[ILUG] OT : Smoothwall , P166 Gateway2000 + keyboard

[Colin Fowler]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Justin (Home Office)" <macarthy at iol.ie>
To: <ilug at linux.ie>
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 10:01 PM
Subject: [ILUG] OT : Smoothwall , P166 Gateway2000 + keyboard


> Hi I have a p166 Gateway2000 run as a smoothwall , everything works fine
> except when I remove the keyboard  and reboot , then I get  (after the ram
> count )
>
> KeyBoard Error Press <esc> to resume ....
>
> the BIOS is AMIBIOS , american Megatrends Inc  and I can't find any
settings
> in the bios
>
> Any one got any ideas ???? Thanks
>
Lot of BIOS's won't boot properly without a keyboard as they assume you'll
always need a kb
and if it can't detect one there's an error. Mostly you only get the "Don't
whine about no keyboard"
Option in machines that are intended for server use.

The keyboard used to be essential because the keyboard controller chip was
used to toggle gate
A20 address line (part of the setup to get into real mode - allowing
addressing to above 1 meg *).


Colin Fowler




* Yes I know you can get into real mode not enabling gate a20 but that all
even MB's in the address
space map to an odd one so you have a hole every 2nd MB.