XT Keyboard Error on bootup

[map7]

I am restoring my first computer that I got when I was 6yo and it's an XT 4.7Mhz/8Mhz. The problem is that the first time I turned it one was last year and it hadn't been on for some time before that. The battery decided it was time to explode all over the motherboard, this wasn't fun.

I cleaned up the spill with 100% alcohol and replaced the batt with a new one. Everything else looked like it hadn't been effected.

I turned the computer back on after replacement yesterday and it started up and booted to a command prompt. This was without a keyboard and it said 'Keyboard Bad', but continued anyway.

I then proceeded to plug in a keyboard and cold boot again, this time it didn't get very far, the screen read:
FF Keyboard Bad
640Kb, Good
Error. Press F1 Key to continue

The keyboard has a switch 'XT/AT' so I tested the keyboard on another computer (i386 pentium 120Mhz) in AT mode this worked fine. It even responded in XT mode on there.

Plug it back into the XT and I've still got the same problem.

Where the batt decided to die was right next to where you plug in the keyboard and possible the controller. I think that it may have blown the keyboard controller and that may need replacement, but I don't know which chip that would be.

Should I start looking down this track or is it something simple that I've forgotten to wire up or switch on?

 

[mbbrutman]

Look for damaged traces on the motherboard. Also look to ensure that the keyboard socket on the motherboard has all of the pins. Check continuity between the pins and the solder pads on the motherboard.

(I've got a flakey motherboard that is fine except that it takes some jiggling of the keyboard connector to make contact.)

Also, of course, just try another keyboard.

And remember - don't 'hot plug' keyboards. Lots of people do it, but that doesn't make it safe for the machine. They are not designed to be hotplugged.

 

[mainframeOFpasta]

I then proceeded to plug in a keyboard and cold boot again, this time it didn't get very far, the screen read:
FF Keyboard Bad
640Kb, Good
Error. Press F1 Key to continue

¡lol! :lol: :gape:

My old XT keyboard did not work on an old 95 I just got and then I replaced the keyboard with another one and it works just fine.