Keyboard and mouse not working in Windows 2003 Server / HPML350 G5 server?

Question

I have currently commenced working at a new company which is using Windows Server 2003. I am able to remote desktop into the server and it all works fine. The only problem is if I go to the server room and try to login into the Terminal server via the keyboard and mouse they do not work (so the actual mouse physically connected to the server).

When I reboot the server the keyboard works fine in the HP Bios setup, and if I press F8 to get to the Windows pre-boot options, the keyboard works fine!

It's only as soon as Windows 2003 starts up and you get to the login screen, there is no mouse or keyboard working.

I have checked the device manager and the kb and mouse are returning a code 10 error, could not start.

What i have tried:

• Uninstall / reinstall keyboard/mouse
• disable / re-enable
• countless reboots.

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@Anon: thanks for the tips. And you're right. nothing is ever a silly suggestion. The startup folder is empty. Are you also referring to msconfig? hang on... good point... i just checked msconfig and looked under services. I have noticed the Human Interface Device Access is stopped and not running. I went to services.msc and tried running the services and now have received the following error

Could not start HIDA service on local comp - Error 2: The system cannot find the specified file

As for IRQ conflicts there is no mention of any in the device manager. I have been in the BIOS setup many times and IRQ selections are very very limited to 3,5,10,11 I believe for the devices and ports etc. I don't believe the IRQ is the case on this one. Can you assist on what might be the cause for this error 2? I got a feeling the Windows 2003 is missing some files or possibly corrupted driver?

Answer 1

It may sound stupid, but have you checked your startup items? Even the really stupid stuff in the startup folder?! (Sometimes, the most obvious is the hardest to see.)

Barring that, I'd be looking at the device manager and all IRQ settings. You may have to drill down and see if things aren't trying to share the same DMA and address range too. However, you should be OK so long as other devices aren't trying to use the exact same settings. Otherwise, you may have to get into the BIOS to at least change IRQ's if there's a conflict.

These days, nearly everything plugs into a USB port including mice and keyboards. And that's fine for the average PC but not so good with a server that may need all available IRQ's for NIC's, printers, or something else. And since PS/2 keyboards pretty much have an exclusive IRQ1 set aside you might as well use it for a real PS/2 keyboard. And whatever IRQ your mouse may be using it may be better to change that too (the USB port, that is).

I can't say if that's the problem or not, but IRQ assignments are definitely worth checking.