disconnecting keyboard: big trouble !?!

[Chuck McManis]

At 08:44 AM 3/23/2004, Nathan Kinkade wrote:
>Can anyone on the list point me to a manufacturers site or documentation
>that unequivocally states in clear terms the real dangers of hotplugging
>a PS/2 device?  Like some of the other people who have replied, in the
>past I have hot-plugged many a PS/2 device to no detriment.  However, I
>now only do it if there is no other practical alternative just to be on
>the safe side.

No because you would need the schematic of the mainboard and no 
manufacturer will give you that (go figure.) Power is supplied on the PS/2 
pin and the WinHEC "standard" calls for there to be a fuse on that supply. 
If you short the power pin to ground while attempting to plug in something 
(or while unplugging) and blow that fuse, the motherboard is toast. This is 
not a user replacable part. (you'd have to find it amongst the many surface 
mount parts if it wasn't already in the PS/2 shroud, and then you would 
have to pull just that part off the board.

I'm sure if you get the Intel ATX Motherboard documentation (need a signed 
non-disclosure with Intel) it specifies the size/type of fuse.

--Chuck