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5150 - keyboard issues

nestor said:
Also take a look at the keyboard female connector on the motherboard, maybe it is dirty or it has bad solder joints. Move the keyboard plug with the computer powered on while pressing some keys and check if the behaviour changes.
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I thought about that. Tried it quickly this morning, but it didn't help.
 
Stone said:
Posting inaccurate information when seeking to acquire help from others is akin to sending those who are attempting to help you down a rabbit hole.
If counting the keys is too mundane a task in your search for assistance from those who are quite willing to offer their time to you then you're asking a bit too much, IMO.
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FWIW, I agree with your philosophy. I just think your delivery needs a little work :)
 
Trixter said:
FWIW, I agree with your philosophy. I just think your delivery needs a little work :)
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Admittedly, I have a very low tolerance threshold for the rabbit hole scenario, especially when it's instigated by someone who's also been here as long as I have... eight years. I just don't see any reasonable excuse for someone of that stature to be so lax, to put it mildly.

In a nutshell, if you gonna ask for help at least have the courtesy to do your homework FIRST. If you're expecting the people you are seeking help from to do it for you (as well) you probably should be asking your parents (for help) instead of us.
 
You are so correct! The mistake of me saying 88 keys verses 83 COMPLETELY entitles you to be a total knob-end. It was my fault that in 8 years (OMG REALLY?) I never owned a 5150, and never until last week had any need to learn the idiosyncrasies of such a system.

It is plain for me to see now, the extra 5 keys I thought I had on my keyboard really would have caused you so much grief. All I can do is throw myself at your feet and hope for forgiveness. I have truly learned, no questions about old computer parts are allowed on an old computer forum. I am to scour the earth in solitude, searching for answers myself and then hoard them to prevent others from also learning. Lesson learned.

@KC9UDX

I did probe the cable with a multi-meter and I did find 5v, ground, what appears to be an AC voltage on the clock. Not having a scope, I can only guess, but from what I do know (which isn't much according to some people), all signs point to the cable being fine. I got my old 8051 project kit out, and I'm going to give it the old college try, as a PC-PS/2 adapter.
 
A better test is a simple continuity test. Otherwise you risk seeing a circuit's return rather than the cable itself, if in fact there's a break or high resistance path in the cable.
 
UPDATE:

I think I mentioned I did not have a spare compatible keyboard. Turns out that wasn't 100% correct. (Please forgive me Stone!) I have a cheap knockoff model M made by keytronic, it has a hole for the XT/AT switch, but no switch. So I ripped it apart, which was easy. It doesn't have a single screw in it. The space for the switch was unpopulated, but all it did was pull a pin on the sole IC to ground. So I blobbed a bit of solder on the connection and gave it a whirl:



I'm very happy! I need to clean the floppy drives as both will spit out random errors. I want to thank everyone for their assistance. Even you, Stone. I'm happy the computer is fine, and all I need now is to source a new keyboard pcb.
 
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