VOGONS


First post, by dulu

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

The keyboard connected to the PS/2 port on the back of the case doesn't work. However, I can still hear a faint beeping sound from the BIOS speaker when pressing individual keys. The keyboard starts working when I bend the port (or maybe a piece of the PCB). I decided to desolder the port and replace it with a new one. While desoldering, I tore out a trace – pin 5 in the photo. This is the "clock" for the keyboard port.

Once I solder the new port and repair the trace, I'll see if it was actually physical damage. However, I recently started having doubts.
The USB keyboard/mouse on this motherboard didn't work from the start. I was hoping this was normal for this model (it's rare, but I've encountered such boards before). Furthermore, after Windows loaded, the USB port correctly detected the flash drive, although only one of the two did. Out of curiosity, I connected the external USB ports to the motherboard's connector and the keyboard to it. And it turned out the keyboard worked in the BIOS.
Furthermore, I noticed that the rear ports no longer detected the flash drive. Both fuses near the ports are working.

I'm writing about these two things because I have a feeling they have something in common. On the other hand, it could be a coincidence. Could a failure of some discrete component on the PCB near the USB ports cause such strange behavior? I read a thread about removing an SMD component that caused PS/2 to start working on Asus motherboards. But I don't want to remove it until I understand its exact purpose. I'm talking about a component with 8 pins.

Reply 1 of 3, by dulu

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

tldw: The coils were damaged. They either had no continuity at all, or they had continuity but caused a voltage drop when the PS/2 keyboard was connected. I replaced them with other coils, and later, when I ran out of spare parts, I started bridging them. Three coils in the PS/2 port and one in the USB port were damaged.

Currently, the PS/2 ports are working, and the USB port is partially working. I'll try to describe it below:

- The mouse works in the lower port, but not in the upper port.
- The flash drive works in the lower port, but not in the upper port.

- When the flash drive is in the lower port and the mouse is inserted into the upper port, the flash drive stops working, and the mouse doesn't work either (nothing works).

- When the mouse is in the lower port and the flash drive is inserted into the upper port, the mouse stops working, but the flash drive works (in the upper port, which doesn't work in either of the above cases).

I confirm that Data+ and Data- have circuit continuity all the way to the chipset.

Question: Should Data+ from the first port be connected to Data- from the second port? That's how it is for me.

Reply 2 of 3, by maxtherabbit

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

no I don't think so

Reply 3 of 3, by dulu

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

The short circuit occurred in the spot marked in the photo. After soldering, all USB ports are functional.
A tip for anyone experiencing a similar problem: even if the coil shows continuity on a multimeter, it doesn't mean it's working. Check for voltage drops across it 😀