Old trackball won't work on modern laptops

Is it Logitech? Try their site. It ought to work as an ordinary serial mouse PROVIDED you INSTALL it.

...Jim Thompson

It is.

Tried that. That model is long gone from there. I bet if I'd call they'd suggest to try the Smithsonian museum ...

Well, on the risk of totally embarrassing myself here, how do I do that in them thar newfangled Windozes?

In sci.electronics.cad Joerg wrote: : How do you get an old serial port mouse working on a "modern" laptop?

Start by installing Linux on the laptop.....

Stuart

Then my mouse would work. However, a slight inconvenience would be that the CAD program the mouse is supposed to be used with would quit working ...

Wine?

Whine?

Why yes! Such a useful suggestion ;-)

...Jim Thompson

-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | | | E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat | |

(a) Find the original floppy disks (Remember floppy disks?)

or

(b) Settings -> Control Panel -> Add Hardware -> See if the model is between the pre-defined devices.

or

(c) Try a USB to serial converter, then go back to (a) & (b)

Roberto Waltman

You might lose that bet. New trackballs are generally just old trackballs with geehaws added. Usually the new trackball faithfully emulates the old one until the driver enables the new stuff.

Products", then "Trackballs not listed". Choose your operating system and download. I believe this gets you their "generic" driver that works with just about anything (anything Logitech, anyway). Standard 5-byte,

The download should include instructions.

HTH,

-=Dave

Plug it in _before_ booting, and perhaps wiggle it around as Windoze is looking for devices. Alternatively, connect a GPS receiver sending NMEA data before booting - Windoze usually recognizes that as a serial mouse.

As a possibly longer-term solution, Linux as the base, then run Windows in a VMWare (or other virtualisation) box. Keep that M$-beast in its cage :)

Damn! I was just about to suggest that too... ;-)

Meindert

Oh, you mean them floppy CDs :-)))

Got them but those are DOS drivers.

It ain't :-(

Yes, but it seems that the new generation of mouse driver writers doesn't remember what RS232 is.

Thanks, done that, tried to install, didn't work. It only supports newer USB devices.

Only USB it sez. Why is it that electronics get dropped like a hot potato in less than a decade while I can still go to Kragen's and buy a spare part for a Studebaker?

Isn't there a simple adapter to convert between serial and PS/2?

AND: Haven't you already wasted $50 of your time trying to be cheap-ass, when a new track-ball can be had for $49 ?:-)

I thought you would have learned that time is money by now ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I do. But there comes a time when I need a little breather from staring at a CAD screen or figuring out how to cram umpteen analog functions into the space of about two quarters. Also, it's not about money, I like this old mouse and I know it won't give cramps like most others.

BTW, Logitech says on their site that their driver (MouseWare) will not support serial mice under 2k and XP. Great. But they did say that 2k and XP have native drivers for that. Question is, who knows where?

Joerg wrote in news:u_dsh.62711$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net:

control panel - add hardware - let it search and if it does not find it do a manual instal...

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Oh yes, it will see a NMEA device as a mouse. Real treat every time I start my pc and forget to unplug the GPS, my mouse cursor is all over the place.

Try turning off the machine. Plug in track-ball. Boot up. See if pointer moves. I'd bet that it will.

...Jim Thompson

Did that on both machines. Neither found it.

If I just knew how, respectively where to get or find the needed driver.