What I have:
I'm setting up a brand new computer. It came with Windows 10 preinstalled, but I've unplugged that disk and I am now installing Windows 7 on a separate disk instead. Standard USB keyboard+mouse is provided with the computer. The computer only has USB+audio+LAN+HDMI connections, nothing else.
What I did:
- I installed the blank disk and booted from the Windows 7 installer DVD.
- The installer did its thing and rebooted into the first boot setup.
Problem:
The keyboard+mouse are not active, so I can't do anything at all. Without any input devices, I can't complete the installation, nor can I add additional drivers.
What I've tried:
- I know that the input devices work on this computer: it's fine when I boot Windows 10, and it was fine during the first part of the Windows 7 installation too.
- I tried a Logitech Unifying Receiver linked to keyboard+mouse, but this also didn't work.
- I tried booting into Safe Mode but it won't let me until the first boot has taken place.
- I've double-checked the BIOS settings but there's nothing there that looks related.
- I've plugged the input devices into USB 2.0 ports, and USB 3.0 ports. Made no difference.
I could try to wipe the disk and install Windows 7 again, though I highly doubt that will change anything. It seems that there is a problem with the Windows 7's USB hub drivers, rather than with the peripherals themselves. It looks like xHCI is the problem according to this answer but I don't have any USB-hub expansion card to test with.
Am I stuck, or is there a solution??
