first, i'd check jumper W2. it looks like it should be OPEN. (also W3)

2nd, the VLB slot does NOT work with a 386 installed. I dont know if the I/O cards you are using are vlb, so I thought I'd mention it.

3rd, Clear the bios to factory defaults.

4th, remove cards one at a time until all that is left is the I/O and video. There might be some sort of conflict.

luckybob wrote:

first, i'd check jumper W2. it looks like it should be OPEN. (also W3) […]
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first, i'd check jumper W2. it looks like it should be OPEN. (also W3)

2nd, the VLB slot does NOT work with a 386 installed. I dont know if the I/O cards you are using are vlb, so I thought I'd mention it.

3rd, Clear the bios to factory defaults.

4th, remove cards one at a time until all that is left is the I/O and video. There might be some sort of conflict.

-Tried W2 open and closed
-No VLB IO card. I have a caching IO controller, a generic goldstar controller,
-Cleared BIOS again
-There's only VIDEO and MULTI I/O. I've swapped VIDEO and IO card with, I think, is every possible combination in the ISA slots. 😠

I found an old link to someone on another forum that seemed to have the exactly same problem as I am having: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/archi … hp/t-39611.html

I actually had a 386/486 board similar to yours. It was a jumper problem i found out after many hours. My issue wasnt mouse, but using high memory.

I assume the default bios settings are correct? Are there any errors during post?

luckybob wrote:

I actually had a 386/486 board similar to yours. It was a jumper problem i found out after many hours. My issue wasnt mouse, but using high memory.

I assume the default bios settings are correct? Are there any errors during post?

Was it a jumper on the IO card? I think I've tried every jumper combo on the motherboard. And nope, no errors. The system information screen says there are two serial ports, and msd.exe shows two serial ports active.

High memory? As in you shouldn't load the mouse driver? I've tried the microsoft mouse driver and the cute mouse driver, and the config.sys settings of DEVICE= and DEVICEHIGH=. I've even tried the /M switch with CuteMouse to force the driver to load, but no mouse is found.

Here's what else I've tried (you can see I'm **really** scrapping the bottom to see if there's some odd hardware conflict):
1-Swapped out memory from 8x1MB (8MB) to just 4x256 (1 MB)
2-Removed cache
3-disabled hard drives in bios, put only one floppy controller and booted off a barebones bootdisk
4-Tried a plain IO card with a plain FDC
5-booted up at 8MHz

Maybe it is a memory issue, but I tried a very barebones startup configuration (no HMA, no EMM386). I'll go back to the drawing board later today and try out some other configurations. For now I ripped out the motherboard and put in a new one that at least has the clock generator socketed. That'll get me my 33Mhz and 40Mhz options for now. I'm mainly using this 386 setup for Wing Commander 1-2, but miss the option of selectable MHz.

I might yank the 386 chip and put in a 486 with a VLB IO controller to see if there's some odd thing with the BIOS and 386 chips. 😠

Are you using a 387 chip? you mentioned a floppy disk, try a brand new floppy with only command.com, ctmouse, and something like qbasic or dosshell.

Really running out of ideas here

No 387 chip. I'll have another go with this board later today or tomorrow. It might just have to use an ISA BUS mouse....pfft.

Have you tried using the serial port for something else? Like a null modem cable to transfer some files? Just to be sure the port is working correctly.

alexanrs wrote:

Have you tried using the serial port for something else? Like a null modem cable to transfer some files? Just to be sure the port is working correctly.

No, not yet. I think there's a way to test the port with a loop-back hacked cable or short (going off of VERY old memory here...).

However, I've tried now FOUR different cards with serial ports on them. None see the mouse, but Norton 7 utils says the serial ports show as working when polled. BUS mouse is looking like the only alternative here. Luckily I have two BUS isa cards, one a logitech the other a Genius. I just need a freak'n BUS mouse! 😠

I might try a VLB IO card with a 486 installed sometime to see if that too has issues.

Check if the power supply is OK. Mice need both +12 and -12 volts, you can also measure the actual voltages on serial connector to be sure if these voltages really go all the way from power supply to the ISA card.

Also check if you have the correct adapter bracket as back panel brackets with serial port wiring to the ISA IO card connector have varying pinouts.

Neat. I never bothered to lookup how serial mice got their power. I just assumed there was a +5v pin like the ps/2 port or usb.

Go here: http://www.ni.com/tutorial/3450/en/
It details how to make a loopback plug. then use some sort of diag utility to test the port. If you need one send me a message.

Jepael wrote:

Check if the power supply is OK. Mice need both +12 and -12 volts, you can also measure the actual voltages on serial connector to be sure if these voltages really go all the way from power supply to the ISA card.

Also check if you have the correct adapter bracket as back panel brackets with serial port wiring to the ISA IO card connector have varying pinouts.

Thanks for the advice. 😎

Power supply is fine, it works with other MULTI IO cards and other motherboards. All of the IO cards I've used have the serial port on the main card. I did try COM2 from two different adapter brackets on two of the MUTLI IO cards, but still no go on finding a mouse on COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4 with Cutemouse. I even tried a very old 8-bit serial card with one port on it. Still no mouse found.

luckybob wrote:

Neat. I never bothered to lookup how serial mice got their power. I just assumed there was a +5v pin like the ps/2 port or usb.

Go here: http://www.ni.com/tutorial/3450/en/
It details how to make a loopback plug. then use some sort of diag utility to test the port. If you need one send me a message.

Thanks for the link!

That is next on the to-do list, is an actual test to see if the COM port works with something else besides a serial mouse. That'll be later this week though. I have a 486 build and a Core i7 4970K build this week.

I also found a dirt-cheap INPORT mouse for $7 shipped. That might be the only way to get a mouse working on this thing...though I am VERY unfamiliar with INPORT (BUS) mice....compatibility, etc? Windows 95/98 has drivers for INPORT, so shouldn't be an issue with DOS stuff, but again, I have no idea. Research time!

SOLVED!!!!!

Looking more into the voltages, -12v was non-existent! The power supply was fine, however (AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I MISSED THIS!), the -12v AT power connector on the motherboard was COMPLETELY corroded! I mean, I had to take about a minute to scrap off the green corrosion on there and bend it slightly so it would have enough force to connect to the AT power connector. Might in the future, if needed, to remove the pin and reattach a new one!

Once that repair was done, mouse works! 😎

Thanks for all who helped me diagnose this. It was rather simple that I did overlook, but the rest of the connectors are in pristine condition. I've got my kick-arse MHz-selectable board back! 😎