Technically impossible

[eqNichola]

About 72 hours ago I powered off everything computer-related in my house and went to my parents' for Christmas. I have just got back and turned everything back on.

The PS/2 mouse port on box #2 NO LONGER WORKS. I am now going to have to go out and buy a USB mouse. This is no great hardship, since I wanted a new mouse anyway, but it is intriguing - after all, it is technically impossible for a mouse port to stop working just through the box being powercycled.

As someone once said, In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, things are different.

[Lothay]

Believe it or not, I've had the very same thing happen to me. Often.

I'm guessing a a component was near the end of it's lifespan, and the POST was enough to cause it to give up the ghost.

~ Lothay
~ Owenr of too many boxes over too many years.

[ArrakeenNaedShoj]

I remember reading somewhere, forgive me for not citing references, that the PS/2 hardware commonly had powerrelated issues. Appearently the internal signal links(the copper) was never completely certified for the voltage/amperage a computer uses and they easily short out. I have had some go out when someone unplugged a mouse/keyboard while the machine was on, or if the connector in the back got moved(like wiggled), or if the connector was not all the way in during the power cycle, and other odd such occurances. Most of this was way back(funny how long 5 years seems in computer time :shock: ) but it doesn't suprise me that it still happens. Sorry it happened to you though, glad it happened to something cheap you wanted to upgrade anyway though, as opposed to something expensive that you didn't.

[Serenya]

My husband (ex qa and tech support for Compaq) explained to me once that hardware *always* dies on powerup. Apparently if it is going to die it will be during that initial power surge. As a result, we power down as infrequently as possible, sticking to soft IPLs rather then cold boots.

[Carmaris]

Ever notice how 9 times out of 10 a light bulb burns out when you switch it on? That initial surge of electricity is highly destructive over long periods of time...