Dell freezes randomly

[Xyxyll]

Hi everyone!

I'm relatively new to the conscious mechanical keyboard world (years ago I surely had a few but never realized it).  With all the ruckus floating around Overclock.net, I thought I'd finally track down a mechanical keyboard to try out.  I play a lot of FPS and Strategy games, and I spend twice that time browsing the internet.

After a bit of scavenging, I found a Dell AT101W with black alps at a friend's computer shop headed out the door for recycling.  Cleaned it up, plugged it in, and all works pretty well considering its age.  My only issue is during Bad Company 2, the keyboard will freeze.  Mouse works fine.  Game is still running.  I have plugged in a USB keyboard during the freeze and it connects frozen as well.  Only solution is to shut down the computer with the power switch.  I haven't been able to consistently reproduce the fault.  I just know it happens after several minutes ingame.

Is the keyboard simply toast or is this one of those "oh you simply forgot to XXXX?"  Mainboard is the ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe.

Thanks for the help!

[daerid]

I've had several AT101W keyboards over the years, and never once have I had a problem with the computer freezing.

However, I've always had consistent issues with its low rollover number (I think it's a 2-3KRO).

[DrunkenDonut]

I'm assuming you're using it on a PS/2 port? Barring a real problem with the keyboard, it's possible that a loose connector is causing this. PS/2 keyboards don't like being unplugged - you often can't get a response plugging in a PS/2 board after bootup.

If you have a PS/2 -> USB adapter laying around, you can try that. If it still freezes you can at least replug it with a chance of it working again. It  will reset the keyboard and the adapter when both are unplugged. Hopefully it won't freeze the USB controller. I've had issues with some USB flash drives locking up the USB controller so even the kbd and mouse will stop working.

If it still does funky things then it's time to open up the keyboard and giving it a more thorough inspection.

[arc2]

Does this ever happen when not gaming or playing other games  or just specifically when playing Bad Company 2 ?

[Xyxyll]

This is a great start.  Thanks for the suggestions!

It is being used on a PS/2 port, and installing it tonight I ensured it was securely plugged in (with the computer off).  Booting up went smoothly.  Internet browsing and the first hour or so of gaming went smoothly.  Alt+Tabbing out of BC2 a few times went fine, but when clicking back into the game this last time resulted in the keyboard freezing.  Note the computer was not frozen.  I could still swing around and shoot.  This time around, when plugging in my USB keyboard, I was able to regain control of the computer and exit the game (with the USB keyboard).

None of the keys worked on the Dell (further evident by the Num Lock indicator not changing when pressing Num Lock), but my USB keyboard worked.  This time I tried unplugging and plugging the PS2 keyboard in while the machine was running (I've never done this before), and all 3 indicator lights on the keyboard turned on, but the keys still did not work.  Rebooting the computer got the Dell working again.

daerid: Yeah, the KRO (I think it's 2KRO) is a bit of a letdown, but it hasn't been an issue yet.

DrunkenDonut: No PS2 to USB adapter here, but I'll see if I can track one down.

arc2: I have not tried it in another game but I'll see if I can reproduce the issue in StarCraft II later this evening.

Another curious note:  I always thought Num Lock settings were independent of the keyboard plugged in.  If I change the Num Lock setting on either keyboard (with both plugged in), the other keyboard follows suit.  This may not be related, but I thought it was interesting none the less.

[Xyxyll]

Does this ever happen when not gaming or playing other games  or just specifically when playing Bad Company 2 ?

Just froze outside of a game, so it's not localized to Bad Company 2.

Also, despite the keys not working on the Dell, if I toggle the Num Lock key on my USB keyboard, the Num Lock indicator on the Dell toggles as well.

[geonny]

Just curious but what OS are you using?  I just replaced my old Dell (Windows XP) with this new Dell (Windows 7, 64 bit), because the old Dell started having keyboard problems.(amongst other things).  I determined that it was a corrupt file in Windows XP that was causing the problem, but I didn't know which file.  

I wanted to rerun my Windows XP disk (that came with the computer) over top of the existing Win XP installation on my computer, but when I took the disk out of it's original sealed envelope, it was cracked in half, so I don't know if that would have solved my problem.

I tried several different keyboards and none of them worked.  I even tried installing an updated keyboard driver, but that only worked until I booted up the computer the next time.

To get around the problem, I created a shortcut to the newer driver and placed it on my desktop.  If the keyboard didn't work, I double-clicked on the driver shortcut which installed the new driver again, then when the driver was installed, it said to reboot the system, but I didn't.  I left it that way and the keyboard worked fine.....until the next reboot.

I have read posts where others have had the same problem with Win XP.

[Xyxyll]

Hey thanks for the idea geonny.  I'm running Windows 7 Pro x64, but unlike your past keyboard issue, my keyboard works when booted up and then fails later on. (weird I know) :X

I suspect that a fresh XP install would have helped your situation tenfold, but trust me, you'll like Windows 7 much more than XP.  Just consider the keyboard situation a positive excuse to make the bump! :biggrin:

[False_Dmitry_II]

For the record all status things happen on any keyboard. This includes caps lock and scroll lock showing up on different keyboards.

Are you saying that even when its frozen the lights still work like they're supposed to? That seems odd that part of it would still be responsive.

[geonny]

Hey thanks for the idea geonny.  I'm running Windows 7 Pro x64, but unlike your past keyboard issue, my keyboard works when booted up and then fails later on. (weird I know) :X

I suspect that a fresh XP install would have helped your situation tenfold, but trust me, you'll like Windows 7 much more than XP.  Just consider the keyboard situation a positive excuse to make the bump! :biggrin:

Actually, there were times when the keyboard worked fine, but in the middle of using it, it would act up.  Sometimes it wouldn't work at all, other times the keys were out of whack.  They seemed to have shifted to the key to their right.  In other words, the top row of letter keys is ...Q...W...E...R....etc.  Well if I hit the "Q" key, a "W" would pop up.  It seemed as if all of the keys moved to their right one position.

As for Windows 7.....I prefer XP.  I have numerous hardware and software applications that won't run on Win 7....my HP printer....my slide scanner....my old Zip Drive.  I guess they expect you to just throw out your old stuff when you buy a new computer....

[Xyxyll]

A bit of an update.  Taking the keyboard apart, I can get the keyboard to function again by shorting out something on the backside.  Not sure what cause I shorted most everything at once by flipping over the ground paper (and Windows made a beep).  Clearly this isn't an ideal option since it could cause a power surge within the system, but maybe it'll help direct those of you that have worked with keyboard PCBs before.

[audioave10]

I found this in another forum where keyboard & mouse control were lost:

The PS/2 ports are controlled by the motherboard so are not driver controlled. This motherboard has a higher than normal failure rate, but I would first reset the cmos by unplugging the computer and removing the small battery for 30 min. Then reinstall and try to boot. That mobo is fairly old so this may work.
I've had a board similar to that before (M2N-E SLI).
You might try this as a last resort since in this case, all keyboard control was lost.

EDIT: sounds like you are getting there...

[False_Dmitry_II]

The 'toss-all-your-old-stuff-and-get-new-products' thing happened with vista. It was one of the reasons nobody liked it. To be clear, that stuff not working is because the companies that made those products didn't write new drivers for them it has nothing to do with microsoft. Though, I have my printer running off of a linux computer, so it doesn't matter to me if it happens again with win8 or not.

Although I personally haven't really run into any programs that didn't run. I've only seen hardware not run because they were too lazy to do anything, like creative and every single one of their pre-vista devices.

[Ascaii]

Ive had the exact same problem as you. Only I had it on a Dell Quietkey I found dumpster diving. I recently looked at the board again and found it was the connection of the pin to the cable (yes I had to cut the damb cable apart). Basically soldering on a new cable would have fixed my problem, but I had gotten some real mechs by then and decided to just toss the Quietkey.