Can't use PS/2 keyboards on Win 10

Arkas · 20 Dec 2016

I found a bunch of my old keyboards from last decade, all in their boxes. Being that they are mechanical keyboards, I prefer to write on them.
I have had no luck in all 3 of them. I got the small PS2 to USB adapter, got 2 of then, and the keyboards lights up initially and then nothing.
I saw a few people suggest a change in a location in regedit, changed to val=1, absolutely nothing.
Are their drivers for PS/2 keyboards that I can download?
Can anyone help?
Thanks.

cbwilsha · 20 Dec 2016

I use a PS/2 keyboard with my Windows 10 Toshiba laptop. Never had to supply any drivers as MS did it for me automatically. The current driver for mine is furnished by Microsoft and is dated 6/21/2006 and is Version 10.0.14393.206.

Is yours recognized by Device Manager? If so, go there and click on Update Driver and see what happens. The exact same driver is shown for the regular laptop keyboard also.

C.B.

TrustMe · 21 Dec 2016

You have to get an active USB to PS2 adapter, the ones you tried are probably passive. I did a quick eBay search and found these.

USB to PS2 active adapters

It doesn't matter where you buy it, just so it's active.

CountMike · 21 Dec 2016

Do you start computer with that KB plugged in ? Even if used with USB converter they have to be connected before computer is turned on. Could also look at BIOS and see if there's "Legacy" setting for USB.

Berton · 21 Dec 2016

I tried a couple of USB to PS/2 adapters few years ago and they worked fine with a mouse but not a keyboard, turned out the keyboard had to originally included the adapter, seemed to be rather specific and universal adapters didn't work. USB to PS/2 doesn't seem as simple as the 9-pin Serial to PS/2 adapters were.

Arkas · 21 Dec 2016

TrustMe said:

You have to get an active USB to PS2 adapter, the ones you tried are probably passive. I did a quick eBay search and found these.

USB to PS2 active adapters

It doesn't matter where you buy it, just so it's active.

That did it!
I went and got an active usb to ps/2 and it worked!
Thank you!

TrustMe · 21 Dec 2016

You're welcome, thanks for the update.

alphanumeric · 22 Dec 2016

I see that its solved but want to ask what color your PS2 to USB adapters are? Why I ask is because the Green adapters are for Mice and will not work for keyboards. And the Blue adapters are for keyboards and will not work with mice. The pin used for data is different for a keyboard versus mouse.

keyboardadapter · 26 May 2019

Arkas said:

That did it!
I went and got an active usb to ps/2 and it worked!
Thank you!

I'm a user with the same problem you had: I can't get an old keyboard to work with Windows 10. The adapter I bought does not work. Can you please tell me the brand name and model of the specific adapter that you purchased, that enabled you to use your old ps/2 keyboard with Windows 10?