IIcx ADB problem...

[bigD]

Hey all. I have a IIcx that's been working fine up until last night, when I tried to install an ADB-PS2 adapter to use with a Logitech mouse. The adapter didn't seem to work, and worse, now my ADB ports don't seem to work at all, except for the power button on the keyboard. The Mac boots normally, but the keyboard and mouse aren't responsive. They both work fine with my IIci, so I know it's not the keyboard and mouse itself.

I can't get them to respond regardless of which ADB port on the back I use (except as I mentioned, the power button). Could this be a leaky capacitor problem, or did I just hose my motherboard? I know my caps are starting to go, as I don't have sound to my speaker anymore. I'm hoping that's the issue, but there's no sense in trying to recap the board if I've killed my ADB anyway. :'(

 

[Bunsen]

You sure that was an ADB-PS/2 adapter?

 

[macgeek417]

All the power button does is shorts two connectors. I doubt they make ps2-adb connectors,so you probly killed the mobo...

 

[bigD]

I was afraid of that. The ADB-PS/2 adapter is for mice, specifically this:

http://www.geethree.com/adb/index.html

So ummm...anyone have another IIcx mobo with a socketed processor? :'(

 

[Mars478]

Did you follow the instructions on that site?

If you wanna go renegade, you can try soldering the mouse directly to the mobo? If you have like a dirty mouse or bad mouse of course.

 

[Osgeld]

the ADB jacks can handle more than anything you would want to shove in a mac electronics wise, so unless there is a physically broken plug the jack itself is not at fault, maybe some of the electronics

and yes they do make ps/2 adapters, which usually has a small microcontroller translating, if you got a bad one and it fried your board, i would contact the company

If there was a rotten cap in the mix it could have just drawn enough extra current to push it over from rotten to dead

 

[bigD]

If there was a rotten cap in the mix it could have just drawn enough extra current to push it over from rotten to dead

That's kind of what I was worried about. I don't want to throw stones at this company, knowing full well that some bad caps might be the issue. The Mac *was* working perfectly before attaching their adapter, but if bad caps are the culprit, I'd hate to accuse them of something that's not their fault.

 

[Dog Cow]

now my ADB ports don't seem to work at all, except for the power button on the keyboard. The Mac boots normally, but the keyboard and mouse aren't responsive. They both work fine with my IIci, so I know it's not the keyboard and mouse itself.

I did the same thing to my Mac LC over a year ago, except that I just hot-plugged an ordinary ADB mouse or keyboard because I was in a hurry.

Well guess what? I paid for it by destroying the ADB port. It is dead.

 

[Mars478]

but if bad caps are the culprit, I'd hate to accuse them of something that's not their fault.

Uhm, Caps don't have feelings. :lol:

 

[Osgeld]

That's kind of what I was worried about. I don't want to throw stones at this company

As a guy who gets those phone calls for a company, all i can say is "stuff happens" , call them up or email them, be nice explain what happened (omit that your computer could have electronics issues) and see what they say

If they turn out to be "not my problem" a-holes then we can throw stones

 

[Unknown_K]

You might be able to fix it, sounds like you blew up something on the data side of the ADB. I think if there was fusing it would only be for the power side but I don't have the schematics in front of me to check at the moment.

 

[H3NRY]

I sorta remember a fuse on the ADB port 5V line. Don't have a II cx to look at, but have a squint at the mobo for a little surface mount chip labelled F-something. There is also a fuse on the SCSI port for termination power. If you're into quick & dirty, a single strand of copper from some stranded wire will get the current flowing again.