Author Topic: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED  (Read 1821 times)

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Offline ultra24

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PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« on: Thu, 24 June 2021, 15:05:03 »
Hello:

Here I am, happy with my Model 'M' for which I have ordered a bag of springs fro a chap in the UK.

At US$16.61 for a bag of 29 used but grade 'A' Unicomp springs and 'flappers', it ends up being US$0.57 ea.  which is not too bad.
Save for the shipping and import taxes ... 8^|

I hard wired a PCP-BCG4209 converter inside the case which works perfectly well (as expected) and as I am not a fast touch typist I have not noticed any issue, but something has drawn my attention: the NumLock LED, it remains lit after the box is shut down.

This Sun Ultra24 has an ATX PS, so the USB port probably has +5v power as long as you do not de-energise the PS.

Q: is it normal for the NumLock LED to remain on with the box powered off?

Has anyone else seen this?

Thanks in advance,

U24

Offline yui

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 25 June 2021, 02:49:55 »
all my converted keyboards and usb keyboards do keep their last know state when they lose communication with the pc but keep power, can be good, can lead to some strange bugs (numlock lit on the board but off in the OS, happens to me all the time with VM) come to think of it my ps/2 M does that too when plugged into the ps/2 port on the motherboard.
TL;DR: yeah pretty normal overall.
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Offline ultra24

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 25 June 2021, 18:40:30 »
Hello:
TL;DR: yeah pretty normal overall.
Right ...

I haven't used a PS/2 kb. since I got this U24 WS (late 2015) and I cannot recall seeing the NumLock light stay on with the old box.
But then it was an old-ish Soyo mobo.

Good to know it's the usual behaviour for  Model 'M'.
Thanks for you input.

Best,

U24

Offline Snowdog993

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 25 June 2021, 23:45:17 »
I would think that would be a BIOS setting for numlock on at boot. If you turn it off, then the numlock key will always be off. Or am I over-thinking this?

Offline ultra24

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 26 June 2021, 15:28:34 »
Hello:
... BIOS setting for numlock on at boot.
If you turn it off ...

That would be so if and when the USB ports have been initiated, something that happens every time the machine boots, at the very beggining when the BIOS is run.

That is when USB ports and on-board controller drives are detected and listed, you can usually read it on the screen.
Unless you have opted (through a BIOS setting) for watching some tacky OEM logo instead of useful information.

I believe there is always +5V on (some, not all?) USB ports these days unless you switch off the PS.
Switching off the PS (or unplugging it) turns the NumLock LED off.

Thanks for your input.

Best,

U24

Offline Snowdog993

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 26 June 2021, 22:21:20 »
Hello:
... BIOS setting for numlock on at boot.
If you turn it off ...

That would be so if and when the USB ports have been initiated, something that happens every time the machine boots, at the very beggining when the BIOS is run.

That is when USB ports and on-board controller drives are detected and listed, you can usually read it on the screen.
Unless you have opted (through a BIOS setting) for watching some tacky OEM logo instead of useful information.

I believe there is always +5V on (some, not all?) USB ports these days unless you switch off the PS.
Switching off the PS (or unplugging it) turns the NumLock LED off.

Thanks for your input.

Best,

U24

I was talking about the PS/2 port. Not the USB port. You are so smart it's amazing.

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 27 June 2021, 08:20:51 »

a BIOS setting for numlock on at boot. If you turn it off, then the numlock key will always be off.


My impression was that the BIOS setting just made the default either "on" or "off" and the key still flip-flopped the state when pressed.

I  *ALWAYS*  keep NumLock  ON, and would love to get rid of the stupid light always being on. I would be ecstatic if the light indicated "NumLock OFF"
"Starting in 2011, the deficits again started to shrink. During Obama’s term  the deficit was reduced by $900 Billion  before finally in 2015 the GOP managed to wrangle a “reconciliation” bill out of Obama where he again cut corporate taxes, as well as made permanent some of George W. Bush’s original tax cuts. This is the year everything reversed. Before this, under Clinton, Bush and Obama the deficit in almost every year was gradually decreasing. The balance we had of taxes and the economy was bringing the deficit down, the money coming in was slowly catching up with the money going out until 2015. Trump’s subsequent tax cut has continued the new trend even after the rest of Bush’s cuts have since expired. Obama had an average GDP of 2.3%, with 11.6 million jobs created and unemployment peaking at 10% in 2009, then falling to 4.3% in 2016. If we had continued on that downward deficit track, we would have again reached balance and another surplus in 2017-2018.
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Offline Snowdog993

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 27 June 2021, 11:51:14 »

a BIOS setting for numlock on at boot. If you turn it off, then the numlock key will always be off.


My impression was that the BIOS setting just made the default either "on" or "off" and the key still flip-flopped the state when pressed.

I  *ALWAYS*  keep NumLock  ON, and would love to get rid of the stupid light always being on. I would be ecstatic if the light indicated "NumLock OFF"
Yep.

Offline yui

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Re: PS/2 Model 'M' - 1995 Lexmark w/converter - NumLock LED
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 28 June 2021, 01:43:20 »
I believe there is always +5V on (some, not all?) USB ports these days unless you switch off the PS.
Switching off the PS (or unplugging it) turns the NumLock LED off.
some motherboard will allow you to choose, depending on the age with a jumper or bios setting, some will just be always on and some will have "charging" ports that are always on. and yeah when you remove electricity the LED turns off and the keyboard loses init, pretty normal too.
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