Windows Server 2003 and USB

A Very Special USB Note

Special mention must go to 2k3's Very Special handling of my USB keyboard and mouse. Special? You bet! Every other system I have (including older windows, linux and mac) can install using my USB kit. But not Winserv2k3.
Failure mode is not graceful. It doesn't explain anything, and it doesn't fail completely -- it just runs at about 1/100 normal speed for some weird reason.
Since I use a kvm (yes, I tried without it thank you) there was no way I was going to set up a special station just for this stupid OS. Instead, through trial and error and many installs, I finally found that if I left a PS2 keyboard/mouse plugged in, the USB setup would work. If I unplug the PS2 setup, it fails.
Here's a little note I jotted down while trying to bone this out: "No soap. Several more installs, blankings of bios. Trying yet another disk. This is amazing. Twice it actually worked but the first time the mouse and keyboard failed on reboot. The second time, reboot failed."

So the only rational solution was to stick the keyboard and mouse under my desk, out of the way.
This is soooo kafkasoft.
That's the server on the left. Pretty classy speakers, huh?