :confused:

with xp and plug and play they should automatically see them. another way for you to do it would to be to get an adapter that turns a usb into a ps2 port and do a simple restart

Ok, how do you click the 'OK' or 'Continue' buttons?
:)

press the reset button!

haha

Ok, how do you click the 'OK' or 'Continue' buttons?
:)

With a "Human Interface Device" you shouldn't need to. Or you could try mind control, after all Windows XP does have a mind of it's own :p

Yeah, I got a message about the drivers being uncertified or something similar and a couple of buttons to click. At that point I dug out the XP boot disk!

If the usb mouse does not get the computer to say HEY WHATs THAT? O ITS A POINTING DEVICE! Then get an old school mouse and try plugging it into the computer with the computer off and boot it up.

Thanks Fifty2One. Serial port mice aren't exactly common these days!

My favorite windows boot error:

Keyboard not found. Press Esc to continue. :p

My favorite windows boot error:

Keyboard not found. Press Esc to continue. :p

I believe the normal one for that is "Press F1 to continue" (which is still stupid)

You are probably right Bob, it's been a long time.

Rumour has it that the message was changed from 'Press Any Key to continue' because people couldn't find the 'Any' key...