XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
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XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
01-12-2010 4:03 PM
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Any help will be appreciated,
Colin
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
01-12-2010 4:10 PM
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At that vintage you'll probably need to put it onto a floppy drive and boot from it.
Version A09 is the latest, here:
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/format.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs&deviceid=162&li...
Obviously you can do that on any PC, but I'm not sure if you need the keyboard working to run the update..........
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
01-12-2010 4:26 PM
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VMT.
Colin
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
01-12-2010 4:51 PM
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I did use a cleaner once many years ago.. and after reinstalling windows thanks to its troubles I never bothered again. Thats why I never use registry cleaners. Defragment the disk, yes, that will make reading from the registry a bit quicker but letting a 3rd party program clean it of other softwares registry keys and settings isn't something I personally feel comfortable with. Half the time I can't remember what registry keys and values I use in my own programs so I can't understand how a 3rd party could claim to clean my un needed keys and values.
I'd do a system restore myself and see if that makes any difference. I take it you also saved a backup of the registry before cleaning it? - Might be an idea to restore this!
Alternatively if your PS2 hardware doesn't work before Windows has started to book (IE you can't use the PS2 keyboard to start in safe mode) on the motherboard there will be 2 reset pins. Touch those with a screwdriver so that it touches both at the same time and that should reset it (Thats the only way to reset a bios - or unplug and take out the clock battery). If that doesn't work and you still can't tap F5/8 before Windows starts for safe mode then I don't think a bios upgrade will work. It will more likely be a component on the motherboard thats fried.
Asda are doing cheap USB mice and keyboards for about £4/5 each. You can get both basics for under a tenner which means you can at least give back the borrowed ones
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
01-12-2010 6:01 PM
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If so, System Restore may be your friend.....
And as for registry cleaners, I use Microsofts own free one here: http://onecare.live.com/site/en-gb/default.htm
(customize the full scan and only run the registry cleaner)
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
01-12-2010 11:40 PM
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I'm still puzzled as to why everyone refers to updating the bios. In all my years of computing I've never once needed to do it yet the number of times I hear people suggesting its the reason for a system failure is ridiculous. If you installed service packs and patches to the bios and it went belly up I could understand it. It's just a hard coded chip that runs code which never changes. So how can it go wrong? - Hardware failure in which case Bios upgrades will make no difference. People will never understand that for some reason.
I've only ever seen one computer which almost made me think I might have to update the bios.. and when I looked inside the motherboard was full of leaking electrolytic capacitors. Needless to say the bios still didn't get updated.
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 12:19 AM
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Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 10:55 AM
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Quote from: okrzynska It's just a hard coded chip that runs code which never changes. So how can it go wrong?
Lots of ways it can go wrong, and it's not hard-coded or how would you update it.
However as you and others have pointed out we need to know from the OP if the keyboard works at boot (before windows). If it does his advice re the BIOS is almost certainly mistaken.
And looking back to the first post:
Quote from: colintivy there does not seem to be the facility in the BIOS setup pages.
Suggesting the keyboard does work, otherwise how did he check the BIOS.
(are we going up a dead end here )
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 12:26 PM
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Sorry to have put you all to this trouble. I have been able to use the machine with USB Keyboard & Mouse (see post 2). Indeed I will do as suggested and invest in them. I was interested to determine how the PS2 sockets could become unserviceable, they are not particularly complicated.
There might be some value in updating the BIOS, I thought that it was Version 09 (the current recommended update by Dell) but on looking again, it is Version 05 which is pre 2000. This may have things like booting from USB drive and other things that seem to be useful. I am not clear how I should go about installing the new version which is available from Dell website.presumably recorded on floppy or CD. Any advice?
Colin
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 1:22 PM
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My only advice is that while you've still got problems with PS2 you shouldn't complicate things further and attempt to update the bios. You're only storing more trouble for yourself if that goes wrong and it will also add another variable into the problem solving making it even more difficult to solve.
I understand it may be pre2000 but if you don't mind me asking, whats wrong with that? - It works doesn't it? Upgrading might give you one or 2 other settings but I very much doubt its going to be life changing if I'm honest. Please don't take this the wrong way but the fact that you're also looking in the bios for a reset and not knowing its a physical jumper short on the motherboard also suggests you shouldn't really be trying to upgrade yourself - if it goes wrong your motherboard is dead unless you send it away for repair. It's not as straight forward as installing a service pack as the bios chip literally has to be re-written. Unfortunately its not like a router where you just login to a html site and upload a new update, the bios is a very old dos type system which is basically the very core of starting your system.
With regards to the physical updating process, yes its done via a floppy and you run the software which will then physically use the motherboard to write the new bios into the bios chip (thus wiping out the old one). The only problem is that if it goes wrong your bios (which initialises the motherboard and detects things like hard and floppy drives) will no longer work and you literally won't be able to re-update it because it won't initialise.
Also you state you've been in the bios and you state you're now using USB mouse and KB but what you've not clearly told us is whether you've accessed the bios - using the USB or PS2 hardware?
I won't say this one again as it seems to be getting ignored despite being the best option.. Restore your registry backup.
@ReedRichards: I know its been suggested he reset the bios, if you read my post further up you'll see that I've already addressed that so I fail to see why you're making a point of this?
Quote Alternatively if your PS2 hardware doesn't work before Windows has started to book (IE you can't use the PS2 keyboard to start in safe mode) on the motherboard there will be 2 reset pins. Touch those with a screwdriver so that it touches both at the same time and that should reset it (Thats the only way to reset a bios - or unplug and take out the clock battery). If that doesn't work and you still can't tap F5/8 before Windows starts for safe mode then I don't think a bios upgrade will work. It will more likely be a component on the motherboard thats fried.
In admission there is usually a 'Load default' option but I never recommend that personally.
@HPSauce: My explanation wasn't supposed to be word for word perfect but to give Colin a general idea of how it works. I'm not sure how else you would define the chip to be honest. Hard coded seems appropriate as the code running on it still runs after a total disconnection of the power and CMOS battery. Granted it may reset to default but it still runs because the code is stored directly inside the chip. Perhaps you'd prefer the word 'burned' instead? Either way its not volatile like the CPU or ram. It's basic operating principle is similar to PIC processors. They canbe updated by writing/burning new code onto them but they otherwise continue to run the existing code. Next thing I know you'll be telling me motherboards don't have Tattoos.
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 2:23 PM
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Quote from: HPsauce we STILL need to know from the OP if the keyboard works at boot (before windows).
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 2:35 PM
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All motherboards carry something called a Tattoo. Most IT techs have trouble believing it and I only found out after a run in with a Sub7 torjan many years ago requiring a specialist CD to be shipped from half way around the world to reinstate it. It's not a nice job and its rarer (and different to) a bios upgrade.
If you're still having trouble believing what I say then you may wish to read up on it before trying to ridicule me again.
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 2:44 PM
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Quote from: okrzynska trying to ridicule me again.
Ridicule?
Again?
What on earth are you on about? I'm totally confused..........
(and yes I do know what a motherboard tattoo is, but I just thought it was funny as most won't)
I'm just trying to help colintivy with his problem. I thought you were too?
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 3:10 PM
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If I've misunderstood and snapped without cause then please accept my apologies.
Re: XP SP3 PS2 connection failure
02-12-2010 4:05 PM
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In fact I probably wouldn't even notice if I was responding to comments by the same person. Hence also confused about "again".
If I see something that I think is unclear or incorrect I'm likely to say so, after all it's a forum and there are lots of views on everything. And if I'm disagreed with I don't get upset about it either, that's life.
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