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-   -   Safe to hot plug/unplug these PS/2 & USB items? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-hardware-18/safe-to-hot-plug-unplug-these-ps-2-and-usb-items-4175475778/)

SP7 09-03-2013 07:51 PM

Safe to hot plug/unplug these PS/2 & USB items?
 
Last week I acquired a never-used 4 yr. old desktop tower which has an Intel DG41RQ mobo.

This desktop tower computer has PS/2 ports for both keyboard and mouse and the desktop computer also, of course, accepts USB keyboard and USB mouse. In my old desktop computers, which were connected with a KVM, I used only a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard. While the computer was running, I first unplugged either the KVM's PS/2 mouse connector at the back of the computer or I unplugged the KVM's PS/2 keyboard connector at the back of this computer. [While the computer was running, I was going to stop using the KVM and swap both the PS/2 connectors for keyboard and mouse with the new USB keyboard and new USB mouse I got with the desktop tower.] I think when I unplugged one or the other PS/2 connector while the computer was running, the sound suddenly went off. [I had music playing while I did this.] Then, after plugging in the USB mouse and the USB keyboard, I had playing music that faded in and out. I rebooted the computer and all seems to be OK for now.

In the online Intel manual for the mobo, I didn't see anything about a danger for hot plugging/unplugging anything. On a 4 yr. old computer, is this OK to do or not?

[My OS is this guy's version of MEPIS 12. Before the problem above, I ran into other odd things so I think this unofficial version of MEPIS 12 might have bugs. But tell me about the hot plugging/unplugging anyway.]

michaelk 09-03-2013 08:36 PM

Nope, PS/2 devices are not designed to for hot plugging. Although the risk is slight it is possible to damage the computer while plugging in a PS/2 device with the power on.

SP7 09-03-2013 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk (Post 5021256)
Nope, PS/2 devices are not designed to for hot plugging. Although the risk is slight it is possible to damage the computer while plugging in a PS/2 device with the power on.

Thanks michaelk.

As I recall, I only UNplugged the PS/2 keyboard and then the PS/2 mouse. I know that most USB devices have to be removed safely with software, but what about USB keyboard and USB mouse? Can they be plugged or unplugged safely in a running computer without having to use software first to 'safely remove' if plugged in? [I don't think there's even a software way for 'safely removing' a plugged-in USB keyboard or USB mouse. Right?]

michaelk 09-03-2013 09:00 PM

Yes, no problem with hot plugging USB keyboards/mice.


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