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Legacy Forums => General Discussion (Legacy) => Topic started by: Blake H. on February 05, 2002, 09:53:10 PM

Title: USB keyboard?
Post by: Blake H. on February 05, 2002, 09:53:10 PM

I'd like to have a headless e-smith box, but am worried that if I don't keep a keyboard plugged in, that I might not be able to bring the box down safely, since you can't plug a ps/2 keyboard in with the power on.

Has anyone tried a usb keyboard with SME 5?

Thanks.

bh

Title: Re: USB keyboard?
Post by: Luke Drumm on February 06, 2002, 03:09:29 AM

Gulp, I've (un)plugged more keyboards than I care to mention from live machines. Thankfully I've never had a hint of trouble with procedure.

While I have no advice on the USB front, another tact that may prove useful is an investment in one of those 'rubber' keyboards. (semi-transparent keyboards made completely of a rubbery plastic material thus allowing for folding,bending etc).

Even if you dont take advantage of their 'foldable' aspect, they seem to have a very low profile that's just perfect for slipping next to or on top of a cabnet bound case.

Regards,
Luke

Title: Re: USB keyboard?
Post by: Jon Blakely on February 06, 2002, 04:57:35 AM

You can do what I have done, which is disable "no keyboard error" in BIOS. This allows the server to boot up with or without keyboard attached.

Jon

Title: Re: USB keyboard?
Post by: Blake on February 06, 2002, 05:23:16 AM

Luke Drumm wrote:
>
> Gulp, I've (un)plugged more keyboards than I care to mention
> from live machines. Thankfully I've never had a hint of
> trouble with procedure.

Unplugging from a ps/2 port with power on is usually no problem, it's the plugging it back in with the system up that will almost always result in a blown port, unusable forever.

> While I have no advice on the USB front, another tact that
> may prove useful is an investment in one of those 'rubber'
> keyboards. (semi-transparent keyboards made completely of a
> rubbery plastic material thus allowing for folding,bending
> etc).

I'll check into that, I hadn't thought of it.

bh

Title: Re: USB keyboard?
Post by: Blake on February 06, 2002, 05:24:48 AM

Jon Blakely wrote:
>
> You can do what I have done, which is disable "no keyboard
> error" in BIOS. This allows the server to boot up with or
> without keyboard attached.

My goal is to be able to have a box without keyboard, but plug one in if needed without having to bring down the box.

bh

Title: Re: USB keyboard?
Post by: Quade on February 06, 2002, 05:08:54 PM

Well, E-smith has had standard USB support since version 4.0, I believe. I've never tried it, but I would assume that you would be able to use a USB keyboard, and take advantage of all of its extra features.

Besides--there's always one way to find out... :)