suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

I NEVER turn my computer off! For if I do it takes 20 restarts (2 hours") to get it going again

This is a NEW problem, after many years OK

I changed the mouse
I changed the keyboard
I changed the power supply
Always the same - at random, 90% of boots (however done) give dead mouse
Then of these 50% give dead keyboard

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

Did you turn the computer off, before you changeed the mouse and keyboard out, if you didn't you may have caused damage to the new keyboard, and mouse.

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

Yes, sometimes I did
No other times I didn't

Yours is an interesting idea, but remember the computer works FINE as long as nobody ever turns it off (so probably the mouse and kbd are Ok)
It has been working for a week now.
Prior to that it stayed on for a month
I don't mind it turning off - it's getting it on again that takes hours!

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

Sounds like you have some more problems than just the mouse and keyboard. In the first place I recommend you turn your computer OFF at night. There may be memory creep sopping up your RAM. Do a scandisk
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Double-click My computer on the Desktop (or Start, My Computer), select drive, File, Properties, Tools, Check Now..., Select Options, Start.
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Next, have you run a good spyware/adware program? Like Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware?
Finally, ALWAYS have your computer off when changing your mouse, and usually your keyboard. You can mess up your motherboard quick like that.

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

Thanks for this good advice - excellent for normal circumstances
However, if each time you turned off it took FOUR HOURS to get restarted, would you turn off every night?
Or leave it on working fine.
Yes your spyware idea is good too.
I did check (with System /Mechanic) about duplicated files.
There were 4357 of them occupying 3 GB, most of them duplicates of Gates's fix stuff (which he calls "upgrades"), so I left it for now

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

You may have a faulty PS/2 bus or controller; you can try a USB mouse or keyboard to see if it will help.

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

OK, thanks, so help me out a bit:-

USB means it uses small round plug? (DIN)
PS/2 means it used a D-shaped plug?
Controller means?
How do I check the controller?

What do you think of my hunch that the unwillingness to start may be due to a defect in the earthing?

Your advice (and your comrades') much appreciated

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

USB is a rectangular plug, PS/2 is the small round connector (mini-DIN); this picture shows an adapter with a USB connector on one end and PS/2 connectors on the other (one for keyboard, one for mouse): http://www.ebusinesscables.com/images/394966.jpg

The "D" shaped connector is a serial port (DB-9); here's a picture of a male DB-9 on one end and a USB on the other end: http://www.coolgear.com/images/usb-s...if-chipset.jpg

A quick question, I had assumed you were using PS/2 connections since these are most common, but that may have been an incorrect assumption, what type are you using?

If you are using the PS/2 type, are you sure you have them connected to the proper ports (mouse-to-mouse and keyboard-to-keyboard)? It does make a difference. (Make sure the computer is off before connecting or disconnecting the mouse or keyboard.)

It may also help to know what OS you are using.

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

Many thanks for the pictures - now I know the jargon!
My mice are PS/2

My OS is Windows XP professional

Yes, I tried interchanging mouse with kbd.
That way NEVER works
The whole puzzle here is it DOES work - and very reliably - once you get it started. But to get it started is likk throwing three diice and it only starts if you get triple-six!
So it must be some transient on startup that makes the motherboard decide the various power volts are not starting up in the right order.

Regarding the db-9 connector. Umtil a year ago I was using such a mouse.
Then I found startups were getting difficult and on changing to a PS/2 mouse I had no further trouble until a month ago. Then the startups became chancy again, so I put in a new, higher-power, power supply. This gave no problems for a week and then the startup access mouse vs kbd conflicts began again
Since the I have never turned the computer off.
Four mains supply glitches did cause shut-downs - which tied me up a total of 15 hours to get the beautiful thing restarted.

Maybe relevant - XP (about once a week) tells me it has to shut down - but then changes its mind and stays wkg fine!

Regarding my "earthing" comment. It is Pommie-speak for "grounding" (US)

Re: suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!
 

If you had a bad ground/earth, I think you would have problems all the time, not just booting up.

Have you checked in the Device Manager to see if there are any problems there?

Are you having trouble with just an initial boot (after the computer has been turned off), or with a reboot as well?

Have you run ScanDisk lately? It would be best to run it in Safe Mode, but if you have trouble rebooting, it may not be the best way for you.