In a couple of days, I am going to receive this Hewlett Packard that has the ps2 mouse port blown, and I have several old serial mice laying around, so I thought I would try to use one. Just knowing it can`t be as easy as plugging a serial mouse into the serial port and it works. Is there some configuring that I would need to do ie: irq`s, com ports? Thanks in advance for any tips/hints. Regards IKE

Normally they came with an installation floppy disc. Generally it was simple to install. Also one or two test programs were supplied. I wonder though, if one has to disable the existing mouse port in the bios or wherever. Good Luck - Keep us posted.

If it's a standard serial mouse, you should be able to just plug it in and the system will autonmatically detect it and install the driver. At least it always did that for me, 'back in the old days'. Do yourself a favor BACKUP!

win 95 + will p&P serial mice...may need software for 3rd button or scrollers.,.it may warn u no ps2 detected, just ignore

Plug and play serial mice? Ah, sure - funny how even mice from the 1980s will work too Serial mouse support is built into Win9x onward, although for some you may need access to the Windows CABs "Just knowing it can`t be as easy as plugging a serial mouse into the serial port and it works." Well, that's pretty much how it works - instead of fretting about imaginary problems, just plug it in and use it - provided you haven't disabled that particular COM port "I wonder though, if one has to disable the existing mouse port in the bios or wherever." Whatever - if it's the bad PS/2 port, I suppose you may as well disable it somewhere, but hardly crucial We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true

Support for serial mice is built into Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP. If a serial mouse was ever connected to that computer and the driver was installed previously in 9x, and probably ME, and is still there in Device Manager, it will already be supported while booting. However, if only a PS/2 and/or a USB mouse was used with that Windows installation, you may not be able to move the mouse cursor until Windows has fully booted and detects the serial mouse - in that case you can use the Tab key to cycle through which choice is highlighted as you boot if you need to, and use Enter to select the highlighted choice, until Windows gets to the desktop. With Win 95, 98, and 98SE the mouse will work but the driver may not actually be installed until you use Control Panel - Add New Hardware to find the serial mouse and install it's driver. That may also apply to ME - I'm not familar with ME. Win 2000 and XP will install the driver automatically right after the mouse is detected after the desktop loads all the way. Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP will automatically find a serial or PS/2 mouse while Setup is run if the mouse or mice is/are present. As kerodude3058 said, if your mouse has three buttons, or if it has a scroll wheel, you will probably need to install drivers for the specific model to activate all the mouse features, but the two outside buttons will work fine without the extra driver(s). Windows can support at least three mice, if they are not connected to the same port type (e.g. one serial, one PS/2, one USB), but they all move the same cursor and can only be used one at a time. You could leave a PS/2 mouse connected until Windows detects the serial mouse if you like, then remove the PS/2 mouse before booting the next time.

Keep in mind that PS2 mice should not be plugged or unplugged with power on. With the serial mouse it's ok. Do yourself a favor BACKUP!