USB keyboard will not do anything!

[Norris]

My husband is currently working on an Old Gateway PC and the issue is the keyboard does nothing. The computer only has USB ports(5)...it doesn't have any PS2 ports and every darn keyboard we have except for one is a ps2 keyboard. He has plugged the keyboard into another computer and it works just fine...he has put the mouse in every other USB port to make sure it wasn't just a dead port and the mouse works in every one of them...he then plugged the keyboard into all the other ports and he got nothing still. OK so the computer did boot into windows but there's not a lot that can be done if the keyboard doesn't work...he thought that removing the MB battery could reset the bios and possibly help but it did nothing except for now it just goes to the screen that gets you into the bios and the KEYBOARD STILL DOESN'T WORK. So he cannot even get into the bios anymore(couldn't before either without keyboard though). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what would cause the computer to stop recognizing a keyboard? OH and the computer case is this weird tiny little vertical case that will not take the USB card that he has and was going to put in it to try and see if a new port would help. Oh and btw...the original issue that the customer brought it to him for is that the keyboard does not work...so two keyboards aren't working on this one computer...

 

[Aberforth]

Connect PS2 keyboard
Goto BIOS
Be Careful
Enable USB Keyboard in settings
Save
Restart

Bios reset wasn't necessary, I hope my solution works but make sure USB keyboard drivers (software that comes with the usb keyboard) are installed once you boot into Windows.

 

[Norris]

"Connect PS2 keyboard
Goto BIOS
Be Careful
Enable USB Keyboard in settings
Save
Restart "



First of all, there are NO ps2 ports on this gateway! Can't get into bios...keyboard will not work...can't select F1/F2 or the delete key...see where the problem with that is! See what I mean...without a keyboard, you cannot do anything!

 

[Aberforth]

thats tricky ...i dunno what to suggest...maybe you need PS/2 to Serial Converter (http://www.accesskeyboards.co.uk/AT2SER.htm)- i hope it has serial port

Edit:

Once you boot into XP, install the keyboard drivers, you also need Windows XP Service Pack 2 for USB 2.0 support

 

[Norris]

No serial port...my husband is a computer repair geek(does it for a living) so I'm just writing for him because he's too busy to write it himself. Sometimes(all the time!) he just runs into very weird things that even he doesn't know the answer too.

 

[wnied]

A few questions:

1) What version of windows is the computer running?

2) Does the computer have an AT keyboard port?

3) How many USB ports does the computer have?

The more information you provide us here, the better an overall view we have of the situation your in and can help you with.

~wnied~

 

[Norris]

No AT port, as I said in my post, the computer has FIVE usb ports...all of which have been tried with a MOUSE and they work...tried with a keyboard and they DO NOT work. It's running windows ME.

1 more bit of info, neither the customers keyboard nor our keyboard works.

 

[Slikkster]

Please when posting issues list the model number of the pc in question.

Additionally, you can try a PS/2-to-USB adapter. Note that these are not the same as the normal usb/ps2 adapters, which take a usb device and convert the output to ps/2.

You need an adapter that has a female ps/2 input and a male usb output. I would try each ps/2 keyboard on the adapter to see which one kicks in.

Here's an example:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications...tem-details.asp?EdpNo=788091&CatId=469

 

[Norris]

The adapter worked and a ps2 keyboard was used with that adapter...but here in lies the question...why????? The computer lost it's ability to recognize the usb keyboard somehow? Anyone have any idea what in the world would cause that? Please keep in mind that two known working usb keyboards would not work plugged into the usb port...same usb port was used to plug in that adapted keyboard. Also keep in mind that this is an old computer and has operated for years with a usb keyboard. The usb keyboard wouldn't even work at the bios prompt...so it's not a Windows issue.

 

[amdskip]

Honestly it's a piece of junk computer. I hate how dell is doing away with ps2 ports.

 

[Slikkster]

Again, what model Gateway is it?

 

[Norris]

Would the model number really give any clue as to what caused the keyboard to suddenly stop working? Next time I'll be sure and include the model number but the problem seems to be about as fixed as it's going to get. Thanks :wine:

 

[Slikkster]

The model number would give clues as to whether other people have had the same issue, and what they did to resolve it. Chances are you're not the first person who's had this model Gateway lose it's USB keyboard detection. You could be, of course, but there's probably others out there who've already had it happen. It's really the starting point for help on a given issue. Good luck.

 

[Slikkster]

By the way, out of curiousity, I'm pretty sure I tracked down the motherboard you have in that Gateway. It's from the "Flex" series, and the motherboard is known as the "MS-6312".

See here: http://support.gateway.com/support/manlib/cmponts/sysboard/8507333/07333.htm

If you Google this motherboard, you'll see that it was (is) plagued primarily by bad capacitors. If you take a look at the motherboard, you should look for capacitors that are bulging at the top, or show any kind of brown leakage or dried powder, etc. Even the visual inspection won't always reveal bad caps. From what I've read, all the caps on this board should be replaced.

Others mentioned poorly constructed USB housing, but I tend to doubt that cause given that there are two sets of USB ports, and the chances of both being bad at once are slim.


I don't doubt for a minute that this could cause a USB problem, among other issues.

 

[Norris]

The model is flexatxstc Essential 700c the serial number is 0022372457

 

[Slikkster]

Just to show you that you're not alone in getting the USB keyboard problem on this board (and why it's important to provide details about your system for the future), read here:

http://pcpitstop.invisionzone.com/lofiversion/index.php/t60874.html

http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/237789-gateway-essential-700c-usb-bios.html

http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showtopic=60874&mode=threaded

http://www.computing.net/drivers/wwwboard/forum/4960.html

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=99698

http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=72804

The difference in the model numbers for these Flex Gateways seems to relate soley to the CPU that's installed. In other words, yours has a 700mhz Celeron corresponding to the 700c model.

One site your husband might want to look at is called "badcaps.net". It has a thread about this particular motherboard, and how/why/what capacitors to replace, with pictures.
Some of the user-supplied pictures are only viewable if you register (free) on the site. Here's the thread for him to look at:

http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=123&page=1&pp=20

 

[Norris]

Thanks for all that information...Ill get my husband to read all this...he's never replaced caps before but apparently it's not as difficult as it sounds. I think a computer this old is getting to the point that it's not really worth as much as it would cost the customer to have fixed. It really is a POC!