Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!pyramid!infmx!jimc
From: jimc@infmx.UUCP (Jim Carius)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: AT clone keyboard woes
Keywords: AT, keyboards, problems
Message-ID: <2818@infmx.UUCP>
Date: 11 Dec 89 18:42:59 GMT
References: <1466@rodan.acs.syr.edu#
Reply-To: jimc@infmx.UUCP (Jim Carius)
Organization: Informix, Menlo Park, Ca. U.S.A.
Lines: 26

In article <1466@rodan.acs.syr.edu# cwebster@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Chris Webster) writes:
#
#   I'm having some interesting problems with my AT clone.  (They're interesting
#   because I have no idea how to fix it.)  Every so often, the keyboard locks
#   up.  Usually, all three keyboard lights come on (The Num, Caps, and Scroll
#   Locks that is) and the keyboard refuses to function.
#
#   I can't locate the problem.  It happens after the machine's been on for
#   a half hour or longer.  The reset button won't fix it; I must shut the 
#   machine down in order to regain the keyboard.  (In addition to the   
#   inconvience, this is going to be shorting my HD's lifespan.)  Usually, it
#   seems that I jiggled the keyboard slightly to cause this, but if I try to
#   duplicate it myself by shaking the keyboard and moving the cord in all
#   directions, nothing happens.  (Pulling the keyboard's plug out of the
#   computer and plugging it back in doesn't help either.) 
#    
#       As for specifics, my machine is a generic AT clone running at 12.5mhz.
#       The keyboard is by Omron, the bios and motherboard by DTK.  Since I can't
#       seem to duplicate the problems by physically jiggling the keyboard, I
#       presume that the CMOS that's handling the keyboard might be at fault.
#
#       Has anyone have any ideas?  Suggestions?

I had the same problem.  Turned out the keyboard didn't like the diagnostic
routines sent by the BIOS.  I turned off checking the keyboard, and everything 
works fine...