Hot swap keyboards???

[dallas]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug in
another one in while the system is up and running without frying something?

Dallas

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
news:v41Pc.4701$cK.3227@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug
in
> another one in while the system is up and running without frying
something?
>
> Dallas
>
>

You might get away with it a couple of times, but going by past experience
with some of my customers, the PS2 or AT connector on motherboard with
eventually stop working.

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[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

Dallas wrote:
> Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and
> plug in another one in while the system is up and running without
> frying something?

I *think* it's fairly safe, given that most current motherboards apply power
to the PS2 ports even when the system has been powered off (though not
unplugged/turned off at the PSU). Given the number of people who wouldn't
turn off the power at the wall/PSU before changing keyboards and mice, I
think it's designed to be hotswapped. Either that or the motherboard
manufacturers make dumb design decisions Note that if you pull it at the
wrong time, you may confuse the controller and need a hard power off (at the
wall/psu) but I don't think any permanent damage is done.

In any case, it's probably better to actually completely turn it off before
changing things, and doesn't take that much longer to do

--
Michael Brown
www.emboss.co.nz : OOS/RSI software and more
Add michael@ to emboss.co.nz - My inbox is always open

 

[dallas]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

"Michael Brown"
> In any case, it's probably better to actually completely turn it off
before
> changing things, and doesn't take that much longer to do

Thanks... but I have a special problem... ( no, I didn't ride the little bus
to school)

My keyboard is routed through an old Thrustmaster WCS programmable throttle.
The programmable throttle cord plugs in to the PS2 keyboard socket on the
computer. (This throttle can send out keystrokes with button pushes.)

The BIOS, DOS and Win98 work fine with this set up. Win XP does not like it
and I get a dead keyboard on bootup.

The keyboard works fine if directly plugged into computer. I'm guessing XP
is sending out a different "good keyboard?" signal that the throttle can't
pass through to the keyboard.

I was thinking I could boot XP with just the keyboard then unplug the
keyboard and then put it all back together. Scary stuff.

Maybe someone knows how to stop XP from checking the keyboard?

Dallas

 

[mercury]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
news:v41Pc.4701$cK.3227@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug
> in
> another one in while the system is up and running without frying
> something?
>
> Dallas
>

I've done it lots of times, and never had a problem. I'm wondering about
those who claim that hotswapping killed their PS/2 ports.... you have to ask
whether they would've failed anyway and if the hotswapping had nothing to do
with it.

Remember, the plural of anecdote is not data.

I also have to ask, if hotswapping is so bad, doesn't that imply that KVM
switches are, too?

Or do those work with some kind of magic that prevents them from doing
damage?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

"Mercury" <nobody@nospam.null> writes:
>"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
>news:v41Pc.4701$cK.3227@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>> Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug
>> in
>> another one in while the system is up and running without frying
>> something?

>I've done it lots of times, and never had a problem. I'm wondering about
>those who claim that hotswapping killed their PS/2 ports.... you have to ask
>whether they would've failed anyway and if the hotswapping had nothing to do
>with it.

I have one system with an ECS K7S5A motherboard, not having a reputation
for being the best board in the world. Every now and then after a boot
the mouse, and even once the keyboard, are lifeless. I finally found I
can breathe life back into them if I unplug the dead frog for fifteen
seconds and then plug it back in. Has always worked and I've done this
lots of times. Never have found anything I can do to make this go away.
I presume this is some sort of timing issue during boot somewhere.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

Mercury wrote:

> "Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
> news:v41Pc.4701$cK.3227@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>
>>Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug
>>in
>>another one in while the system is up and running without frying
>>something?
>>
>>Dallas
>>
>
>
> I've done it lots of times, and never had a problem. I'm wondering about
> those who claim that hotswapping killed their PS/2 ports.... you have to ask
> whether they would've failed anyway and if the hotswapping had nothing to do
> with it.
>
> Remember, the plural of anecdote is not data.
>
> I also have to ask, if hotswapping is so bad, doesn't that imply that KVM
> switches are, too?
>
> Or do those work with some kind of magic that prevents them from doing
> damage?
>
>

Well, KVM switches maintain a ground connection and supposedly switch the
remainder all together but it's indeterminate what will make/break
first/middle/last when plugging/unplugging connectors.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

Don Taylor wrote:

> "Mercury" <nobody@nospam.null> writes:
>
>>"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
>>news:v41Pc.4701$cK.3227@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>>
>>>Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug
>>>in
>>>another one in while the system is up and running without frying
>>>something?
>
>
>>I've done it lots of times, and never had a problem. I'm wondering about
>>those who claim that hotswapping killed their PS/2 ports.... you have to ask
>>whether they would've failed anyway and if the hotswapping had nothing to do
>>with it.
>
>
> I have one system with an ECS K7S5A motherboard, not having a reputation
> for being the best board in the world. Every now and then after a boot
> the mouse, and even once the keyboard, are lifeless. I finally found I
> can breathe life back into them if I unplug the dead frog for fifteen
> seconds and then plug it back in. Has always worked and I've done this
> lots of times. Never have found anything I can do to make this go away.
> I presume this is some sort of timing issue during boot somewhere.

Interesting. I've never had the mouse or keyboard come up dead but the
stupid sound does, and rather often.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

"Dallas" <Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com> wrote in message
news:v41Pc.4701$cK.3227@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Hey, can you pull the AT or PS2 keyboard plug out of the socket and plug
in
> another one in while the system is up and running without frying
something?

No.. not built to do this. You might get away with it for a while, but it
will eventually bite you in the ass.

PS/2 ports don't like being swapped while in use anyhow.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

David Maynard <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> writes:
>Don Taylor wrote:
>> I have one system with an ECS K7S5A motherboard, not having a reputation
>> for being the best board in the world. Every now and then after a boot
>> the mouse, and even once the keyboard, are lifeless. I finally found I
>> can breathe life back into them if I unplug the dead frog for fifteen
>> seconds and then plug it back in. Has always worked and I've done this
>> lots of times. Never have found anything I can do to make this go away.
>> I presume this is some sort of timing issue during boot somewhere.

>Interesting. I've never had the mouse or keyboard come up dead but the
>stupid sound does, and rather often.

I had the same problem you do. I finally gave up on the embedded sound,
disabled it in the bios, put in a sound card... and then found that the
collection of ECS drivers appeared to not have been tested with the
embedded sound disabled, and I just ignore the error that gives me now.

But, the board has been reliably running Mathematica jobs for more than
a year so I can't complain about that.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

Don Taylor wrote:
> David Maynard <dNOTmayn@ev1.net> writes:
>
>>Don Taylor wrote:
>>
>>>I have one system with an ECS K7S5A motherboard, not having a reputation
>>>for being the best board in the world. Every now and then after a boot
>>>the mouse, and even once the keyboard, are lifeless. I finally found I
>>>can breathe life back into them if I unplug the dead frog for fifteen
>>>seconds and then plug it back in. Has always worked and I've done this
>>>lots of times. Never have found anything I can do to make this go away.
>>>I presume this is some sort of timing issue during boot somewhere.
>
>
>>Interesting. I've never had the mouse or keyboard come up dead but the
>>stupid sound does, and rather often.
>
>
> I had the same problem you do.

Glad to hear that, in a bizarre sort of way. At least I know I'm not the
only one.

> I finally gave up on the embedded sound,
> disabled it in the bios, put in a sound card...

I may eventually do that but I'm getting a perverse sense of satisfaction
cursing at it. Plus, I'm using the on-board modem, which goes out with the
sound too, of course.

> and then found that the
> collection of ECS drivers appeared to not have been tested with the
> embedded sound disabled,

Figures.

Speaking of their software drivers, when the sound fails disabling and then
re-enabling it in device manager restore sound, except they default the
stupid mixer to full volume on all sliders and since mine is also fed into
a stereo amp/sound system that can be quite a thrill.

> and I just ignore the error that gives me now.
>
> But, the board has been reliably running Mathematica jobs for more than
> a year so I can't complain about that.

I take it you haven't been graced by the infamous "Invalid CMOS Checksum"
bug yet.

 

[dallas]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.overclocking (More info?)

"Don Taylor" <
> I finally found I
> can breathe life back into them if I unplug the dead frog for fifteen
> seconds and then plug it back in.

Interesting thread, huh? Wide variety of answers. I guess you just do a
Clint Eastwood, "Do I feel lucky today?"...


Dallas