Can't detect keyboard, and new motherboard didn't solve it!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dano
  • Start date Start date
D

Dano

Hi all,

This is a PC riddle. A few weeks ago I started getting an error message
on my PC. First it wouldn't detect my ps2 keyboard, and then I got a
CMOS checksum error. I tried resetting the board etc. and eventually
concluded that I needed toreplace the motherboard. So I buy a new one,
install all the componets, power it up, and I get EXACTLY the same
error messages. I'm confused as to how one MB can get the same error
messages as an old one. Could it be memory, or my CPU? I'm really
confused about this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Dan
 
& the riddle is..........?
Is it a 486?
Is it a P1 ?
Is it a Slot 1?
Socket 370?
A laptop?
A P4 ?
Is it win 3.1?
Is it Millenium?
Does it have wings?
Does it have 4 legs?
.......................................... you get the picture?
 
Fair point :)

It's a 754 mb, a 3000+ athlon 64 processor, running XP pro, with a SATA
seagate drive. Not sure if that helps, but it was the principle of one
MB showing the same errors as anotehr that really puzzled me.

Again, thanks for any help,

Dan
 
Dano said:
This is a PC riddle. A few weeks ago I started getting an error
message on my PC. First it wouldn't detect my ps2 keyboard, and
then I got a CMOS checksum error.
Click to expand...

Error messages are usually best recorded word for word.

I think progressive/different error messages can be a bad sign.
I tried resetting the board
Click to expand...

Resetting the BIOS?
etc.
Click to expand...

Your "etc" is a gargantuan gap between your first effort and buying
a new mainboard.
and eventually concluded that I needed toreplace the motherboard.
So I buy a new one, install all the componets,
Click to expand...

Strip it to the bare minimum components.
power it up, and I get EXACTLY the same error messages. I'm
confused as to how one MB can get the same error messages as an
old one.
Click to expand...

Because it's not the mainboard.
Could it be memory, or my CPU?
Click to expand...

Have you tested the memory? Did you try removing all but one memory
stick?
 
That's better.
I'd say the biggest possible cause would be the keyboard driver clashing
with another driver.
Is it a USB keyboard? Not Logitech is it by any chance?
If you are using either a mouse or keyboard that requires "outside" drivers,
then try running them with just XP's built in drivers for a while?
I think you might have started where I would have finished. The motherboard
would have been my last choice.
How many watt power supply you got in that AMD 3000??? I hear they're faily
demanding?
BruceM
 
Yup, I'm sure I've probably done things wrong, but I'm no expert on
these things :)
I've two sticks on memory, and I've tried booting with each
individually: still the same errors. But I've got my hands on a couple
more sticks, so I'll see if they work. I'm also going to try another
mouse, as I've heard that damaged mice can mess up the ports.
My power supply is 420volts, or 460, which I think is enough to handle
what I'm using. I'm going to try out a few things this afternoon, and
will let you know how I get on.
However, it may be Monday that I post back, as my Netgear wireless
modem melted a couple of days ago, which was even more worrying when I
discovered that four people where I work had experienced the self-same
problem with a Netgear product. Basically, I'm not having much luck
with tech recently :(

Dan
 
Dano said:
Hi all,

This is a PC riddle. A few weeks ago I started getting an error message
on my PC. First it wouldn't detect my ps2 keyboard, and then I got a
CMOS checksum error. I tried resetting the board etc. and eventually
concluded that I needed toreplace the motherboard. So I buy a new one,
install all the componets, power it up, and I get EXACTLY the same
error messages. I'm confused as to how one MB can get the same error
messages as an old one. Could it be memory, or my CPU? I'm really
confused about this.
Click to expand...

Hopefully, you tried another PS2 keyboard before you bought another MB.
 
A checksum error is not uncommon when first booting up a new build. The
checksum error is a common 'CMOS battery' problem error or hardware that is
not being detected properly. Seeing how you were using this machine for some
time and then it acted up tells me you possibly added some hardware recently
or software. The next thing that I would check are the common denominators.
Power supply could be acting up.
 
JAD said:
A checksum error is not uncommon when first booting up a new build. The
checksum error is a common 'CMOS battery' problem error or hardware that is
not being detected properly. Seeing how you were using this machine for some
time and then it acted up tells me you possibly added some hardware recently
or software. The next thing that I would check are the common denominators.
Power supply could be acting up.
Click to expand...

Also PS'2 keyboards and mice can keep a rig from booting if there is a key
stuck or is somehow defective.
 
Dano said:
Fair point :)

It's a 754 mb, a 3000+ athlon 64 processor, running XP pro, with a SATA
seagate drive. Not sure if that helps, but it was the principle of one
MB showing the same errors as anotehr that really puzzled me.

Again, thanks for any help,

Dan
Click to expand...

That's what happens when the error is caused by something other than the
component you replaced. In your case (pun), the motherboard.
 
Over the weekend I tried new memory, a new mouse, and a new keyboard.
After putting all my new bits in, it fired up first time, but after
that both the keyboard and mouse stopped working, as did the PC, and so
I'm back to square one.
I've never heard of a PC killing peripherals before, but mine seems to
be on a mission! I've now handed the useless contraption over to
someone that knows what they're doing, and I'm pretty convinced that
the issue is going to be a knackered PSU. There's no reason why the CPU
should have gone pop, and the fact that it booted once would seem to
make that even more unlikely.


Cheers,

Dan
 
Dano said:
Over the weekend I tried new memory, a new mouse, and a new
keyboard. After putting all my new bits in, it fired up first
time, but after that both the keyboard and mouse stopped working,
as did the PC, and so I'm back to square one.
I've never heard of a PC killing peripherals before, but mine
seems to be on a mission! I've now handed the useless contraption
over to someone that knows what they're doing, and I'm pretty
convinced that the issue is going to be a knackered PSU. There's
no reason why the CPU should have gone pop, and the fact that it
booted once would seem to make that even more unlikely.
Click to expand...

I suspect you might be right about the power supply. Along the same
lines. Not long ago, I bought an APC Line-R 1200VA line conditioner.
Recently, I could tell it was working to keep my power supply well
fed when the lights occasionally flickered. My system hasn't
restarted since installing that apparently simple/crude device. I
don't need battery backup, but I like the line conditioner.

Good luck.
 
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