If I plug a PS/2 keyboard into a PS/2 mouse to Serial adapter, will it work in Windows? Is there some sort of a special driver I can use or do I have to use a PS/2 to USB Adapter instead? Thanks!

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No it won't work. The PS/2 to serial if for mice only.

You will need a PS/2 to DIN or a PS/2 to USB adaptor. I'm not even sure a PS/2 to USB will work with a keyboard either.

Stuart

You might check this:

http://www.accesskeyboards.co.uk/AT...

I think it's more practical to just buy a cheap USB keyboard if your PC doesn't have a useable PS/2 keyboard port.

As far as the PS/2 to USB adapter--it may not work with your keyboard. You would need a 'combo' keyboard with the ability to support both types. Just getting an adapter isn't enough to make the switch to USB.

Thanks for the replies. What's the difference, DAVEINCAPS, between a standard PS/2 Mouse to Serial Adapter and the one in the link you gave?

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I don't know, other than the one in the link is specifically designed for a keyboard.

An adapter to connect a PS/2 mouse to a serial port is designed to work with the signals and voltages those mice use. A keyboard is sending different signals and it wouldn't be reasonable to expect a mouse adapter to know how to convert them to meaningful serial data.

All I can say is there seem to be keyboard adapters out there and I believe there are also serial keyboards that will work in a PC environment. It sounds like you might have a system with no PS/2 keyboard support and you're trying to see if you can somehow use your old PS/2 keyboard. While that may be possible you have to consider the price of an adapter and how the end result may not be as satisfactory as opting for a cheap USB keyboard.

Ok thanks very much for the reply. Actually it's an MSI K8T Neo-V AMD Sempron board where the PS/2 and USB ports started acting very odd after just simply plugging a digital camera in to download pictures. You can read all about it in the thread that I created the other day on this forum. The USB ports and PS/2 ports are no longer working -- well the only thing that works is the PS/2 mouse port, and only one of the 3 keyboards I have work with the PS/2 keyboard port, that is until I plug in any USB device, and then it fails to work too.

The thing is that I still want to use this board. It's fine provided that no USB devices are plugged in and that the only keyboard that works is being used. But the only keyboard that works goes on the family PC. Since an old serial mouse that I have works great in the serial port, the serial port works OK. That's why I was hoping to use it for my other keyboard. You'd probably understand what I'm saying if you read the thread.

I'm going to go to the PC parts store tomorrow and pick up a PCI USB Controller card and a PS/2 to USB converter with a split jack that allows you to use both a mouse and keyboard. Would this work in spite of the onboard USB not working? Thanks!

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That would probably be the thing to try next. If it doesn't work my guess would be the problem is with the OS and not the hardware.

Ok thanks alot for your input guys!

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Success! Here's an update. I wasn't able to buy anything till today. But I bought a PCI USB 2.0 card and a USB to PS/2 converter, and all is well. This way is better anyway in case I wanted to connect another computer to the serial port for a Direct Connection.

Thanks again!

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You're welcome. We're glad it worked out.