No Mouse During Windows 7 Install

Question

I'm having a problem installing Windows 7 on my Dell XPS m1330 notebook. When booting from DVD I get to the screen where you select the language; time and currency; and keyboard input or method only to have no ability to enter them since then there is no keyboard or mouse control.

About the machine:
* Came from Dell with Ubuntu
* Working Ubuntu 9.04 install on one partiton
* No problem installing XP
* Same problem when attemping Vista install
* Latest version of BIOS installed

I have been banging my head against this for awhile now. Open to any/all suggestions.

UPDATE

Here is what happened when I tried installing from within XP

Solution

I would create an automated installer using a tool like vLite. You can put in all your info and get into windows without having to do more then boot to the CD. Look at a tutorial here:

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-create-unattended-windows-7-installation-setup/

The most likely reason you have this problem is that the chipset driver database the disk has doesn't have the driver for your computer. I've run into this a few times with windows XP and I had to slipstream a driver into the package to make it work. You may not need to do that if they have the network driver. Windows 7 can contact microsoft and get updated drivers once you get into the GUI.

[EDIT]

An alternate approach is to clear the drive completely. Either delete all partitions or write zero's to the drive by using a program like killdisk. The purpose of this is to setup a blank drive for the windows 7 install. When I was reinstalling windows after a motherboard change, I had to start with an empty drive or windows couldn't use it to install.

Once you get the windows 7 system up and running, you can then resize the partitions using something like EaseUS. You can then install Ubuntu to the newly opened up space. I'm not a linux guy so I can't really help with that spot.

So assuming that you can get a properly slipsteamed disk, you should be able to get it dropped onto the system and make it work.

[/EDIT]

Comments

[Admin]

not sure about this particular model, but check the BIOS options for something like 'USB Emulation' and enable it.

[r0ca]

Laptop... Can you try with a USB keyboard? USB mouse? It's kinda weird that the laptop's keyboard and mouse pad aren't working during the install

[matheeeny]

@r0ca have tried with USB mouse with no avail

[matheeeny]

@Molly USB Emulation is already enabled

[Admin]

@matheeeny - turn it off and try again.

[matheeeny]

I couldn't get this approach to work.

[ganesh]

Why switch to ancient IDE/ATA compatibility mode? It should not influence the mouse and AHCI has more features and is faster.