No mouse

[singlepole]

My old PC an IPC select pentium MMX 200Mhz, suddenly started with the message "windows did not detect a mouse". I put a new mouse on it, Installed the software, opened it up and checked the connections, re-installed windows, formated C: drive, nothing seems to help there seems no mouse even when using CMOS. Any one know what may have happened that would do this, or any way of fixing it?
Thanks

[juppy]

Is the COM port disabled in Control Panel? If not, there's always the *slight* possibility that your COM port died. Have you plugged or unplugged the mouse with the computer on lately? Because that's a good way to kill a port.

[singlepole]

I loaned it to my Dad to learn how to use a PC and it wasnt a pretty picture when I found it, any thing could have happened. How do I check to see if com port is disabled?

[singlepole]

If it is a dead com port can I do any thing?

[juppy]

Go to Control Panel. Get into System, then Device Manager. There should be an entry on that list called Ports. Click the + button to expand it and it should list your ports (COM1, COM2, etc). Whichever COM port the modem is installed on, left click once on it to hi-lite it then hit the Properties button. It should bring up the props for that port. In (I think) the General tab there should be a small box that says something like "Disable in this hardware profile". If this box is checked, the port is disabled. If it's unchecked, the port is enabled. This is where you need to look in Win95 anyway. If you're using 98 or ME, it should be pretty close to that also.
As for a dead port, its probably not too likely but, if it is dead, you could always get an add-on card if you got an empty slot to install it in. Alot of people get these for LPT ports because they have 2 printers and only one LPT port. I'm pretty sure they make 'em for COM ports too. I could be wrong though. hth

[singlepole]

It says I have no PCICMA card how could that have happened

[juppy]

Is this a laptop?

[GaryRouth]

Hi singlepole

And welcome to Pc Mechanic (noticed this was your first post).

This seems to be the weekend for troublesome mice (there are a few other posts with this topic). There are several possibilities, from simple hardware failure of the old mouse, and a troublesome install of the new one, to a bad connector, to virus activity. If the system is getting on in years, it could be that the Bios Settings aren't "holding" if the motherboard's battery needs replacing (don't worry, they only cost about a dollar and a-half).

Can't hurt to start by checking in on your Bios Setup. And don't worry if you have no mouse while in there: that's normal. Check to make sure that the port that the mouse is connected to is "Enabled" in its Bios menu. If it's a serial mouse, that's usually COM1. If it's a ps/2 mouse, look to make sure that the ps/2 port is enabled. If the new one is a USB mouse, make sure that USB is enabled also. If all the settings in the bios look wrong (wrong date and time, etc) - you might need to replace the motherboard's battery: you'd want to get an exact match to the one that's already in there, and then you have to re-do all the bios settings when done.

If everything in the bios looks OK, try looking in Device Manager (this is what Juppy referred to: Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Device Manager). . . In fact, try looking in there in Safe Mode: (press F8 while booting, or hold down the CTRL keys to select from the boot menu, or hold down the Shift key while booting) Click the plus sign next to mice, and highlight each mouse & click "Remove". Then do the same to your COM ports. Then Windows should re-detect and re-installthem on reboot. Just for the sake of simplicity, it might be best to just use the drivers built into Windows at first. Only try one mouse at a time: remove it from Device Manager before trying the next one.

See if any of that helps, and post again if it didn't help
. . . Gary

[p.s. --you guys type fast - then again, I'm sleepy. . . [I typed my response before seeing the last three posts] If this is a laptop, as juppy asked - that would explain the PCcard message]

[juppy]

Gary> We don't really type fast, we just had to type one-liners whereas you did three whole paragraphs. Useful info though, don't get me wrong. I appreciate you jumping in here as I was about to draw a blank for an answer. One question though. If the battery was dead, wouldn't Windows just re-detect the "new hardware" when it loads or am I making things too simple?

[singlepole]

My clock hasnt kept time for about a year now could it be just that? We used to allways leave it on now it is allmost allways off maybe battery is bad, if I replace it will it fix it or will there be more to re-setup?
And hey this place is great I am sure that I will send some time here and I will let all my friend know about it.
Thanks again for your help and welcome!

[GaryRouth]

Hi again all

singlepole - is this a laptop/notebook? I'm not as sure about replacing a motherboard battery on a laptop - [maybe I'll find out about it soon -at home I have an old notebook P233mmx from about the same generation] . . . When you say it hasn't kept time, do you mean that it starts at the same time each powerup? (that does sound like a battery symptom) Hunt around online to find a manual for that thing if it's a notebook.

And mice are more particular on notebooks than on desktops, usually they are playing second fiddle to touchpads and other pointers. On some notebooks, the touchpad and mice can both be active, on some not. Whole different ballgame.

If this is a desktop, and you replace the battery, yes you'd have to re-enter the settings you want in your Bios Setup. One quick way is just to enter the time and date, select Auto for all the drives, and then select "Default Settings/Save/Exit". For more precise tuning: you'll need a manual for the motherboard.

juppy - yes, it should be re-detecting on boot even with a dying battery (at least on a desktop) . . . if this is a notebook, then the default is probably to use the touchpad or pointing stick (can you tell I'm guessing - I don't usually work on laptops)

. . . Gary

[singlepole]

It is a desktop it is about 8 years old the time and some times date, when ever I turned it off would come up wrong allways behind but not the same time each time. I still have the manual for the mother board. I am going to pull the battery out tomm and check it with my VOM unless I get advised otherwise, I will check this site befor I do 2 see what u advise.
Thanks alot

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

Can't hurt to replace the battery: but you do need to find one exactly like it as a replacement. [And make sure the power is off & pc is unplugged!] Since you have the motherboard's manual, just skip to the Bios Setup chapter, and you'll have all the answers to what settings you need (and remember, you can probably choose "Set Defaults and Exit" for a quick setup - you'll still want to enter the date and time, though).

Then try the mouse again. If still not working, try checking in Device Manager in Safe Mode (as juppy and I mentioned earlier).
Is the new mouse something simple like a ps/2 or serial - or something fancy like a USB optical or wireless? . . . if it's a simple mouse, try just using Window's builtin driver at first.

I've got a bit of work to finish up tonight, but I'll check in again tomorrow
. . . Gary

[oops - almost forgot. Make sure your virus definitions are up-to-date and do a thorough scan, just to be sure. Try a run of Registry Checker, and perhaps a quick try of RegClean to clear up any strange registry debris in your favorite old PC (you can download RegClean from Microsoft's download site) - but only run RegClean if you run Win95/98. If you have WinME, you could try a restore point prior to the mouse trouble]

[singlepole]

K I replaced Battery and now when I am in cmos I get a mouse but I cannot move it and clicking doesnt do a thing. It is just a simple ps2 mouse the PC has an adapterto change from ps2 to serial, but ps2 is enabled in cmos. I tried starting without mouse connected no mouse simble in cmos then with it connected it comes back, still windows says it doesnt detect mouse. Registry should be clean I just did a reformate of c drive and reinstalled windows, that is all that is on the drive. Should I still try device manager in safe mode?
Thanks

[GaryRouth]

If you have a ps/2 port for your ps/2 mouse, use that. The adaptors sometimes don't work well, they seem to work best if they come with the mouse they were designed for.

When you put the battery in, did you go through your Bios Setup with manual in hand? Make double sure about the ps/2 and Com1 ports - they should be Enabled.

Try plugging the mouse in with the power off & pc unplugged, then starting up (if you try a serial mouse in the Com1 serial port, this is absolutely necessary). Since you reinstalled Windows, that ps/2 mouse should be installed. Take a look in Device Manager in Safe Mode and see if it matches what you have. If not, remove the mouse listed & reboot to have Windows re-detect it. No adaptors this time. If you had a ps/2 mouse connected on a ps/2->serial adaptor, that's probably the reason Windows can't see it: those adaptors don't always work. Since a plain vanilla mouse only costs $5 USD, stick with ps/2 mice for ps/2 ports and serial mice with serial ports. Com1 and Com2 (if your board has a Com2) are usually enabled by default, as it the ps/2 port(s) [one for a ps/2 keyboard, one for a ps/2 mouse].

If you are using a USB or wireless keyboard, make sure not to plug a ps/2 mouse into the keyboard ps/2 port. On most modern boards, the keyboard ps/2 connector is the closest to the edge of the case, while the mouse ps/2 connector is closer to the middle.

Since this is an older system, does it have an AT or ATX power supply? On the older AT boards, a ps/2 port is usually on an add-in card, or a single ps/2 port connected to a back slot in your case by a little ribbon cable.

Seems like this has got to be either bad mice (or adaptors), or a bios setup problem. I doubt Windows is the problem, since you're reinstalled twice already. Bad adaptor, wrong plug, or Bios setup are the most likely.

. . . Gary

[Hmm...just thought of one more thing: your Dad. Ask him if he moved around any of the ribbon cables on the motherboard as part of his learning about pcs experience. If this is an old board with the ribblon cables connecting the serial and ps/2 ports to the motherboard, he may have re-attatched them incorrectly. . .]

[singlepole]

Mmmm alot to take in there. Well there is no ps/2 port on this PC only a serial port the adapter was working well and I have changed the mouse b4. I live in the middle of no where(well not really but on a clear day you can see it) I was under the assumption that serial port mice were no longer avalible. The new mouse I bought is ok I checked it on my new PC. My dad was having a hard time learning how to right click and had opened about 40 pages (no internal stuff there). My neice found it with all of the pages open and started trying to close them, then gave up and shut down the PC. When it restarted that is when the mouse problem started. I am going to try the power down and connect the mouse. If that doesnt work then I am going to take it to a tech shop.
Thanks for your help.

[GaryRouth]

Not sure what the availability of serial mice is in Canada, but the local shops here still have plain serial mice for about $5 USD. Since that's so inexpensive, you might give it a go - since the repair shop will be considerably more than $5.

I'm wondering if a pin got bent somewhere in the process: if the adaptors been on/off the serial port a lot recently (might be worth a quick check with a flashlight/magnifying glass).

Sorry it's giving you so much trouble: it's a little like some headaches: they seem small at first, then seem much worse if they don't go away!

Best of luck
. . . Gary