Why doesn't the damn computer recognize the mouse?

[LTR]

OK, here's the story. I took a friend's computer home to reinstall Windows XP. I grab only the tower, since I've got plenty of keyboards and mice to work with. Well, none of the mice work with it (perfectly functional mice). Keyboard works fine. It got so frustrating that I went over to her house to grab the original mouse, thinking that was the problem. No luck.

Any idea what the hell is going on here? These damn mice aren't doing anything with the computer, even with a perfect connection. HELP!!!

[RoyGBiv]

1. Ummm ...

Sounds like a dead mouse port.

Any of the mice have a USB connector you could use as an alternative? If so, you can determine whether it is just the mouse port or if it's something more.

[Princess Turandot]

2. Did you try looking at the device manager?..

fastest way is to hit the Windows Key & the Pause/Break key together, then go to 'hardware, then 'device manager'using the tab key and arrows on the keyboard.
.
See if there is a 'human interface device' or 'mouse & other pointing device' with a yellow ? over it, while the mouse is connected. If you find one (you may need to open some of the '+' items to find the device by highlighting that line and clicking the plus key on your key board), go to that line using the arrow keys, then click 'alt-enter' to open its properties.. See if it says 'unenabled device' on the bottom; there should be an option to change it to 'enable' device.You can tab down to that line, then use the arrow keys to change the selection.

If the mouse is enabled there, but that doesn't work, use the tab key to get back to the top tabs, then use the right arrow to go to the driver tab. Tab down to 'search for new driver' and press the space key to select that button, then while connected to the internet, tab down and select 'okay' and let it look for a new driver.

The other possibility is that if it is a Logitech device, you may need to go to their site and download their new driver. MS doesn't seem to like logitech. Run the driver and ignore the warning abt the software not be approved by MS etc.

hth,
PT

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. The ps/2 mouse port has been burned out

The ps/2 mouse port is one of the few vulnerable hardware points left on a computer- you can physically damage the motherboard by unplugging and plugging in a mouse while the machine is on.

Switch to either a usb mouse or a com port mouse.