No PS/2 Ports and USB Mouse and USB Keyboard Failure

[boweasel]

I did a Google search for PC Hardware forums and found a page that said that this was the best one. I am a complete newbie, so please be gentle...

When I boot this Dell XPS 400 (XP Media Center, SP3) I get a BIOS keyboard failure. When the signon screen ultimately displays, not only do I have no keyboard, but I have no mouse.

Both mouse and keyboard work in other PCs, and of course the working mouse and keyboard from other PCs do not work in this one.

I have unplugged everything and held in the power button to clear out electrical problems

I have replaced the CMOS battery. All this did was keep me from even getting to the signon screen. After Keyboard failure, I now get floppy diskette seek failure, followed by Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility, along with 2 beeps.

Of course I can do neither - I have no keyboard. I have tried both mouse and keyboard in every USB port.

I cannot seem to find anybody who has a PCI card for PS/2 peripherals.

Trying to boot from an UBCD, a Hirens CD or even a Dell XP disk is futile, since I can't hit F12 to change the bott order or F2 to enter setup.

Anybody have an idea? This seems like a complete Catch-22 situation, and I have a hard time believing that no work-around has ever been discovered for it.

 

[postmortemIA]

yeah, get one of these native ps/2 keyboards that have usb dongle to be put on top of ps/2 connector.. when i had similar problem that is what saved me. these trigger some legacy mode

 

[boweasel]

Are you telling me to use a ps/2 keyboard with the round end plugged into an adapter that then gets plugged into a USB port?

 

[Virgorising]

Are you telling me to use a ps/2 keyboard with the round end plugged into an adapter that then gets plugged into a USB port?

I believe he is. But, given the breadth of these issues, I think something system-related underlying, is going on. Motherboard controllers perhaps? Given, you are not, now, getting warnings only re USB connectivity.

And, high marks for "Catch-22 situation".

Sigh.

 

[boweasel]

Didn't really expect Marcel Proust references in a tech forum... He's no Joseph Heller but I guess he'll do...

I would think that if there's a problem with the onboard USB ports, such that no USB mouse or keyboard is recognized, that same conundrum would prevent any adapter plugged into those ports from being recognized as well. There's nothing inherently magical about an adapter - if I'm getting squat from a USB keyboard and mouse, I'm gonna get squat from any adapter.

I just don't know if a USB card, assuming I can find one, plugged into the PCI slot on this Dell has a shot at working. Ditto for PS/2 cards, which I can locate nowhere other than online.

 

[Gunbuster]

Sounds like you need a new motherboard. Looks like you can ebay one for around $60.

 

[Virgorising]

Didn't really expect Marcel Proust references in a tech forum... He's no Joseph Heller but I guess he'll do...

I would think that if there's a problem with the onboard USB ports, such that no USB mouse or keyboard is recognized, that same conundrum would prevent any adapter plugged into those ports from being recognized as well. There's nothing inherently magical about an adapter - if I'm getting squat from a USB keyboard and mouse, I'm gonna get squat from any adapter.

I just don't know if a USB card, assuming I can find one, plugged into the PCI slot on this Dell has a shot at working. Ditto for PS/2 cards, which I can locate nowhere other than online.

I Agree with Gunbuster below....it's not the ports, those failures are simply symptoms reflecting a foundational problems with the board. Remember, you are having snowballing failures.

 

[Gunbuster]

Seems like a common problem for the XPS 400. This was from just a little after the capacitor plague.

"Watch out for United Chemicon KZG on that board..... check them for shorts.

KZG can fail with no signs, Id change them all if you have them."

 

[boweasel]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your help, but I don't think replacing a motherboard on a Windows XP PC is practical - I could get a refurbished W7 tower for little more than what I'd pay for a new mobo, and I wouldn't be faced with the end of MS support.