How to avoid error 7026 (i8042prt) when running headless on Windows and an older mobo
So my firewall is a an old Compaq d500 desktop running Windows 2003 and ISA 2006 Server. It's running headless (without monitor, keyboard or mouse connected) in a corner, being managed over RDP. But since the hardware isn't new, the concept of usb keyboards is kind of alien to the bios, but I finally managed to get it to boot without nagging for a ps/2 keyboard. However, seems Windows also feels it should've been given a keyboard connection, because forever it's been throwing a service error at logon:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7026
Date: 01.08.2009
Time: 10:16:19
User: N/A
Computer: ******
Description:
The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:
i8042prt
I finally got tired of this so I decided to search out a solution to this. And woohoo, I found 2:
- Boot to recovery console (from the CD or if you've installed it on the HDD), at the prompt type: disable i8042prt
- Start regedit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt and change value of "Start" to 4. This will disable the boot start of this service.
Hope this is of some use for someone else.
