# Computer not recognising mouse



## mzhillbilly (Jun 30, 2005)

on my older machine next to me I've had some issues regarding the mouse. It has moments where the machine simply doesn't recognise there is a mouse plugged in at all (for example, the mouse pointer remains in the middle of the screen, and although the computer has not frozen and I can get around by using the keyboard, the mouse simply refuses to work.) 

It is not the mouse itself - as I have tried a new mouse in the mouse port with the same results. It is a USB microsoft mouse that has one of those connection thingys that allows me to plug it into the mouse port rather than wasting a USB port (which I have very few of on the old machine). The mouse works in the USB slot but I can't keep it there. I figured it might be the plug so I vaccumed it to remove any dust that might be caught in there. No good, still wont work. Although the keyboard port right next to it DOES work and I have no issues with that. I was going to reinstall the drivers for the mouse (a last hope - I have no idea what else I can do) but I don't know how to do this using the keyboard only.

It was an on and off thing, it would happen at random, and I found sometimes if I'd shut the machine down, completely cut the power, unplug and replug it, it would work again. But now I can't get it to work at all.

Suggestions pretty please 

I am obviously not very tech savvy at all so please be kind in your responses - I'm a tad clueless when it comes to puters.

I hope I dont have to replace that plug altogether cos I have seen it when I've cleaned inside the tower and it doesn't look as simple as putting a network card in etc.

Thanks for reading my long post

Lisa


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## MaverickUK (Sep 9, 2005)

Hey Lisa,

You should be able to fix this issue if you have a Windows XP CD at hand. Go to "My Computer" and right click the drive the CD is in, explore and then go into the "i386" folder, or equivalent. You must locate "driver.cad" and once done, copy it to your desktop - after that, go to Windows\Driver Cache\i386\driver.cad and rename the file driver.cad to driver.old and then move the driver.cad from desktop to the i386 folder you were just in. 

If you have a problem locating "driver.cad" on the XP CD then simply go to Start > Search > "driver.cad" and choose drive D: (this should be your default drive letter for DVD/CD drive).

If you have any questions or problems, just post back.

Nick.


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## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

In your bios menus, make sure all your devices are enabled.
Check your device manager, in there click_ view_, then click _show hidden devices_.
Make sure there are no yellow alerts.
If it turns out you have a bad ps2 port, just get a usb hub. They are relatively cheap.


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## sandman55 (May 28, 2005)

MaverickUK said:


> Hey Lisa,
> 
> You should be able to fix this issue if you have a Windows XP CD at hand. Go to "My Computer" and right click the drive the CD is in, explore and then go into the "i386" folder, or equivalent. You must locate "driver.cad" and once done, copy it to your desktop - after that, go to Windows\Driver Cache\i386\driver.cad and rename the file driver.cad to driver.old and then move the driver.cad from desktop to the i386 folder you were just in.
> 
> ...


Hi MaverickUK I wonder if you made a typo did you mean driver.cab :wave:


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## MaverickUK (Sep 9, 2005)

Sorry! I did mean driver.cab Sandman, as it is a cabinet file afterall. Though it amazes me that i did not only once, but five times, i think i'm losing the plot! 

Hillbilly, the file is actually "driver.cab" as opposed to ".cad" as i have been waffling. Thanks for pointing that out Sandman.


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## sandman55 (May 28, 2005)

No worries mate


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## mzhillbilly (Jun 30, 2005)

Thanks for the replies guys.

Did exactly as was suggested. Found the driver.cab within the XP Pro CD, copied it to the desktop (all this while mouse plugged in to the USB by the way) renamed the other one to driver.old, then moved the driver.cab into i386. I shutdown the computer. Unplugged the mouse from the USB, connected it back into the mouse port thingy, restarted machine. The mouse worked! But.. it was short lived, it lasted a whole 30 seconds approx, before it just wouldn't move again. Pulled it out, plugged it back into the USB and here I am with a working mouse and one less USB port again 

I guess it means it wasn't a driver issue either, so now I should get a USB hub? But if the mouse doesn't work in the mouse port, why does the keyboard part of it work? Is it fairly easy to replace one of them things (the whole keyboard/mouse port), I don't want the keyboard to stop working. Unlike the mouse, the keyboard can't be plugged into the USB.

Thanks guys and sorry for all the nooby questions 

I'd let my daughter use my machine if hers broke, but I'd be sad cos that would mean no more WoW for me 

Thanks again, appreciate responses
Lisa


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## MaverickUK (Sep 9, 2005)

You can buy a USB to PS/2 adapter that will allow you to use a USB keyboard in a PS/2 slot. These only cost as little as say £3.00 or so, a very cheap yet reliable solution.

Try doing as you did again Lisa, though unplug all USB devices and then do the driver.cab stuff, once copied turn off the computer and then plug in the USB device(s) and then boot up the machine.

Nick.


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