BIOS USB & Keyboard support

[Mike89]

I am confused by what your BIOS guide says about these settings. Your explanation says to use either "OS" or "BIOS" for the USB Mouse and Keyboard settings in the BIOS and that if the "BIOS" setting is selected, only rudimentary functions will be in Windows for the USB mouse and keyboard.

In the DFI BIOS, there is no "OS" and "BIOS" option, there is only "Enabled" or "Disabled". I don't know what you mean by only having rudimentary functions in Windows if choosing the "BIOS" option cause I'm using a USB mouse and keyboard and have the options "Enabled" in the DFI BIOS (which I assume is the same as your "BIOS" option) and do not think I have any functions limited in Windows.

Here is another explanation I saw in a forum when this was being discussed (pertaining to your BIOS guide explanation of this).

The enable USB Keyboard or mouse options in the BIOS are for using those devices in non Windows environments. Memtest springs to mind. Once Windows loads, it is the Windows drivers that recognize and operate the devices.

This makes sense. I would like to know which one of these explanations is correct because they are quite different and there are an awful lot of people out there using USB mouse/keyboard that have these options Enabled in the BIOS.

[eLPuSHeR]

Hello. I am not very knowlegeable about this issue but for what I have read on ABIT forums (my mainboard maker), system will not boot up on certain mainboards when a usb device is connected at boot time (like a pen drive, for instance) and USB legacy support is set to BIOS. Mind you, my NF7 board has both options (BIOS, OS). ABIT recommends setting it to OS. Just because both my keyboard and mouse are PS/2, this doesn't affect me.

On the other hand, I find USB keyboards and mice somewhat annoying.

[Adrian Wong]

Hello Mike89,

Different motherboards have different BIOS options. Hence, the slight discrepancy between what's written in the book and what's in your motherboard BIOS.

What the OS option essentially means is that the BIOS' USB support is disabled so USB support is provided by the operating system. You won't be able to use the mouse in operating systems that do not natively support USB (i.e. DOS).

The opposite is true when you enable the BIOS option (in other motherboards).

In your motherboard, it's simple. Enabling it is the same thing as using the BIOS option. Disabling it is the same thing as using the OS option.

Hope that helps you some!

[Mike89]

I got that part. The part I was questioning was the "rudimentary support" in Windows part (having BIOS support enabled). I have not experienced this.

Maybe BIOS and Windows is now smart enough where the BIOS enabled function works in non-windows environments and when Windows loads, it takes over? It has been my experience that this is the case. I have not seen any indicators that some of my mouse and keyboard functions are missing.

[Adrian Wong]

Oh, I see where your confusion lies.

Okay, to clarify, the BIOS support for mouse function is basic. So, you will get only basic mouse functions.

Yes, Windows XP should automatically its own mouse driver when it loads up. But older operating systems like Win98 may not do so. If so, you may be stuck with just the BIOS mouse driver.