PS2 Mouse Isn't Recongnized

[Jeff]

I've got an old P1 running Win98. It has a serial mouse port connector.

I have a basic Microsoft optical wheel wired mouse that ends in a USB
connection, that came with a USB to PS2 converter. I've been using it
on this old machine that has a serial to PS2 connector, just fine.

machine--serial port---serial/PS2---PS2/USB---USB===mouse


I've got another machine, of similar vintage, running Win98SE. It also
has a serial mouse port connection, to which I've plugged in a serial to
PS2 converter, and connected an old Logitech Mouse Man Serial mouse,
that has a PS2 plug. It's the one that has three buttons and looks like
a bear claw. It works fine.

I now want to hook up the Microsoft optical wheel wired mouse mentioned
in paragraph 2, with the same connection set up, to this machine. (The
bios is set to automatically recognize a PS2 mouse.)

When I do, Win98 tells me no mouse was detected and if I want to hook up
a PS2 mouse, I have to restart the machine. I have, but it still
doesn't work. The mouse never lights up, or is recognized.

Can anyone help me on this?

TIA

 

[seabat]

I just changed over from a serial mouse to a PS/2 mouse on my folks
machine. It is an old Asus board and I had to change some jumpers on
the motherboard as well as in the BIOS to change over. Might
investigate that.

 

[km]

I've got an old P1 running Win98. It has a serial mouse port connector.

I have a basic Microsoft optical wheel wired mouse that ends in a USB
connection, that came with a USB to PS2 converter. I've been using it
on this old machine that has a serial to PS2 connector, just fine.

machine--serial port---serial/PS2---PS2/USB---USB===mouse


I've got another machine, of similar vintage, running Win98SE. It also
has a serial mouse port connection, to which I've plugged in a serial to
PS2 converter, and connected an old Logitech Mouse Man Serial mouse,
that has a PS2 plug. It's the one that has three buttons and looks like
a bear claw. It works fine.

I now want to hook up the Microsoft optical wheel wired mouse mentioned
in paragraph 2, with the same connection set up, to this machine. (The
bios is set to automatically recognize a PS2 mouse.)

When I do, Win98 tells me no mouse was detected and if I want to hook up
a PS2 mouse, I have to restart the machine. I have, but it still
doesn't work. The mouse never lights up, or is recognized.

Can anyone help me on this?

TIA

Not all mice will work with a PS/2 converter fitted to a serial
connection.

Buying a serial mouse would seem most satisfactory solution.

KM

 

[Bruce]

I just changed over from a serial mouse to a PS/2 mouse on my folks
machine. It is an old Asus board and I had to change some jumpers on
the motherboard as well as in the BIOS to change over. Might
investigate that.

I'll have to check it out. This is also an old Asus board.

Thanks

 

[Bruce]

Not all mice will work with a PS/2 converter fitted to a serial
connection.

Buying a serial mouse would seem most satisfactory solution.

KM

Hmmm...I didn't know they still made them, esp. optical. I've got
plenty of old serial mice, but not optical.

Thanks

 

[JAD]

remove the mouse drivers from the device manager and reboot

 

[Bruce]

remove the mouse drivers from the device manager and reboot

Did that. No go.

 

[Bruce]

I've got an old P1 running Win98. It has a serial mouse port connector.

I have a basic Microsoft optical wheel wired mouse that ends in a USB
connection, that came with a USB to PS2 converter. I've been using it
on this old machine that has a serial to PS2 connector, just fine.

machine--serial port---serial/PS2---PS2/USB---USB===mouse


I've got another machine, of similar vintage, running Win98SE. It also
has a serial mouse port connection, to which I've plugged in a serial to
PS2 converter, and connected an old Logitech Mouse Man Serial mouse,
that has a PS2 plug. It's the one that has three buttons and looks like
a bear claw. It works fine.

I now want to hook up the Microsoft optical wheel wired mouse mentioned
in paragraph 2, with the same connection set up, to this machine. (The
bios is set to automatically recognize a PS2 mouse.)

When I do, Win98 tells me no mouse was detected and if I want to hook up
a PS2 mouse, I have to restart the machine. I have, but it still
doesn't work. The mouse never lights up, or is recognized.

Can anyone help me on this?

TIA

I need a part...
The motherboard is an Asus P6NP5, vintage 1996. I checked the user's
manual, and per page 19, section 5, External Connectors:

PS/2 Mouse Connector (6-pin block)
If you are using a P/S2 mouse, you must purchase an optional PS/2 mouse
set which connects to the 6 pin block and mounts to an open slot on your
computer's case. The system will direct IRQ12 to the PS/2 mouse if one
is detected. If not detected, expansion cards can use IRQ12. See PS/2
Mouse Control in BIOS FEATURES SETUP.

So, that explains it. Even though the BIOS is set to autodetect a PS/2
mouse, it's not detecting one because I've been connecting it to the
serial COM1 port.

Now, I need to locate a PS/2 mouse 'set'. It's a 6 pin male connector
on one end that connects to the mthbd, and the round PS/2 female
connector on the other end that mounts to the pc case. I've googled all
over, but can't find this. I'm going to start scavenging some other
machines I have, but off hand, I don't think I have this beast anywhere.

Can anyone point me to some online shops that might have this relic?

Thanks

 

[JAD]

AHhh crap,,, same ole story not all serial mice can be adapted to
work in a PS2 port....or vice versa on all machines on all OS's.....
also your setup is hokey. mice only cost 5 bucks. all that
converting from one adapter to another is just asking for problems.

 

[Bruce]

AHhh crap,,, same ole story not all serial mice can be adapted to
work in a PS2 port....or vice versa on all machines on all OS's.....
also your setup is hokey. mice only cost 5 bucks. all that
converting from one adapter to another is just asking for problems.

My serial mouse isn't broken, it works fine. As a matter of fact, I've
got plenty of old 9DB serial 3 button Logitech mice laying around.

What I want is the ability to scroll, but I can't find that in a serial
mouse. Hey, I'd like it to be optical, too, but one thing at a time.

The only scrollers it seems these days are in PS/2 mice. And as I've
discovered, to use a PS/2 mouse, I need the mthbd to port connector.

Hey, I don't mind spending 10 times that much, but all the money in the
world isn't going to find me a serial wheel mouse that will hook up to
COM1 port.

Thanks

 

[David Maynard]

@corp.supernews.com:




My serial mouse isn't broken, it works fine. As a matter of fact, I've
got plenty of old 9DB serial 3 button Logitech mice laying around.

What I want is the ability to scroll, but I can't find that in a serial
mouse. Hey, I'd like it to be optical, too, but one thing at a time.

The only scrollers it seems these days are in PS/2 mice. And as I've
discovered, to use a PS/2 mouse, I need the mthbd to port connector.

Hey, I don't mind spending 10 times that much, but all the money in the
world isn't going to find me a serial wheel mouse that will hook up to
COM1 port.

Thanks

Actually, yes you can get serial scroll mice. A simple google for "serial
scroll mouse" pops up quite a few.

As for the Asus cable, you might have better luck simply making one. The
only thing besides links to Asus manuals I could find was
www.uxcomputer.com. Might want to try contacting them as they seem to sell
all sorts of bits and pieces like that.

 

[David Maynard]

@corp.supernews.com:



Did that. No go.

The only thing that confuses me in your dilemma is how in the world you
managed to get the serial port---serial/PS2---PS2/USB---USB===mouse setup
to work on the other one because ps2 mice do not work on serial ports; the
signals are just not there: in particular, the ps/2 clock. The mice those
PS/2-serial adapters were made for are special "combo" mice that 'work both
ways'.

And not all USB mice work with the USB to PS/2 adapters either, and for the
same reason: USB doesn't have the data clock that PS/2 does. Near as I can
tell you ended up with some serendipitous combination of multiple wrongs
making a right.


I actually found ONE motherboard to PS/2 cable/bracket. I don't know if it
goes just straight on yours but maybe it could be adapted, plus they claim
to have great support to help with that kind of thing.

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/ps2-add-on-cable.htm

 

[Bruce]

The only thing that confuses me in your dilemma is how in the world
you managed to get the serial
port---serial/PS2---PS2/USB---USB===mouse setup to work on the other
one because ps2 mice do not work on serial ports; the signals are just
not there: in particular, the ps/2 clock. The mice those PS/2-serial
adapters were made for are special "combo" mice that 'work both ways'.

And not all USB mice work with the USB to PS/2 adapters either, and
for the same reason: USB doesn't have the data clock that PS/2 does.
Near as I can tell you ended up with some serendipitous combination of
multiple wrongs making a right.

Hi, David,

I thought I was the only one that used serendipitous.

I wasn't responsible for getting it to work on that machine. I got that
setup from our IT department, who was getting rid of the machine years
ago. I use it mainly for storage and it's networked in my garage. I
never really questioned the setup until I ran into the situation I have
now. Now it confuses me, too. Next time I open up the case or go into
the bios, I might investigate a little.

I actually found ONE motherboard to PS/2 cable/bracket. I don't know
if it goes just straight on yours but maybe it could be adapted, plus
they claim to have great support to help with that kind of thing.

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/ps2-add-on-cable.htm

Funny, that's the one I found, too. The pin assignments are not the
proper ones for the Asus I have, but I could rewire.

Asus assignments are:
1 gnd 2 data 3 4 vcc
5 clk 6 7 8

Thanks for all the help.

 

[David Maynard]

Hi, David,

I thought I was the only one that used serendipitous.

Shows you have good taste too

So much more lyrical than 'just plain lucky', dontcha think?

I wasn't responsible for getting it to work on that machine. I got that
setup from our IT department, who was getting rid of the machine years
ago. I use it mainly for storage and it's networked in my garage. I
never really questioned the setup until I ran into the situation I have
now. Now it confuses me, too. Next time I open up the case or go into
the bios, I might investigate a little.

Hard to tell but I suspect the key is the USB mouse being one of those
'dual mode' things (the ones that come with PS/2 adapters) and it may even
have 'invented' a mode somehow: like the I/O lines 'sensed' it should
operate single ended, as with PS/2 style signals, but the decoder says, but
hey, it's no-clock serial data.

The problem with that is serial ports don't always work with 0-5V signals
because, 'officially', they require '1' to be <= -3V (it's a bipolar +-
3-25v signal) but modern electronics often 'cheat', because it's simple and
cheap, and simply snip off the negative swing; interpreting anything near
zero (and below) to be the 'mark' (1) signal.

Note that a single bipolar line with ground, rs232 serial, is not the same
thing as a + and - differential pair, as in USB.

Funny, that's the one I found, too. The pin assignments are not the
proper ones for the Asus I have, but I could rewire.

Asus assignments are:
1 gnd 2 data 3 4 vcc
5 clk 6 7 8

Amusing as that's the same pinout as their Tyan S1571S 'tricky example', so
you have the instructions right there on the web page, assuming your pinout
list is from the same 'insert the wires' side (top view).

For 13 bucks, though, I'd probably find an old PS/2 DIN somewhere, a header
of some sort, and hack the thing myself.

 

[Bruce]

Actually, yes you can get serial scroll mice. A simple google for
"serial scroll mouse" pops up quite a few.

As for the Asus cable, you might have better luck simply making one.
The only thing besides links to Asus manuals I could find was
www.uxcomputer.com. Might want to try contacting them as they seem to
sell all sorts of bits and pieces like that.

Eureka!

I visited one of our IT guys today who is known to keep old parts
forever. He knew exactly what I needed. He scanenged around for a
while, and came up with a motherboard to PS/2 connector, and, it was from
an old ASUS board.

I'm kind of excited (pathetic, isn't it?) to try it out this weekend and
see if it works.

Bruce

 

[David Maynard]

Eureka!

I visited one of our IT guys today who is known to keep old parts
forever. He knew exactly what I needed. He scanenged around for a
while, and came up with a motherboard to PS/2 connector, and, it was from
an old ASUS board.

I'm kind of excited (pathetic, isn't it?) to try it out this weekend and
see if it works.

Bruce

Super duper. Glad to hear you found it.

 

[Bruce]

Super duper. Glad to hear you found it.

I popped open the case (cleaned it up while I was in there), installed
the connector, plugged in a PS/2 wheel mouse, and the OS found the new
hardware. It worked, and no pin reassignments had to be made. It
couldn't have been easier.

Bruce

 

[David Maynard]

I popped open the case (cleaned it up while I was in there), installed
the connector, plugged in a PS/2 wheel mouse, and the OS found the new
hardware. It worked, and no pin reassignments had to be made. It
couldn't have been easier.

Bruce

Funny how things just kinda 'work' when you have the right parts, eh