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When you say mangled, i'm assuming you're talking about the pins on the PS/2 connector. (probably purple) Try borrowing a friend's ps/2 keyboard.

For your usb ports, try going to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->System

Click Hardware and click Device Manager, go down to the

"Universal Serial Bus" lines and click those and check if they're operating properly, you might be able to fix them by deleting the drivers and installing new ones.

I have a small hunch you're saying that they don't work when you're booting, because you need to press F8 at the beginning. Newer BIOs on computers will allow USB keyboards to work at the beginning, but older ones don't load the USB drivers until windows is fully loaded. So they work fine, just that your motherboard has an older BIOs.

Best bet is to borrow a friend's PS/2 keyboard, or buy a new one since they're only like 10 bucks. I'm sure a local computer shop can give you a used one for under 5 bucks.

Good Luck, feel free to contact me if you need help!

Oh yah and just as Deano said, you can use one of those cheap USB to PS/2 converters.. but sometimes they don't recognize it. I usually have a PS/2 keyboard handy.

If the PS2 is physically damaged and the USB ports don't work then you need a new motherboard. Soldering these components is not a task for those who have no idea how sensitive to heat some of the nearby components are. If it is telling you to hit F8 to reboot, you have other problems too. If only the keyboard connector was damaged you should not get other and a [ NO KEYBOARD ] messege. Have a qualified technician look at it to see if he/her can fix the physical damage. Plan on getting a new motherboad, if one is available that will fit your current system CPU.

See if you can install another USB card in one of your slots on the motherboard. If XP can't find the driver, insert the disk/CD and hopefully that will do the trick. Then get you a keyboard with a usb hookup or a usb/ps2 adapter to allow the use of usb. Good luck.

PS: I've went this route when fixing a friend's computer....You shouldn't need another motherboard......they have ways of working around that sometimes....

Does windows even start up?If not you might have a crashed harddrive.A friends computer did the same deal but said it couldnt detect a HD and the keyboard would work off and on during playing with the bios ....did you try pluging it in to other usb inputs.I found out it was the HD by pluging it into an external casing and hooking it up to my computer to see what was on the drive and there was nothingggg.Good luck

I would go to www.tigerdirect.com and see about getting a USB PCI card. Once the computer is booted with the card installed you might have to go into the bios and see if the onboard USB are even turned on. I have seen many mobos that default to turing them off. You should be able to turn them on easily. If not the problem then you could always keep the USB PCI card and use it for all your usb hardware add ons. Thanks

Might be time to look into a new motherboard or figure out why your usb slots dont work. You need at least one free USB slot or for the old style to be functional. Unless you are really good at soldering.

Try Going into the motherboard and see if the usb port power cable is properly connected.

You could have static build up in your usb ports, turn it off for 20 minutes and try again. Otherwise need to get a new motherboard.