USB Failed, Keyboard and Mouse Would Not Work

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I recently had the unfortunate experience (I mentioned it in another post or two) of my USB functionality getting whacked somehow on my XP machine. As a result, I couldn’t use my mouse and keyboard AT ALL.

Fortunately I have PS/2 ports on the computer, and fortunately I have an extra PS/2 mouse and keyboard at the house, so I was able to connect them and then fix the problem.

If you don’t have PS/2 ports on your computer, you may want to consider installing them, for just such occasions. Here is a card which will work in low-profile cases:

http://www.outletpc.com/xw9361.html

Even if you don’t install the card, you might want to have such a card, as well as a PS/2 keyboard and mouse, handy for such occasions.

In such a situation, without PS/2, it’s as if you have lost your encryption password and therefore none of your files are available. But with it, you hardly skip a beat.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I have been doing some research, and I have found that most, if not all, PS/2 expansion cards are actually USB-to-PS/2 converter cards. They wouldn’t do any good for this scenario, because here USB has stopped working.

Still looking for that elusive true PS/2 expansion card…

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I have been doing some research, and I have found that most, if not all, PS/2 expansion cards are actually USB-to-PS/2 converter cards. They wouldn’t do any good for this scenario, because here USB has stopped working.

Still looking for that elusive true PS/2 expansion card…

Think you want something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Replacement-USB-Mouse-Adapter/dp/B0002ZQG24/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363194347&sr=1-13&keywords=ps2+to+usb+adapter
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Replacement-USB-Keyboard-Adapter/dp/B000A0K2JO/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363194347&sr=1-12&keywords=ps2+to+usb+adapter

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Think you want something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Replacement-USB-Mouse-Adapter/dp/B0002ZQG24/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363194347&sr=1-13&keywords=ps2+to+usb+adapter
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Replacement-USB-Keyboard-Adapter/dp/B000A0K2JO/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363194347&sr=1-12&keywords=ps2+to+usb+adapter

Don’t think this is what he is looking for. He wants to have an active PS/2 connection when the USB ports are dead. These adapters require a functioning USB port. I haven’t been able to find such an animal unless its built into the motherboard.

Jerry

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Don’t think this is what he is looking for. He wants to have an active PS/2 connection when the USB ports are dead. These adapters require a functioning USB port. I haven’t been able to find such an animal unless its built into the motherboard.

Jerry

It appears that PS/2 is disappearing, or has disappeared, unless maybe you build your own PC and can find a motherboard that has PS/2 ports on it.

I wonder if somehow PS/2 violates some rule in Windows 7 or thereabouts, and therefore Microsoft has asked computer manufacturers to eliminate it.

I do believe that there is value in having a way to connect your mouse and keyboard low-level, bypassing USB and everything else, so that in a worst-case scenario (like I had last week), you can easily fix the problem.

(Of course, if I would have had a current backup, I could have restored it and fixed the problem that way.)

I have always considered PS/2 the preferred mouse/keyboard method of connection, because if you follow the rules (i.e. turn the system off before connecting the mouse and keyboard), your mouse and keyboard will ALWAYS work. But USB is not as rock solid as that, at least not yet.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Don’t think this is what he is looking for. He wants to have an active PS/2 connection when the USB ports are dead. These adapters require a functioning USB port. I haven’t been able to find such an animal unless its built into the motherboard.

Jerry

How do they require that, Jerry? Did you check them? They can be used on keyboards and mice with USB connectors and the USB connectors, through these adapters, can be connected to PS / 2 ports. They are USB to PS/2 adapters.

USB mice and keyboards connected to PS/2 ports do not require working USB ports in the computer they are connected to.

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Think you want something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Replacement-USB-Mouse-Adapter/dp/B0002ZQG24/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363194347&sr=1-13&keywords=ps2+to+usb+adapter
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Replacement-USB-Keyboard-Adapter/dp/B000A0K2JO/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1363194347&sr=1-12&keywords=ps2+to+usb+adapter

Rui:

Finally I have the chance to go on amazon!

I checked out your two links. You must already have PS/2 ports on the computer in order to use these two devices.

What I want to achieve is to have PS/2 ports on a computer which doesn’t already have them, so that if USB fails for whatever reason, I can plug in a PS/2 mouse and keyboard.

Jim

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I found the following SIIG card, which appears to be what I am looking for…

http://www.siig.com/it-products/it-accessories/converters/dp-pci-to-ps-2.html

…except for one thing: I found the following statement under “Features”:

Note: Keyboard or mouse cannot be used in DOS using a bootable disk or for entering the system BIOS

A statement like that makes me think that this isn’t a true, native PS/2 card.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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This one looks more like the real thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Port-Combo-Adapter-Converter-Chipset/dp/B008BZASCQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363230799&sr=8-1&keywords=ps%2F2+pci+adapter+card

Here are the specs:

2 USB 2.0 & 2 PS/2 ports allow to connect more devices to your computer.
Reliable chipset NEC D720102 (for USB port) & CHESEN CSC0101A (for PS/2 port).
PCI specification revision 2.2 compliant with 66Hz & 32-bit data.
Compliant with USB specification Rev. 2.0, USB specification Rev. 1.1 & PS/2 specification.
2 external USB type A female connectors available.
2 external PS/2 female connector available. The green one for mouse and the purple one for keyboard.
Data transfer rates of high-speed (480Mbps),full-speed (12Mbps) and low-speed (1.5Mbps) per USB port.
Supports plug and play for USB interfaces.
Supports automatically selects IRQ and I/O address.
Supports PCI IRQ sharing to save valuable resources for other I/O expansion cards.
Supports PCI-bus power management interface.
Bus-powered mode and no external power required for most of USB peripherals.
Easy installation and no driver required.
Operating System: Windows 98/SE, ME, 2000, 2003, NT4, XP, Vista, 7, 8 & Linux.
Package content:
1X Brand New 2 Port USB & 2 Port PS/2 PCI I/O Expansion Card.

From the above specs, I’d say that the PS/2 and USB functionality are separate from each other.

The fact that it will work all the way back to Windows 98, it handles IRQ issues in the “old” way, and that no driver is needed, gives me added confidence.

In fact, speaking of IRQ, I’ll bet there are IRQ issues with PS/2, and that’s why you hardly see PS/2 ports anymore.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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This one looks more like the real thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Port-Combo-Adapter-Converter-Chipset/dp/B008BZASCQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363230799&sr=8-1&keywords=ps%2F2+pci+adapter+card

Here are the specs:

From the above specs, I’d say that the PS/2 and USB functionality are separate from each other.

The fact that it will work all the way back to Windows 98, it handles IRQ issues in the “old” way, and that no driver is needed, gives me added confidence.

In fact, speaking of IRQ, I’ll bet there are IRQ issues with PS/2, and that’s why you hardly see PS/2 ports anymore.

That card is a PCI card and won’t work on today’s motherboards that use PCIE.

Jerry

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Thanks. I’ll check them out when I get home tonight. (Can’t go to Amazon while I’m at work.)

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Such USB failures are uncommon. It would not be worth the effort to specifically go out of ones way
to have a PS2 keyboard and mouse on hand unless one already has and uses their PS2 ports.

Also, such a catastrophic failure in one’s USB would tend to indicate the need for a board replacement.

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USB totally failed in one of my XP computers about a week ago. Because I had PS/2 ports on the computer, and because I had a PS/2 mouse and keyboard available, I was able to fix the problem. It appeared that the USB drivers somehow got hosed. When I did a Windows update, the hardware update section had a USB driver, which I downloaded and installed. I then uninstalled a couple of “yellow” devices in Device Manager, including one hidden device. I then rebooted. The problem recurred the next day, so went through the whole thing again and this time I replaced my USB mouse with another one.

After doing all of that, there was still one yellow device (PCM?), but the problem went away and never came back.

The computer is from around 2004, so I suppose there could be a USB hardware issue. But so far, the problem hasn’t returned, and the computer has had lots of use since that time.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I believe that Jerry meant to say “these adapters require USB functionality”.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I believe that Jerry meant to say “these adapters require USB functionality”.

And how do they require USB functionality? They don’t.

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And how do they require USB functionality? They don’t.

The card I linked to above, http://www.outletpc.com/xw9361.html, has the following listed in its specs:

Backward compatible to USB Specification 1.1

Yet there’s no USB port anywhere visible on the card, according to the picture they show.

Other cards include the word “USB” in the name or product description.

In short, I haven’t been able to find any card which is strictly PS/2 without any indication that USB is involved in its operation or functionality.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Here is what is listed under “Advanced Features”:

Compliant with Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) Specification for USB Rev 1.0a
Compliant with Enhance Host Controller Interface Specification for USB Rev 1.0
Compliant with PCI Local Bus Specification 2.2
Compliant with Universal Serial Bus (USB) Specification Revision 2.0
Support PCI-Bus Power Management Interface Specification release 1.1
Support High-Speed (480mbps), Full-Speed (12Mbps) and low-Speed (1.5Mbps) data transfer rate
One external PS/2 Keyboard port, one external PS/2 Mouse port and two external/internal USB ports (Depending on version)
Compliant with USB HID specification v1.1

Perhaps the USB functionality is separate from the PS/2 functionality, and on this card they didn’t include USB ports?

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Jerry made a comment on the adapters I recommended. What have those adapters have to do with the card you linked?

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Jerry made a comment on the adapters I recommended. What have those adapters have to do with the card you linked?

I haven’t been able to go to the links you listed because, unfortunately, I am still at work and can’t go to amazon.com.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I haven’t been able to go to the links you listed because, unfortunately, I am still at work and can’t go to amazon.com.

That’s ok, I just think Jerry didn’t realize that they are USB to PS/2 adapters. I used adapters like those in the past.

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I did realize that but for them to work, USB has to be functioning. I’ve used one in the past. Jim wanted a solution for when USB wasn’t functioning.

Jerry

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I did realize that but for them to work, USB has to be functioning. I’ve used one in the past. Jim wanted a solution for when USB wasn’t functioning.

Jerry

Jerry, the keyboard and the mouse will not connect to anything but the PS/2 ports. AFAIK, the PS/2 ports do not require USB to be functioning. If the PS/2 ports required USB, then there would be no chance of connecting mice and keyboards, even those with “native” PS/2 connectors, to a computer where that requirement was present.

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Yes but the adapter plugs into a USB port. It just translates the PS/2 wires to the appropriate USB connections. If the USB port is not functional the adapter won’t work.
The only way the PS/2 adapter can talk to the PC is via the USB port.

What he really needs is a PCIE board with a PS/2 connection but I can’t find such a beast
Jerry

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No it does not, Jerry. The adapters I posted links about, take usb connectors and connect them to PS/2 ports. There is no need for the USB port at all. Of course, you’re admitting that the mobo has PS/2 connectors.

These adapters allow you to use USB mice and keyboards on old PS/2 ports. It’s actually how it all started. With the first USB mice and keyboards, these adapters were used when you didn’t want to waste USB ports, since there were still PS/2 ports available then. My desktop still has them and I used this type of connectors with my USB peripherals connected to my PS/2 ports.

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I guess I missed that because as I understand his original request, he’s trying to cover the case where he doesn’t have PS/2 connectors and the USB functionality is dead. As I understand it, he wants to add PS/2 ports to a computer that has dead USB and no motherboard PS/2 ports so he can bypass the USB requirement.

Jerry

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I guess I missed that because as I understand his original request, he’s trying to cover the case where he doesn’t have PS/2 connectors and the USB functionality is dead. As I understand it, he wants to add PS/2 ports to a computer that has dead USB and no motherboard PS/2 ports so he can bypass the USB requirement.

Jerry

That’s exactly what I am looking for.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Oh well, as long as it is sorted…

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