suddenly mouse and/or keyboard dead!

[mrwhy]

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

[jfountain02]

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.

[mrwhy]

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.

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!

[stratplan]

I don't mind it turning off - it's getting it on again that takes hours!

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
----------Double-click My computer on the Desktop (or Start, My Computer), select drive, File, Properties, Tools, Check Now..., Select Options, Start.
-----------------
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.

[mrwhy]

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 ---------- Double-click My computer on the Desktop (or Start, My Computer), select drive, File, Properties, Tools, Check Now..., Select Options, Start. ----------------- 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.

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

[dlh6213]

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

[mrwhy]

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

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

[dlh6213]

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-serial-prolicif-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.

[mrwhy]

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-serial-prolicif-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.

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)

[dlh6213]

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.

[vas_atul]

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

It seems you have tried lot to rectify this problem

Why do'nt you try Hair dryer with your PC

It seems Motherboard has caught moisture, due to this it takes time to restart.

[mrwhy]

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.

My thinking about the earthing is that on turn-on various transients are going on (like degaussing of the screen) which put MAX strain on an earth connexion. I do not have eqpt to measure the pulse-impedance to earth.

Or it may be common-impedance in the supply wires (say due to the "surge protectors" they sell here in uk. Will have to find out how they work - e.g. series inductors in the wires?

The device manager says everything is OK (However it said THAT about my CD R/W that demonstrably was not wkg!)

The fact is EVERYTHING IS WORKING once you get it to turn on! (Even the CDR?W now I have a new one in).

NOw restarts, reboots and initial boots.
With the old power supply restarts (hot reboots) were frequent and reliable.
Cold starts got progressively more difficult. (Cold is defined as "From a zero power-on state")
With the new power supply ALL cold starts (except the very first) have been desperate nerve-shattering affairs lasting unpredictable hours! But since the new power supply there have not (yet) been any warm reboots.
I understand that in a warm reboot one of the power lines (5v one? 12v one?) stays on. So MAYBE my trouble is this line is NOT turning on quickly enough in a cold reboot?
(One power line (12 v one) MUST be on "all the time" to operate the on/off switch)

Following your suggestion I tried to run scandisk. It is NOT there - as confirmed by doing a start-find-search (or whatever they call it)
HOPWEVER during my traumatic adventures TRYING to start MANY TIMES it said (among many other things) "We need to check your hard disk" and went ahead and did it.
Many times it found "nothing wriong".
Many (other) times it found and "corrected" several things (orphan files etc)

Thank you so much for your persistent help and not giving up!

[mrwhy]

It seems you have tried lot to rectify this problem

Why do'nt you try Hair dryer with your PC

It seems Motherboard has caught moisture, due to this it takes time to restart.

What an interesting idea! Very sensible and probable too! The winters here in UK are very damp, and we do not dry out with central heating like the Yanks

So next time it shuts down on me (say next month) I will try the drying-out idea before I waste 4 hours trying to restart.
Thanks fot a GREAT idea!
Very probably explains why the new power supply, straight from its box, DID work first time (but never reliably during turn-on since). But once on, keeps all dry by its warmth.

[vas_atul]

What an interesting idea! Very sensible and probable too! The winters here in UK are very damp, and we do not dry out with central heating like the Yanks

So next time it shuts down on me (say next month) I will try the drying-out idea before I waste 4 hours trying to restart. Thanks fot a GREAT idea! Very probably explains why the new power supply, straight from its box, DID work first time (but never reliably during turn-on since). But once on, keeps all dry by its warmth.

Did hair dryer trick work?

[flipsidetunes]

Wow......
Talk about the "Blind leading the Blind!!!"

It never ceases to amaze me how such mindless people are allowed to jump on the internet and use their stupidity to make someone else's problems worse.

The reason the Keyboard and Mouse won't work is because the power supply is TOAST and he needs a new one.

Also, the definition of Insanity is: is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
So if your PC is not working properly, don't turn it on & off for 2 hours straight hoping that the Computer Gods will help you. That's not only insane, but just plain stupid!

Get a new power supply dude. And the rest of you who have NO FREAKING CLUE as to how to answer his question: DON"T ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO COMPUTERS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES!!! you people are USELESS!!!!!

[Tammelle]

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

First of all, you MUST turn your computer off. I suspect that you are severely overheating your motherboard, and it's about to fry.

I am having the same problem, with my kb going dead all the time. USB. Wondering if anyone else could help with that? AMI/ASUS motherboard.

[Tammelle]

Wow...... Talk about the "Blind leading the Blind!!!"

It never ceases to amaze me how such mindless people are allowed to jump on the internet and use their stupidity to make someone else's problems worse.

The reason the Keyboard and Mouse won't work is because the power supply is TOAST and he needs a new one.

Also, the definition of Insanity is: is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. So if your PC is not working properly, don't turn it on & off for 2 hours straight hoping that the Computer Gods will help you. That's not only insane, but just plain stupid!

Get a new power supply dude. And the rest of you who have NO FREAKING CLUE as to how to answer his question: DON"T ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO COMPUTERS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES!!! you people are USELESS!!!!!

I said the same thing. Their motherboard is def toast. Wondering if you could help me with the same problem though. I have an ASUS MB, and my keyboard keeps going dead. Has something to do with the USB drivers, I am sure, but I have uninstalled all USB devices, have reinstalled them, and same thing. over and over again.