Fried my PS/2 ports, can't boot because of "Keyboard/Interface Error"

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Luke M

Gawd
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Apr 20, 2016
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Is there any way to bypass keyboard errors? I don't care that the PS/2 ports don't work, but it's preventing the system from booting. I can't enter the BIOS settings to disable the error (assuming that such an option exists).

So far my only idea is to modify the BIOS, but that's challenging since the chip is soldered down (MSI socket 1156 motherboard). Is there a way to force an emergency BIOS update from USB (even if the BIOS is perfectly fine)?
 
No. I get the keyboard error before the "press DEL to enter BIOS settings" message appears.
 
In the old days when people actually used PS/2 computers, I was a field tech who worked on computer labs full of them.

When I had one that lost the PS/2 ports it was usually due to an inline SMT fuse opening on the mobo.
I used to put a solder blob over the fuse to get it working again so I didn't have to order a replacement mobo.

That was usually a permanent fix. If it blew up later then I could always replace the mobo later.
Secrets of PC service contracts. lol

So look for a tiny fuse on the PS/2 ports, they used to be marked like zero ohm resistors I think.
But there may be a silk screened FS number next to it instead of an R number.

Something like that..... it's been a long time.

Use a multimeter and see if you can find a tiny device on the PS/2 ports that is open.


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Spartacus said:
When I had one that lost the PS/2 ports it was usually due to an inline SMT fuse opening on the mobo.
I used to put a solder blob over the fuse to get it working again so I didn't have to order a replacement mobo.
Click to expand...

There is a fuse in the area, but it's a resettable type (1.5A 24V). It's fine. It failed to protect against a dead short (caused by blindly plugging a USB cable and momentarily touching exposed pins [for the MSI "dashboard" dongle] - poor design). A tiny 8-pin chip on the board melted in an instant.
 
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Well that makes things a little tougher. :)

Since the board isn't usable, you could try experimenting with pulling some of the pads on the damaged chip high or low.
I would remove the melted chip and go from there. You're just kind of taking wild guesses since you can't get a schematic
for the board.

Probably not worth the frustration and it's time to scrap it as others have said.

I've done component level work for a living and I don't think I'd spend the time on it.

.
 
Do you have any PCI-E cards with USB ports you can attach a keyboard to?

Probably won't work to bypass the POST error, but you never know.
Once in a while you can get lucky trying stuff like that.

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Highly likely you need a new mobo. Even if you can flash the bios, the error will likely still show up. If you solder a replacement for the melted chip, there's no guarantees something else didn't get damaged. You might be able to find a relatively inexpensive replacement on ebay, but as another poster said 1156 boards aren't plentiful on there.
 
Furious_Styles said:
Highly likely you need a new mobo. Even if you can flash the bios, the error will likely still show up. If you solder a replacement for the melted chip, there's no guarantees something else didn't get damaged.
Click to expand...

The system continued working after the damage (including USB keyboard/mouse). But after a reboot...keyboard error. So it's frustrating because I'm pretty sure there's nothing else wrong.
 
Have you tried clearing CMOS? Maybe your motherboard's (not listed?) default is to ignore keyboard errors and keep booting?
 
IKV1476 said:
Have you tried clearing CMOS? Maybe your motherboard's (not listed?) default is to ignore keyboard errors and keep booting?
Click to expand...

Tried that, didn't help. Some BIOSes have a far more intelligent default: halt on all errors *except* keyboard error. But not this (AMI) one.
 
Luke M said:
There is a fuse in the area, but it's a resettable type (1.5A 24V). It's fine. It failed to protect against a dead short (caused by blindly plugging a USB cable and momentarily touching exposed pins [for the MSI "dashboard" dongle] - poor design). A tiny 8-pin chip on the board melted in an instant.
Click to expand...

If that melted 8 pin chip is still on the board, it's going to keep shorting out whatever its connected to and still cause the board to error out. If you don't have any soldering experience, probably best to get a newer setup and recycle the board.

I'd offer to attempt to repair it for you, but it'd cost well in excess of what the board is worth.
 
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