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Subject:
From:
david rust <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
PCBUILD - Personal Computer Hardware discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 9 Oct 2000 19:22:01 -0700
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I thought I might ask you people about a problem I'm having with a Dell
model 333P (it's a 386). It has PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports. It won't
finish POST. It gives "Keyboard Failure" message when using one keyboard
and adapter combination and "Keyboard clock line failure" message when
using another keyboard and adapter combination.

Note - I don't have any PS/2 keyboards so I use one of two PS/2 adapters
(both adapter keyboard combinations work on other PS/2 ported computers
including another Dell)

Now I've done my homework and checked the Dell troubleshooting information
on their site and although I wasn't able to find model specific information
for this error, several other models gave only two options - bad keyboard
or bad system board.

Well that's not too encouraging. Except for the outside possibility that
there is something 'special' about the keyboard that went with the 333P - I
think I've ruled out the keyboard after trying 2 different adapters and 3
different keyboards. Does that only leave me with a bad system board? What
about the BIOS? I once upgraded the BIOS chips on a 286 and there were two
chips - one was marked 'keyboard'. I don't see a 'Keyboard' chip on this
one. Is there any hope there?

By the way - just putting in another system board is not going to work
since this is one of those proprietary boards with integrated video and
ports. So I'd have to find another 333P board. Don't see too many of them
just laying around.....

 I used my analog volt/ohmmeter to check the PS/2 port connector to the
board and I have found the following readings and they match the
specifications:
1. keyboard data (reads 5.0V)
2. No connection (0V)
3. Signal ground (0V - continuity to ground)
4. Fused supply voltage (reads 2.9V)
5. Keyboard clock (reads 5.0V)
6. No connection (0V)
Shell

Since I did get an error "keyboard clock line failure" I expected there
would be a problem with pin 5. But I'm getting 5 volts there.
Maybe I should just ask "what's the best way to test this port?" What else
can I do? Do continuity checks back through the traces? My electronic
troubleshooting skills are pretty basic. I know voltage when I read it and
I know continuity but beyond that - I don't know much :-). Anybody want to
advise me before I do some real damage? I won't hold it against you, if I
mess up. This is not a business critical computer.
Dave

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