System Will Not Boot | System Locks Up | Peripheral Issues | Performance Issues | Software Issues


Peripheral Issues


The following is a suggested list of check points to follow to correct your problems. It will require opening your computer. If you do not feel qualified to do this, you may want to enlist the help of a professional at your own expense.

Electro Static Discharge (ESD) Considerations

Static Electricity is your worst enemy when working on computers. You always want the potential for ESD to be zero. Wearing an anti-static wrist strap, working on an anti-static work bench mat, or discharging static electricity by grounding yourself (turning the computer off, then touching the chassis with your hand) are all ways of keeping yourself static free.

Don't take this warning lightly! What might sound like a small spark (that you may not even see and barely hear) can cause expensive damage to your computer.

POPO --
Power Off, Plug Out!

Do not remove the cover from your computer without POPO - Power Off, Plug Out.

Don't take any chances! Turn the power off and unplug the computer either from the wall or remove the power cord from the back of the computer.

  1. Is power applied to your device?
  2. Many devices (printers, scanners, speakers, external modems, etc.) have power plugs that need to be plugged in. Be sure and check that the plug is secure both at the wall outlet and the device itself.
  3. Many devices will have a power button. Be sure that this button is turned on and the power LED is on.

    NO - Apply power to the device
    YES - Proceed to the next Check point

  4. If a driver is needed for this device, is it being properly loaded?
  5. Many devices (printers, scanners, modems, SCSI cards and devices etc.) have drivers (software that "introduces" the device or its interface card with the host computer and/or operating system.
  6. Running Dos and Windows 3.11, typically you can watch these drivers load as the computer brings up the operating system during the boot process. Then Windows will have other software drivers that it may load in order for the device to work in Windows.

    NO - Acquire and correctly load drivers.
    YES - Go to the following list of peripheralsProceed to the next Check point

    7. List of PERIPHERALS

    Select From the List the Device you are Trouble Shooting

    1. Keyboard
    2. Mouse

    Keyboard

    1. Is the keyboard a known working keyboard?
    2. Test it on another system and test another keyboard on this system.

      3. NO - Replace keyboard
      YES - Proceed to next check point

    3. Is the keyboard securely and firmly plugged in?
    4. Before testing, make sure that the system is off.
    5. Unplug the keyboard and plug it back in.
    6. Sometimes the plastic insulator around the metal shield of the connector hangs on the edges of the hole "punched out" for the keyboard on the back panel of the chasis. Make sure the connector is plugged all the way in.

      7. NO - Plug the keyboard in firmly
      YES - Proceed to next check point

    7. Are the pins inside the keyboard connector is good shape?
    8. With the computer turned off, unplug the keyboard and inspect the pins inside the connector to make sure they are all present and straight.
    9. The correct number of pins for a PS/2 (small) connector is 6 arranged in a circular fashion inside the connector.
    10. The correct number of pins for an AT (large) connector is 5 arranged in a semi-circular fashion.
    11. If you notice pins that are bent, they must be carefully straightened or they will break. Bent pins are "weakened" pins; therefore, it would probably be best to replace the keyboard.

      12. NO - Straighten pin/pins or replace keyboard
      YES - Proceed to next check point

    12. For PS/2 only: Is the keyboard plugged into the correct connector?.
    13. The PS/2 keyboard connector and the PS/2 Mouse connector are identical and therefore can be plugged into each others places.
    14. Make sure that the keyboard is plugged into the keyboard connector.

      15. NO - Plug keyboard into correct connector
      YES - Go to Next check point (Cconsiderations)

    Keyboard Considerations

    1. Older or sub-standard keyboards can fail when used in a high performance platform.

    2. There is circuitry on the motherboard that supports the keyboard (controller, etc.) and this circuitry can fail. This requires motherboard replacement; though, in some instances, you can replace the keyboard controller.

    3. If your keyboard lights (Num Lock, Caps Lock, Scroll Lock) "light up" at boot but the keyboard is not initialized, then there is probably a motherboard problem.

    Mouse - Serial or PS/2
    1. Is the mouse functional?
    2. The mouse pad clean?
    3. What is the factor for determining that the mouse is not working?
      • The machine may be locked, which means that the mouse will not move, but that doesn't mean that the mouse has failed.
      • If the keyboard works, but the mouse doesn't move, or the mouse cursor doesn't show up, then there is likely a mouse problem.
      • Some newer BIOS's show the mouse being initialized during POST and it will show an initialization error if it cannot initialize the mouse.
    4. Once determined that there is a mouse failure, follow the procedures below for either a PS/2 or Serial Mouse.

      Serial Mouse

      1. Verify that you know that you have a good working mouse.
      2. Does the mouse work in another computer?

        3. NO - Replace mouse
        YES - Proceed to the next check point

      3. Is the Serial port configured and operational?
      4. The serial port that the mouse is plugged into must be enabled.
      5. The configuration screen that comes up shortly after post and before the operating system loads should show whether the COM port is enabled. If is shows up disabled, then you will have to enter the BIOS setup and enable the com port.
      6. Make sure the mouse is plugged into the enabled port.

        7. NO - Enable the appropriate COM port
        YES - Proceed to the next check point

      PS/2 Mouse

      1. Verify that you know that you have a good working mouse.
      2. Does the mouse work in another computer?

        3. NO - Replace Mouse
        YES - Proceed to the next Check Point

      3. Is the mouse connector inserted firmly into the PS/2 connector.
      4. With the unit turned off, unplug the mouse from back of the computer and plug it back in, firmly. Turn computer back on.

        5. NO - Firmly plug in mouse
        YES - Go to Next check point

      5. Does the computer see the mouse?
      6. Shortly after POST you will see a configuration screen that should show the mouse if it has "found" it.
      7. Additionally, with some systems, you can see "mouse initialized" as the computer boots up.

        8. NO - Go back to first two check points
        YES - Proceed to the next check point (Considerations)

      Mouse Considerations

      1. With the above hardware checks done, then there is the potential that a driver is not installed or properly installed.

      2. Rare things do happen, such as the mouse connector "shorts" against the case or chassis of your computer. If you are installing a motherboard, make sure that the PS/2 connector on the board is in the center of the hole provided for it on the rear panel of the chassis.

      3. In some cases, a particular mouse is simply not going to function in a particular system. Replacing the mouse with a slightly better mouse or one from another manufacturer may solve the problem.

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