keyboard does not work when install CD run

[Charles Blair]

   Thanks for the help with my previous distress calls.  I fear
this will not be the last.

   I just booted the "i386" CD on my new HP machine.  It displayed
a bunch of stuff, ending with the choices (I) install (S) shell.

   I tried to type "I" or "i", but nothing happened on my screen,
seemed to be no response at all.  Control-C and control-alt-del
did not do anything either.  I ended up turning the machine off.
Keyboard is working with windows.

   It may be significant that one of the things displayed was

"kbc: cmd word write error".

   Bonus question: I last installed linux (debian) over five years
ago.  I had that co-existing with a windows partition.  The machine
orignally had its entire hard disk as windows.  I had to use a program
(FIPS) to shrink the windows files  to a smaller space, which then
became my windows partition when I used fdisk.  I didn't see any
description of this part of the process in the installation
instructions.