Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe Motherboard Problem

[Altair]

Hi

The PS2 Mouse port on the rear panel seems to have stopped working. The mouse pointer shows on the monitor screen, optical light on the mouse is on but moving the mouse physically has no effect, (pointer stationery).
Have tried plugging a USB mouse into a USB port on the rear panel, it works fine when windows (XP media Centre Edition) is running, but computer won't boot up if you leave the mouse plugged in to the USB port.
So basically, when windows is running and I plug the mouse in, all's well, Shut down the computer and it won't boot up.
If I unplug the mouse and THEN boot up the computer, windows boots up ok as normal.
I've always used the PS2 port for the mouse (with adaptor) as this problem has always been there from when I first bought the computer (8 years ago).
Now that the PS2 port is not functioning I'm stumped
My other USB devices (printer, keyboard etc. work okay btw.)

Any suggestions welcome.

[DanceswithUnix]

Is the BIOS up to date?

Have you tried another PS/2 mouse? The leads tend to fail after a while.

Otherwise you are probably looking at a motherboard replacement. Good news is that a modern FM2 socket motherboard would be a cheap upgrade for something that old

[Altair]

Is the BIOS up to date?

Have you tried another PS/2 mouse? The leads tend to fail after a while.

Otherwise you are probably looking at a motherboard replacement. Good news is that a modern FM2 socket motherboard would be a cheap upgrade for something that old

Hi

Thanks for the information.

Yes, I tried a standard PS2 mouse in the socket but no go. I suspect it's a damaged socket.
Have tried updating the bios as the latest version 'fixes' a problem with a USB flash drive stopping win XP booting up into windows, while the flash drive is already fitted in the USB port.(I was thinking that it might solve the same type of problem with the USB Mouse). Unfortunately I can't get the Asus update software to work!....it starts to install then stops with an error message...*shrugs*.

I'm looking at replacement motherboards at the moment, but I'm trying to save on components from this old computer, namely a Creative SoundBlaster XFi Fatal1ty soundcard with the 5 1/2" bay IO bracket/equipment (fitted with the older type IDE ribbon cable) and the CPU, which is an AMD AthlonT 64 X2 Dual core 4200+ CPU, but I'm rapidly loosing the will to live on this idea, as most modern M/B don't have the IDE socket anymore....at least the ones I've looked at.

The other problem here is that on re-installing the win xp software which came with the computer (A Mesh Titan Supreme) on checking the 'Genuine windows Validation' on the Microsoft site, it states that this is not a genuine windows edition. So...with the cost of a retail standalone copy of XP, and perhaps a new soundcard,
maybe even a new CPU, perhaps it would be better (and less taxing on my nerves at the moment) to just build a modest 'mid range' 'modern' computer.

Appreciate the input though, thanks

Altair.

[scaryjim]

Pretty much any modern CPU will be faster than your X2 4200+, I'm afraid (which from memory is a 2.2GHz dual core?). If the bay adapter connects to the soundcard with a ribbon cable then it shouldn't matter that the motherboard doesn't have IDE? Or am I missing something?

[DanceswithUnix]

Only other thing I could suggest is trying a Linux live CD (knoppix is a usual favourite). Sometimes a machine works fine under Linux, indicating a driver problem in your Windows install. Using a live CD means you don't have to do any sort of OS install to run the test. Just burn a CD, boot off it and see if you get to a working desktop.

You can still get boards with a single IDE port if you want. Like this one:

http://www.ebuyer.com/269075-asus-m5...oard-m5a78l-le

That gets you a couple of IDE hard drives plugged in. You can also get IDE to SATA adaptors to use an old optical drive, but DVD drives are so cheap now I just buy a new one.

If you can lose the IDE ports, FM2 is a better platform though. How many drives do you have on IDE?

[Altair]

Pretty much any modern CPU will be faster than your X2 4200+, I'm afraid (which from memory is a 2.2GHz dual core?). If the bay adapter connects to the soundcard with a ribbon cable then it shouldn't matter that the motherboard doesn't have IDE? Or am I missing something?

Hi scaryjim,

Yes, sorry about that...I think I was having a 'senior moment' when I typed that in. Yep, the front bay has an AD-EXT ribbon cable to the soundcard. The two DVD drives are connected by ribbon cables to the IDE socket interface on the motherboard. Apologies for the confusion.
The main HD is a sata connection to the motherboard (300GB).

I agree 'Dancewithunix'....A new motherboard looks to be the best long term idea, perhaps also a scout around for a retail version of win xp,, that depends on price though. It might be better, again in the long run, to buy another retail copy of win 7.
I've built a more modern computer running a retail copy of win 7 (Windows Home Premium) and that seems to be okay, the added advantage of both retail copy's (either xp or win 7) is of course a better option when your motherboard needs changing for any reason, for the simple fact that an OS version is tied to the original computer it was installed in.
I suppose the real question/answer I've gathered from this is do I buy a 'retail' standalone copy of win xp or windows 7/8.?

Anyway, thanks once again for your information, the path I'm going to take is a lot clearer now!

Cheers,
Altair.