Subject: Hot-swapping kbds (was Re: minor pcvt(?) problem...)
To: Alex Rolfe <arolfe@MIT.EDU>
From: Brian C. Grayson <bgrayson@marvin.ece.utexas.edu>
List: port-i386
Date: 09/05/1998 12:06:40
On Sat, Sep 05, 1998 at 10:28:24AM -0400, Alex Rolfe wrote:
>
> I think that unplugging the keyboard and
> plugging it back in (no need to reboot or anything) would fix the problem.
In general, is it safe to do this? I.e., do the keyboard
serial ports have built-in protection to avoid the electrical
weirdness that happens when unplugging hot circuits?
I have occasionally hot-swapped or hot-replugged monitors,
but only when the monitor itself is turned off, and only with
cheap monitors. Keyboards can't be turned off. And I've heard
that unplugging/replugging some mice (PS/2 bus mice?) _could_
potentially blow the serial driver chip. Plus usually one can't
replace a keyboard or mice driver chip as easily as a video card
-- they are on the motherboard nowadays. :|
Thanks.
Brian
--
"...Woll of Fi-ah" -- the infamous Wall of Fire in Grot's Math 102