You have to hit F8 at the right time. So keep hitting F8 while it's booting.

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/202485

One thing to try is to use a bootable disk.( in this case 4 floppies ) You won't be able to use it as install disk, but you will have access to some repair functions and to the console

http://www.allbootdisks.com/download/2000.html

One possible cause for your problem is a disabled service ( plug and play f.i. )

NB : Every service in Windows 2000 has three states, which users can control with the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Snap-in:

Disabled. These services are installed but not currently running.

Set to manual. These services are installed but will start only when another service or application needs its functionality.

Set to automatic. These services are started by the operating system after device drivers are loaded at boot time.

Get yourselve a Windows millenium install disk. It come with 2000+ free problems...

On little correction to the advice given here. As far as I know (and I'm pretty sure about this) you should never 'hot swap' a PS/2 device, just the USB ones. PS/2 should be plugged in before the power is switched on, and only unplugged when the power is off. So don't try unplugging and plugging back in with the PS/2 keyboard.

Thank you all for your wonderful help and suggestions.

I have enable the USB legacy but didn't have time to try a usb keyboard. If it was sead up headless or ont is another thing I don't know. Without the original staff (the company that was called out to install the systems) no one knows much about the state let alone the setup. They just only know the password for the Win98 tower and were instructed not to touch the ES200 server at all. It is the same set of instructions for the new PCs the schools have now. So taking the advice of yanking all cards but the video I'm going to see if that makes any difference this Thursday. Will report what happens after that.

Solo

Well I am truely stumped now.

Was able to boot into safe mode but even that required the ctrl+alt+del key. Was about to pull some more hair out when I decided to go looking around the PC room's closets again. This time I was bale to find the not only the CDs of the server but the manul as well. Now since it's all in Japanese I'll have some translating to do. :p

There are some floppy disks but I have no idea which is the utility disk. I do know that there is monitor disk, SCSI disk, and etc... So again I'll need some time to read the others correctly and identify what is what. Now if I only had an English Win2000 disc. The server was reading the original disc just fine. Can't figure out why it wouldn't read the XP I have? Anywho, I'll try to play around mre with it knowing that if I do get fed up. I have some extra HDs I can use.

Solo

Here is a description of the install process.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd277454.aspx#E1AA

The floppies are probably the 4 setup disks ( used to boot if booting from the CD is not possible) and the manufacturer driver disks ( used after pressing F6 in the installation process )

You will also find some useful resources on MS technet library , including downloads
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727159.aspx

Thanks Phc7006!
I'll check it out and see if I can't do something right this time. :p

Just a quick update.

Got tied up with teaching and didn't get a chance to mess with the tower this week. Hopefully next week I can do something.

Solo

OK. My Japanese sucks. Anywho, I tried to understand the setup the best as I could with the help of the link provided by Phc7006. Got a little cold feet and decided to try my XP disc one more time. This time it loaded!! So I will be installing XP onto the server tower and just simply erase what ever was on the drives. Besides I have the old 98 tower that has some apps in Japanese to help the kids out. So having 1 PC in English and the other in Japanese might be better.

I'd like to thank each and eveyone of you for your help as well as support towards me and this project. When the time comes I hope to be able to return the favor back to you all.

Solo

Are you guys and gals ready for this?

I install Xp on the server tower drive. Then I get all set to go through the setup. I get right to the point of asigning the name for the PC and the keyboard is dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF?!!!!!

I try it again, reboot, and the keyboard is all fine. But as soon as I get to the part to set up the name for the PC the keyboard is dead.

Is this tower cursed?????

Solo here.

It finally loaded and installed XP on that cursive server tower!

I was messing with the bios and I don't know what for sure worked. After again the os/2 keyboard failing I tried the usb keyboard and it worked!!

Now I get a SCSI error. I can ignore it for now until I get more time to play with it. I'm just happy that it boots up now.

Solo