Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.
Regarding your issue, I truly appreciate your effort in finding a resolution. I believe that many users may encounter similar issue, and your case could serve as a valuable reference for them. Therefore, I would make a brief summary of this post so that other forum members could easily find useful information here:
Issue Description:
During Windows XP setup, the screen displays:
F8 = I Agree
ESC = I Do Not Agree
But pressing F8 does nothing, while ESC works.
Assessment:
On some laptops, the function keys (F1–F12) are set to control things like brightness or volume by default. So, pressing F8 alone doesn’t send the right signal.
Solution:
Press Fn + F8 instead of just F8. The Fn key forces the keyboard to use the standard function key behavior, allowing Windows XP setup to recognize the F8 input and proceed with the agreement.
Note: This also works with Windows XP Business version.
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