Mouse not working after cables removed

[TimPoet]

Roomies computer got packed up today and unpacked. When she plugged in everything the mouse wouldn't work. The cursor is frozen in the middle of the screen.
Has error message that says:
Windows did not detect a mouse attached to the computer. You can safely attach a serial mouse now. Yada, yada, yada.

I've had probs with this before on this computer and it was an simple fix once I figured out what the prob was. My memory fails me now.
Anyone got any ideas? Is it some sort of driver problem?

Cyrix II 350
2 Gb HD
Genius mouse
Win 95

[LawyerRon]

I would open the computer up and re-seat all the cards and cables.

[TimPoet]

It's a baby ATX, so has only a modem card, which I reseated, though it's not being used. Should I remove it, even though it worked fine yesterday before she packed it up?

I removed the mouse from the Device Manager and told Windows to find the driver thru Add New Hardware (Win95) and it says it set it up. But when I go back to Device Manager it says no driver was loaded, I tell it to do so and it says it can't find it. It also called my mother a bad name and told me I was a loser.

[homer15]

wow, i don't remember windows being so testy. you must've gotten a version designed for the bronx or something. what kind of mouse is it? ps2 or serial?

[TimPoet]

ya know, I can't tell. The Windows error message says ps/2. There should be an ez way, right?

[homer15]

hey, i just noticed you're from vegas! i bet you're frying out there...

anyway, is there an easy way to see what kind of mouse it is? yea, when you look at the back, if it has a round plug it's ps2, if it's long and thin, it's a serial. i would check all the connections. tighten them up. if it's serial, make sure it's plugged into the right port.

[TimPoet]

Thanks, Homey- it's a serial- sheesh, I've been trying to load a ps/2 mouse driver in it. What do I do next?

[BFD Deadeye]

Sometimes serial mice can be testy. Shut off the computer, make sure it is tightly screwed in with the thumb screws, and reboot. Windows should detect it and install the necessary driver.

[homer15]

yea, serial mice are sort of out there... that's why it's become dated technology. the only thing that i think it could be is the mouse is plugged into the wrong serial port (which would mean it's hooked up to the wrong comm port). i think 95 is a lot less lenient about comm switching than later versions.

[glc]

You should have 2 nine pin serial ports - try the other one, the one you used may be turned off in the bios.

[TimPoet]

only one serial port, glc. should i try to get the generic windows mouse driver loaded?

And man, it's 10 pm and 90 degrees still!

[glc]

Boot into safe mode - and remove all mice from device manager. If the mouse does not work in safe mode, you have a hardware problem, the mouse or the serial port is bad.

[homer15]

and for godsakes, stay inside. you might fry out there.