Troubleshooting a Windows Installer Boot Issue: Keyboard Detection and System Freezes
Encountering boot or detection issues during Windows installation can be a frustrating experience, especially when hardware behaves inconsistently after hardware modifications or testing. If your PC either stalls at the manufacturer’s splash screen, freezes on the Windows logo, or the installer fails to recognize your keyboard, this guide might help you diagnose and resolve the problem.
Understanding the Situation
The root of the issue appears to have arisen after testing various hardware components, including different RAM sticks, SSDs, and CPUs. Since then, the system exhibits problematic behavior — freezing at BIOS, the Windows logo, or losing keyboard input during the installer process.
Interestingly, the keyboard functions flawlessly within BIOS but becomes unresponsive once Windows setup begins, despite multiple USB ports being tested.
Key Symptoms
- System stalls or freezes at the ASUS splash screen during boot.
- Stalls on the Windows loading screen.
- During Windows installation, keyboard becomes unresponsive at the language selection step.
- Keyboard works perfectly in BIOS, indicating hardware functionality but issues arise once the OS installer loads.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Reset the BIOS Settings
- Clear the CMOS by removing the motherboard’s CMOS battery for several hours.
- Reboot and restore BIOS defaults.
- Verify BIOS settings related to boot mode:
- Set to UEFI boot.
- Disable Compatibility Support Module (CSM) if enabled.
- Enable Secure Boot or set to “Other OS” as appropriate.
- Disable fTPM and clear TPM keys if previously enabled.
2. Test with Minimal Hardware Configuration
- Use only one RAM stick, preferably in the A2 slot which previously booted.
- Remove all drives (SSD/HDD) to eliminate potential boot conflicts.
- Connect only the keyboard to test USB ports.
- Attempt to boot from USB media again in this stripped-down setup.
3. Verify Boot Media Integrity and Compatibility
- Recreate the Windows 10 installation USB using Rufus:
- Use GPT partition scheme with UEFI target.
- Confirm the USB boots successfully on a different machine.
- Ensure that the bootable media is not corrupted.
4. Check USB Ports and Devices
- Test both rear USB ports, as front panel ports may sometimes have issues.
- Test with different keyboards if available — wired, wireless, different brands.
- Avoid USB hubs; connect keyboard
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