When using Windows 2000 with default startup options, it will always check if a keyboard and mouse are connected or not. If it cannot find either of them it will give you a warning.
If you boot the computer without a keyboard nor a mouse connected to it, it will not load the necessary drivers and you will not be able to use either one of them after boot up. However, you can boot with a mouse and keyboard connected, and then remove them. This way you will be able to re-connect and use them again later on.
You could also use a keyboard/mouse emulator to start up your system. You will have to check with the provider of the emulator if this solution allows you to connect and use a normal mouse and keyboard after boot up.
You could also try to find out how to c
hange registry entries of Windows 2000, so it boots up without checking for neither mouse nor keyboard, and logs in automatically. This way you would not need a keyboard/mouse emulator, and you could try using a USB keyboard and a USB mouse. Windows 2000 offers native support for USB devices and they are hot swappable.
For this last option, keep in mind that only PXI-8176 and PXI-8175 controllers have 2 USB ports. PXI-8174 controllers have only one USB port, as some other older controllers, such us PXI-8170 and PXI-8156B.
Hope this helps,
Claudia Lorente
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
