keyboard dead and not able to access BIOS via USB external keyboard

[Guest]

[ag.gatti]

Buongiorno,

suddenly my OQO Model e2 keyboard stopped working.

I looked in the knowledge database and found a solution that requires an external USB keyboard.

I have a Logitech USB keyboard bought in Italy, there is no DEL key, but a key marked CANC at the right top, which I suppose should be the delete key.

I connected the external keyboard directly to the OQO USB port, restarted the computer and hit repeatedly on the CANC key but I was not able to access the BIOS.

I tried also to hit the F1 key, the ESC key and the CTRL+CANC but the OQO keeps loading the operating system.

How can I access the BIOS?
Is there another key that I have to press during restart in order to access BIOS??

thanks for your help

Andrea
Italy

P.S. the external keyboard works fine, infact I am writing this post using the external keyboard

[charlieboy]

Andrea

I suggest you plug the USB keyboard in and then find out which key has the behaviour of deleting the next charactor on a line of text. Opening a new document with notepad is good way to locate this. Try typing a series of characters and place the cursor in the middle of the line, try the different keys/combinations till you find the one that deletes the next character after the cursor, this is the Delete key. Do not confuse it with the backspace, this will delete the previous character. When you have found this key then try to reboot. When you reboot you will need to repeatedly press and release the "key" till it goes in to bios. Please note just pressing it once will not work.
Good Luck


Charlie

[ag.gatti]

Thanks Charlie,

I followed your suggestion and found the delete key, unfortunately it doesn't work as expected when I reboot.

Could it depend on the type of USB keyboard?

Andrea
Italy

[charlieboy]

Andrea

I just want to confirm the USB keyboard works when you have booted into windows, you mention you are writing the post on it? If it does then something really strange is going on. If it does not then you might have a keyboard that is not compatible with the OQO so try it out with another USB keyboard, but that also seems a bit strange. I  think either way you probably need to raise a TT direct with OQO support on this.

Charlie

[Stormbringer]

Since the USB Driver is ready before the OQO starts booting the OS, the Keyboard should normally work. Well if I were you I would buy a cheap 5$ USB Keyboard from the nextdoor supermarket, and if it still doesn't work - well then I guess you can only send it to OQO to repair it.

[ag.gatti]

Thanks Charlie and Stormbringer,

I will follow your suggestion and find another USB keyboard and try with it.

In any case I believe that this should not happen with a 2500 euro PC like the OQO.

We are not talking about a cheap PC. It is unbelievable that after only 3 weeks of use the keyboard dies.

Never happened with any other portable computers and much more cheaper than the OQO!!!!!!!!!

If Dennis Moore is listening I would be happy to hear his opinion about this!!

Andrea
Italy

[Stormbringer]

Hmm people seem to have quiet often problems with the OQO-keyboard. All my laptops I ever used never had problems with the keyboard.
I think the problem is that it's the earliest days of UMPCs, it will take about 5 to 10 years until they work stable.

[ag.gatti]

The knowledge database, after fixing the keyboard, suggests to install OQO Manager 2.0.6.13 or later.

How can I check which version of OQO Manager I have on my OQO?

Would it be usefull to install the latest OQO Manager even if I was not able to fix the keyboard??

Today is Sunday and it is not easy in Italy to find a computer store opened in order to try with another USB external keyboard.

By the way my external keyboard is the following: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/177&cl=it,it

Maybe the reason why the delete key does not work when rebooting could be because the keyboard is both USB and PS/2 ??

thanks for your help

Andrea
Italy

[ag.gatti]

Okay, finally after testing several USB keyboards I found one from Microsoft that works and I was able to access the BIOS and solve the OQO interanl keyboard problem.

Therefore, take in mind that not all the external USB keyboard work with OQO when you have to access the BIOS!!

Andrea
Italy

[bristolview]

Mine has had this problem 2 times already, and that was within 4 weeks.  This is a major design flaw in the OQO, and completely unacceptable for a portable PC.  Nothing like being small, light, highly mobile and completely worthless; only with a new shiny OQO! 

The OQO tech support person (very nice), simply stated "sometimes a bit gets flipped, it happens".  Ummm, not really.  Not on my other machines.  Design flaw, must be addressed.  It renders a highly mobile PC dead in the water.  Sure, it's fixable, but a USB keyboard is not always available to Gerry Rig the thing back to life.  Mine has done this to me two times, both on business trips where I did not have easy access to a USB keyboard.   "This is your Pilot speaking, if anyone has a USB keyboard please ring your Flight Attendent Call button.  A person in seat 9B is using an OQO and needs your help" Pathetic.

[tiagobernardo]

I've recently had this problem with the OQO keyboard "droping dead".
Tried to fix it following the instructions in the previous posts.
After a few tentatives finally got a ulta-flat USB keyboard from Labtec to work with OQO and managed to access the BIOS.
Tried to reset the keyboard by changing the BIOS setting "system -> reset to EC defaults" but didn't work.
Then, uninstalled OQO Manager, and Bluetooth Stack by Toshiba.
Reinstalled Bluetooth Stack and then OQO Manager.
The keyboard was alive again! Good!
Few minutes after... dead again.
Tried to reset again by using the BIOS and nothing.
I'm going to try again uninstall e reinstall OQO Manager...

The OQO e2 is a good machine, but I'm getting tired of all the problems it has...

[maxpawlowski]

Hi to All
I have to say that probably I will get rid of my OQO 01 as the quality of that product is really very bad. In last 6 months it was sent twice to the service  - once because of power supply and battery and now keyboard problem. It’s really nice device but definitely is not reliable. I thinking of switch to HTC Shift. 

When I buy mobile phone I can use it without any problems for years. When I bought my first UMPC what I have is all the time problems and I’m thinking when it will be broken again. Strange.
Kind regards,
Max

[tiagobernardo]

I'm going to try again uninstall e reinstall OQO Manager...

Uninstalled OQO Manager again and Blutooth Stack by Toshiba.
For the many tentatives as I can remember, I think I was able to get the keyboard working by reseting the option in the BIOS _and_ not having either the OQO Manager and the Bluetooth Stack installed!
I now think its a problem with the Vista installation, that got mixed up after the substituition of the motherboard of the OQO when the device droped instantly dead in June.
I will reinstall Vista...
Tiago Bernardo

[sandydlc]

The keyboard issue is a known problem with the previous version of OQO manager.  Download the most recent version of OQO manager and the problem has now been resolved.  I initially had this issue sometime last May.  I updated my OQO manager and I've never had the problem since then.

The OQO engineers work hard to identify problems and then resolve them so do remember to check their support site or call tech support before giving up on the OQO entirely.

Sandy