ps2 adapter usb keyboard problem

[johnbond]

Hello

I have a laptop and the keyboard on it is horrible to tpe on so I bought a
ps2/usb adapter as I have a spare keyboad (usb) laying around as per the
advice form the technical support guy at the store I bought my laptop. He
said just plug the keyboard into the ps2 adapter then put it in the usb port
with the computer off and power up and windows xp should find it. It doesn't
the lights on the keyboard flash on then I get a message telling me my
device has malfunctioned.

I have tested the keyboard out on another computer and it works.

Am I doing something wrong ? I thought it was all plug and plug ?

Anyone offer me some advice on what to do.

Its a microsoft keyboard as well.

Thanks

 

[You Know Who ~]

i would put it in while windows is running, but you may also need to change
something in your bios.

 

[johnbond]

i would put it in while windows is running, but you may also need to change
something in your bios.

I gave that a try and no joy. I had a look in the BIOS and couldn't see
anything relevant to it.

 

[Mark]

Those adapters don't always work on laptops....
The reason is that the PS/2 port itself is often non standard. On most
majoy brands they will allow either a keyboard or a keyboard and a
mouse with a special splitter cable. In other words, most laptops
don't have a PC standard PS/2 port se....

Therefore, when you use a USB adapter on them, the on chip logic often
doesn' know what to make of it thinking there might be a splitter
cable on the port. So the laptop ups the voltage past what A USB
device is supposed to draw... which screws up the device attached to
the USB/PS2 cable.

So either plug a PS/2 keyboard ito the PS/2 port or plug the USB
keyboard into the USB port. If you don't have enough USB ports, buy a
micro hub. If you have no USB ports at all, you can either buy a PS/2
keyboard or buy a PC CARD USB adapter to give you more USB ports.

I think that covers all the options...