Add PS/2 to EliteDesk 400 G5?

[AtBo]

Hi.  I would like to install Windows 7 x64 Pro onto an EliteDesk 400 G5.  I added USB drivers to a Win 7 image, but still no mouse or keyboard.  I have a PS/2 keyboard, so, would this part add PS/2 compatibility to the desktop?

HP 400 600 800 G3 PS2 Serial Port Card Low Profile 910324-001 910110-001

 Thank you in advance for any assistance.

[TheOldMan · Accepted solution]

That device does seem to give the PC the additional inputs for PS/2 , however you can/should be able to do the same thing with one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/UCEC-Mouse-Keyboard-Converter-Cable/dp/B00X9QX9MS/ref=sr_1_8?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9...

I do not know how much that device is but the solution given is less than $15.

[AtBo]

Hi and thanks.  I ended up buying the part, and it worked great for the keyboard.  I will have to get a PS/2 mouse at some point.  Appreciate you looking around, but the problem is that USB does not work at all on these machines when trying to install Windows 7.  It's the installer for W7.  It doesn't have a driver for USB 3.  I was actually quite surprised that this part worked, but still unhappy, because the W7 installer is not seeing drives, either.  I am back to the drawing board, but that is fine.  Again, really appreciate your help.  Just glad I managed to get the keyboard working for now.  Any progress is good progress.

[TheOldMan]

Looking at the EliteDesk 400 G5 again.  It came with Windows 10 Pro and does have USB 3 with no USB 2, which Windows 7 does not understand the USB 3.  It may also have a M.2 256 GB PCIe® NVMe™ SSD, which might be the reason Windows 7 does not see the drive. 

i notice there are SATA ports which may support a SATA drive to get Windows 7 started.  There is also a PCIx slot which might be able to support a USB expansion card for USB 2.0, but there could be other problems with the newer hardware vs what Windows 7 can support.  Perhaps there would be someone on the forums that can give advise for installing Windows 7 on this newer hardware.

[AtBo]

The PC was listed as having no drive.  No NVME inside, unfortunately.  I had attached an SSD and then I tried a standard SATA 3.0 drive.  I think I have a SATA 2.0 drive somewhere I might try, however.  Funny you should mention the PCI USB.  I actually have a PCI-e x1 SATA riser, which I tried, but, curiously, it did not help for this application.  However, I can get as far with the installation media as seeing the blank drives dialog, so I did order a dual port PCI USB header.  The installation dialog asks me to install drivers, so maybe I can put the drivers for NVME and USB 3.0 on a USB flash stick and install them using PCI USB 2.0 header.  I know i have the NVME driver, and I should be able to find USB 3.0 support out there somewhere.

Thankyou very much for assisting.  I have looked around for some input about installing Windows 7 on this PC, and I can see it is a tall order to say the least.  I may just install Windows 10 and see if I can work backwards once the USB card arrives.  Thanks again.

[TheOldMan]

I'll tag a couple of members on this forum that are quite knowledgeable about doing things with HP PC's

@Paul_Tikkanen  and @NonSequitur777  may be able to offer some suggestions.

[AtBo]

That would be great, thank you.  I am making little bits of progress.  I should have the PCI-e USB card in the next few days.  The computer doesn't have a DVD R/W, but I have an old external USB one.  I have some R/W disks, so I am thinking of checking to see if I can use that method to transfer files.  I think the biggest problem will be finding network and chipset drivers for Windows 7.  I have the Windows update NVME driver, but I will also need the USB 3 driver. 

[NonSequitur777]

@TheOldMan,

Subject: Windows 7 Installation Issues on HP EliteDesk 400 G5.

Well, as it is, Windows 7 is not officially supported on the HP EliteDesk 400 G5 due to hardware compatibility issues. Since the OP's system is built on 8th or 9th Gen Intel processors, Windows 7 lacks native support for:

• USB 3.0 Ports – Windows 7 does not include built-in USB 3.0 drivers, which is why the OP's keyboard, mouse, and USB devices are unresponsive during installation.
• Modern Chipset Drivers – Intel stopped providing Windows 7 drivers starting with 7th Gen processors, meaning no official chipset, network, or graphics drivers are available.
• NVMe SSD Support – If the OP's system has an NVMe drive, additional drivers must be injected into the installation media.
• Blocked Windows Updates – Even if installation succeeds, Microsoft and Intel have (actively) disabled updates on newer hardware running Windows 7.

 

Workarounds (With Limited Success Reported):

1. Integrate USB 3.0 drivers into your Windows 7 ISO (this requires correct drivers and proper slipstreaming).
2. Use a PS/2 keyboard/mouse if the OP's system has a PS/2 port.
3. Install Windows 7 on older hardware (Intel 4th-6th Gen systems are more compatible).
4. Run Windows 7 as a Virtual Machine (VM) inside Windows 10/11 for legacy software support.

 

Best Recommendation:

Upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11, as Windows 7 is outdated, lacks security updates, and is not designed for modern hardware.

If the OP really must run Windows 7 (software), a VM or older PC is a far more reliable and realistic solution.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777