[frantique]

There are 2 PS2 ports on my system and I would like to connect a PS2 keyboard to one, however, neither ports appear to be working. I have tried to connect two different keyboards (one old and one brand new with a USB/PS2 connection) and neither will work. Is there any way I can check out what might be the problem?
Many thanks for any assistance!

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Hi Fran,
One is for the mouse, one is for the keyboard. They cometimes have a picture around the port.
If you have a USB keyboard use that to make sure the keyboard does infact work. I have a computer where I have to jiggle the conector around untill you get a signal.
(Assuming your mouse works) right click "My Computer" on the desktop, select "Properties" then select the Hardware Tab. Click "Device manager" button and see if the correct keyboard is recognised under "Keyboards" in the window that pops up.
Short of using a multimeter thats about all I can think of.

[sarahw]

Hi Fran,
One is for the mouse, one is for the keyboard. They cometimes have a picture around the port.
If you have a USB keyboard use that to make sure the keyboard does infact work. I have a computer where I have to jiggle the conector around untill you get a signal.
(Assuming your mouse works) right click "My Computer" on the desktop, select "Properties" then select the Hardware Tab. Click "Device manager" button and see if the correct keyboard is recognised under "Keyboards" in the window that pops up.
Short of using a multimeter thats about all I can think of.

[frantique]

Sarah,
There are 2 PS2 ports and 2 USB ports. The keyboard that came with the computer is a USB type. The IBM mouse that came with the computer (which I no longer use) is also a USB type - I am using an infrared mouse that has a USB connection. So I was using both USB ports. I just installed a new printer/scanner/etc and it has a USB connection and I had no spare USB port. I have an old PS2 keyboard which I used in the past to F8 into Safe mode (cause the IBM USB keyboard would not do this). I tried to connect it to the PS2 port and it wouldn't work. At first I though the keyboard was stuffed. So I went out and bought a USB Hub. The IBM keyboard wouldn't work off the Hub, however the mouse did. So I put the keyboard into one of the USB ports and the Hub into the other with the mouse and the printer off the Hub. When the computer wouldn't boot with the Hub in (refer my other post) I went out and bought a cheap keyboard which was USB with a PS2 connector attached. I tried it in the PS2 port and it also wouldn't work - jiggled it and couldn't get anything. Maybe it's the connector, but I think that more than likely it's the port. At the moment I have the all three attached to the Hub and nothing in the other USB port.
Device manager shows "HID keyboard device" - which I guess is the new one I have connected to the Hub.
I thought there might be some way of checking if the PS2 port is working - other than plugging a device in.

[frantique]

Haven't tried connecting the printer directly into the USB port. Will do so now and see what happens.

[SRX660]

I think i would look in the bios to see if the keyboard and mouse need to be changed from usb to ps2 in their settings.

SRX660

[sarahw]

Sounds like it could be a few things.
Have you installed USB drivers?
A problem in bios with USB legacy. More Info...
Power problems (too much plugged in)
I've read alot about faulty Hub's that have similar problems. Read these Reviews...

[frantique]

I think i would look in the bios to see if the keyboard and mouse need to be changed from usb to ps2 in their settings.

SRX660, thank you for helping. The strange thing is that my old PS2 keyboard used to work and now doesn't. I guess I could change the settings and use adapters to turn the USB keyboard and mouse into PS2 if they would work there. This would then give me a USB port for the printer and a spare USB to download from my camera. If you think this would work, could you please give me detailed instructions (I'm not a tech!)?

Sarah,
Thank you for those references. There could well be a problem with the USB Legacy being disabled and not being able to F8 into Safe Mode with the USB keyboard. As well I do have a lot plugged into the board. The second reference to faulty hubs was also enlightening. It's not a DLink Hub and in fact it's a 'no name' cheap Hub. At first I bought a USB 2.0 Hub and not everything would work, so I deduced that as the computer's pretty old a USB 1.1 Hub might be better. The only 1.1 one I could get around here at the time was a real cheapie. No I haven't installed USB drivers. Didn't come with any.
Also when I connected the USB printer directly into the USB port and tried to restart it wouldn't boot.

Edited by frantique, 30 January 2007 - 07:17 AM.