Mobo ignores all mice

[yukichigai]

I have never run into a problem this bizarre, ever. There's an older machine I'm trying to get up and running. Before you ask, I've already swapped out every component except the mobo. RAM, HDD, Video, NIC, etc. The only things that have stayed the same are the Mobo and the PSU, since I only have one AT PSU. If you go to install an OS -- any OS, even booting Knoppix or Mepis from CD -- it won't recognize the mouse, however it's plugged in. It'll recognize the Keyboard, all the PCI cards, but it won't recognize the mouse. Even when I installed a PCI USB card it wouldn't recognize a USB mouse plugged into the ports on the card, though it recognized the USB card itself. Everything else works great, and when I use VNC to connect to the computer the virtual mouse works fine.

The motherboard in question is an ABit AB-PX5. (rather old) I've tried using the serial ports as well as the built-in USB, all with no luck. The PS/2 uses a non-standard mobo header which I don't have. Still, I can't see why only mice would be failing, especially when I used a PCI USB card and all other PCI devices work fine. Like I said, bizarre.

Does anybody have the faintest idea about what could be causing this?

 

[kristof007]

I might be wrong but could you update the bios on it. Maybe you could download it onto a floppy from a separate computer and then you can flash it from floppy on the "old" computer. You don't need a mouse for that.

Also try clearing the CMOS. Good luck!

 

[mchammer]

Wierd. I would try to get a PS/2 mobo header. Lots of old PC's had those.

 

[kristof007]

Originally posted by: mchammer
Wierd. I would try to get a PS/2 mobo header. Lots of old PC's had those.

He said "it won't recognize the mouse, however it's plugged in." So I am guessing he already tried that.

 

[Fern]

Not sure I am thoroughly understanding, but:

As this appears to be an older AT mobo, get an adapter. They make an adapter to allow a "modern" PS2 mouse to fit into the port on an old AT form factor board.

Seems to me that even if the USB port is working, the OS won't recognize the mouse until you install the USB driver for it.

If the port on the mobo is bad, you could also pick up a "Y" cable splitter from BB or Radio Shack. I use one of these to plug both the KB and mouse into the one port on my lappie. Might work for you too..

Fern