USB Keyboard for DOS

[marksk]

I installed dos and mame .36 using Spystyle's dos boot discon my laptop (PII, 64meg ram, maybe 400-500MHz). it runs great using the laptop's keyboard. i found some dos usb drivers on the web and installed those on the laptop. the usb keyboard works at the dos prompt, but when i start up game launch or mame, the keyboard isn't recognized. i'd like to use dos so i don't have the unnecessary overhead of windows, especially with only 64 meg on the laptop. i planned on building one of the diy keyboard emulators, that's the reason for pursuing the dos usb drivers. has anyone tried this with success?

thanks!
mark

[tikbalang]

enable "legacy" options in the bios. disable "pnp os". plug in usb keyboard before booting the pc. most dos usb drivers i see are for usb mass storage so try without those. these may be interfering with the bios routine.

what are you using for sound? can you share info on those diy keyboard emulators?

[marksk]

here's a link to Spystyle's keyboard hack:
http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com/01/index79.htm

it was pointed out to me, by someone off this board, that the mouse port of the laptop should accept input from a keyboard as well. there was nothing in the bios that helped me. there are sound blaster drivers on Spystyle's disc that worked, so my sound wasn't a problem.

the laptop is old, but was free, so it makes for a good mame candidate.