Need help with Dell Optiplex GXn+

C

chobal

New Member
My company just recently got some old Dell Optiplex GXn+'s about 32 of them. Every single one I fired up to test gave me a Keyboard Failure/Keyboard Data Line Failure Error. They are 166/32mbram/2gig hds.

I was wondering if there was a specific keyboard that had to be paired with the model of Dell or if they are all just bad. It's kinda strange that all of them would have the same error/s. I did google the errors and tried to figure out how to fix them. But to no prevail.

Hopefully one of you out there will be able to help me. I tried several different known working keyboards.

Chobal.
 
Hmm

Perhaps they need to be PS2 keyboards and not USB keyboards. Have you given that a shot. These PCs must be old and back then, there were no USB keyboards from what I recall.

JAN :D
 
I would say that that would definitely be the problem if in fact he's trying to use a USB keyboard, which I pretty sure where unheard of back when those were on the market.
 
No, I originally tried ps2 keyboards. Dell Quiet Key ps2 keyboards to be exact. That didn't work. Than I tried a logitech PS2 keyboard, that didn't work. Than I thought I'd try a usb keyboard and that failed as well. Which has brought me here. Trying to figure out if there are other options.

Chobal
 
Yeah, these ones don't have the AT style plug. They have the ps/2 plug, but I read something about the keyboard controller communicates with a chip in the keyboard itself. I was thinking that maybe my keyboards are too new for these systems.

Chobal.
 
No other ideas, why all 32 of these would be giving the same error? Maybe I need a 101key keyboard rather than a 104 key? Anyone?
 
I'm looking at the Dell site. I can find Gn/Gn+ or GM/GM+. No GXn+ at all.
I have an GXa. Dell Optiplexes can use any standard PS/2 keyboard, 101, 102, or 104 keys.
If you've swapped in known working keyboards and you get no joy, you have your answer: the keyboard ports are dead and as oscaryu1 says, the motherboards are useless.
 
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Wow, kinda freaky all 32 of the systems would all get the same thing wrong with them. The company that handed them over had nothing to say about them not working. To the recycling station they go.

Chobal.
 
True, but the owner of my company is a pack rat and likes to make anything he can off of stuff he gets for free from someone else. Which is why we still have old Proliant stuff and a bunch of 3com superstacks. haha.
 
Yeah, got you beat there too. Windows NT Server is our server, over half our computers here run windows 98 or windows 98 SE. Most are pII 500 mhz. Mine is the best one here at 2.6/512/40gb. Everyone else is in the 500 range. Hilarious I tell you. But we do pretty well in our service department. We repair printers and computers :D.
 
Salvage the optical drives, HDDs, Coolers, CPUs, floppys, and PSUs...

I feel sorry for my dad :D He uses a 486 laptop when at work:D
 
there's no use salvage parts from OptiPlex's....they're too old....like Win95 old....

and I also feel REALLY sorry for ur dad...OptiPlex's are old...but a 486??? damn i haven't used a 486 in over 10 years
 
hNic said:
there's no use salvage parts from OptiPlex's....they're too old....like Win95 old....
Click to expand...

Oh yeah? My local hospital uses them all over the place. 300MHz Pentium IIs if I recall. They just won't die. Most of them seem to be using some sort of DOS-like software. No lie.
Tom
 
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but if ur gonna try and salvage parts to use in an up to date PC....there's no point...except maybe the optical drives....but who knows when they will die and u'll have to buy a enw one anyway...and most ppl just by combo drives now
 
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