How to operate without a keyboard

**Roscoe** · 03-07-2022, 10:27 AM

I want to retrieve some files off an old PC but the pins on the keyboard plug are bent so I cannot plug in the keyboard. Is there some other way I can copy those wanted files to a USB stick without a keyboard?

Thank for your help.

**wainuitech** · 03-07-2022, 10:32 AM

Yep, your mouse. Since you wont be able to select more than 1 file at a time depending on how many you may be easier to drag the whole folder to the USB.

**Roscoe** · 03-07-2022, 10:45 AM

Thank you, Wainui. I will have a look at that.

**Agent_24** · 03-07-2022, 08:21 PM

What about a USB keyboard? Or is it *that* old that it doesn't have USB ports?

You can select more than 1 file at once with the mouse if you click and drag a selection rectangle around them (assuming the files you want are adjacent to each other)

**Roscoe** · 06-07-2022, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by Agent_24

What about a USB keyboard? Or is it *that* old that it doesn't have USB ports?

You can select more than 1 file at once with the mouse if you click and drag a selection rectangle around them (assuming the files you want are adjacent to each other)

Yes. It is that old. It is running XP! It has been sitting in the office for a few years.

Thank you for the tip on how to use the mouse. I did not know that.

**Agent_24** · 06-07-2022, 05:13 PM

Almost all computers capable of running XP should have USB ports.
And XP should be able to auto-install generic drivers for most USB keyboards too.

(Yes XP can technically run on a Pentium 1, but I'm going to guess you aren't doing *that*)

When I said old, I was thinking of a 386 running Windows 3.1 or such.