Is there a way to check a MOBO?

[dunklegend]

I asked my friends for old PCs and/or parts to build some machines for a kindergarden, so the kids can play educational games, I've built 3 machines so far and have parts for maybe 2 or 3 more.

One of the PCs I got is a nice one, it has an Athlon XP I think which is overkill for the use it will have, but the problem is that it didn't recognize the keyboard nor the mouse.

Then I tried the KB and the mouse on a different machine and they didn't work either.

Both of the devices were working before, so my first question is:

Can the MOBO have a short that could have damaged the mouse and the keyboard?

BTW the keyboard is a PS/2 and the mouse is USB.

I tried the mouse in the front and back USB ports and with a USB adapter for PS/2.

I opened the mouse and one of the ICs has a little white on it so it looks like it got burnt.

I tried my USB memory and it got recognized.

My second question is:

Is there a way to check the mobo, to make sure that it doesn't have a short that will damage another KB and/or mouse?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dur_trix]

my best advise is to try a old USB mouse first and see what happens, it highly unlikely that the board couldve killed both the KB and mouse.... becoz of the different interfaces, but ye... like i said try a old USB mouse and check if the board kills that too.....

 

[jsc]

I do the same thing. I gatherup old computers and parts and build "give-away systems".

The only suggestion I have is the same Dur_TriX. Use old, known good throwaway parts.

I do have another suggestion that may save you some time. I always breadboard a new build before I put it in a case. Here's what I mean:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/page-262730_13_0.html

 

[dunklegend]

I do the same thing. I gatherup old computers and parts and build "give-away systems".

The only suggestion I have is the same Dur_TriX. Use old, known good throwaway parts.

I do have another suggestion that may save you some time. I always breadboard a new build before I put it in a case. Here's what I mean:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/page-262730_13_0.html

I think that I will have to do that.
It's hard to work inside the cases when troubleshooting.

 

[jsc]

Yes. And the little Dysan floppy box full of salvaged case wiring really comes in handy.