Keyboard issues while installing Windows XP with Bootcamp

Those of us with wired thin aluminum keyboards may comisserate with you. When my Windows installation onto the Bootcamp volume failed, I found that I needed an older keyboard so that I could zap the pram and bypass the installer's desire to boot that partition; my wired aluminum couldn't zap. Once zapped with an older kybd I was back in Mac. Now I've another problem: When the Vista installer asks for disc 2 I have no way of ejecting install disc 1. I've tried silly tricks like using the keyboard's right usb port and using keyboard commands to advance through the first Vista install disc. Please post if you know a way to eject a disc from the install process.

It seems obvious that this issue continues. Has anyone been able to install boot camp in OS x(10.5.1) w/macbookmacbookproSU1.1.dmg on a MacBook without resorting to plugging in an old keyboard to a USB port during the initial Install option screen (Enter, R, or F3 to exit) ?

I'm having the same issue using a MacBook Pro. It seems as though there is no power to the usb bus during the startup period, and I can't install windows as I can't hit ENTER to continue into the install.

My MB Pro keyboard and mouse don't respond, and the keyboard won't light up. If I put a white Apple USB keyboard on, it doesn't light up, and if I put my roommates usb keyboard on, the caps lock light freezes on and that's it.

I don't have a USB mouse to hand to try, and wonder if that's the issue? But it doesn't sound like it from here....

Also, the windows USB keyboard will only draw power from the USB port on the right hand side of my MB Pro, and not the left....

Success at last. All I had to do was cough up $299 for a full copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 included at Best Buy. It seems that all the XP2 ENG just means it was XP from about 2002 that was sold as an OEM reinstall. It would have only lasted 30 days anyway. MS wants a license for each machine. I used the Boot Camp install wizard from Mac OS 10.5.1 and this version of XP SP2 had drivers for keyboards and trackpads that included the MacBook. I didn't need the $25 PS/2 Belkin keyboard adapter or the USB mouse. In fact with those attached I got hardware errors during the initial load from the CD before the prompt for enter, R , or F3. With every thing detached, the load went flawlessly, until the cat walked across the keyboard. Fortunately a reboot to the windows allowed ejection of the CD and insertion of the Leopard disk which loaded a huge number of drivers. Now even the bluetooth mouse works. Can't blame Apple for any of this.

My apple USB keyboard doesn't work at all with Bootcamp and Windows/XP. The $19.95 USB keyboard I bought at Best Buy works just fine, but I'm not sure how the keys map. I'll have to experiment. It's really too bad since I think the apple keyboard is about the best one I've seen in the 40 years I've been in software. I wish they would at least acknowledge there is a driver problem to be fixed. Telephone support doesn't seem to know about it.

I finally got past this issue on my MacBook. All it took was connecting a keyboard from a blueberry iMac circa 2000. Glad I'm finally past this silly issue. XP is installing now. Hopefully when it is done I'll actually be able to use the MacBook keyboard.