There's enough knowledable folk here who can help out.

If you realy want to try another forum sign up at vcf and post there http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/forum … hp?63-Later-PCs

It should be as easy as selectng the type of mouse in Windows Setup. If its a serial mouse, I don't think there is an easy way to select COM1 or COM2, so if you need to have it plugged in COM2 for whatever reason, you can experiment altering its address/IRQ to match standard COM1 or COM2 values and try.

EDIT: I just saw the other topic. Windows 3.11 DOES NOT autodetect the mouse. You have to go to Windows setup (SETUP.EXE inside C:\WINDOWS from DOS works fine) and select the mouse type. Also, with CTMOUSE loaded, try something simple like EDIT.COM to make sure it is working correctly.

i was thinking it might be a problem with windows 3.11 so i installed windows 95 last nite to
see if it would just pick it up and work but it doesnt see it either

edit.com is a great idea.
the ctmouse also came with a program called mousetst.com which i believe serves the same purpose as edit.com would
in yoru suggestion.. to be able to launch an app from dos that shows if the mouse is working.

honestly ive never had such a hard time ever getting a mouse to work on any computer.
this asus 486 is giving me such frustrations..

it would seem i have a physical problem on both the ps/2 + serial ports
my labtec 3b mouse must require its own specific ps2->serial connector and obviously doesnt work with the ones ive got
and somehow the labtec 3b mouse also cant work with the ps2 port on my motherboard.. either because ive got the wiring wrong
or because its somehow incompatible..

really frustrating

I've heard that these PS2->Serial adapters are not universal, and your best bet is to use the one that came with the mouse.
Also, try other COM ports.

Have one of those adaptors, and on some Ps/2 mice, it will not work.
The mouse have to be compatible with it on a hardware level.
It's the exact same issue regarding Ps/2-USB.
The mouse have to be compatible on a hardware level too.

The best sollution is to have 3 different mice, native Serial, Native Ps/2 and Native USB.

I suggest you follow all the suggestions brought forth in the other thread you created rather than creating multiple threads for the same problem. If you are unwilling to obtain a multimeter and to check your BIOS image with MODBIN, I think you will find few people willing to continue to assist. Use UNIFLASH to save an image of your BIOS.

For posting on other forums - I think you will find the vogons forum to have the most responsive user group. The problem you are experiencing is relatively straight forward.

The same mouse format could come with PS/2 support-only, or serial-only, or both. It can be difficult to distinguish. Best to avoid ps/2-to-serial adapters at this point. Obtain a regular serial-only mouse. Do not use Windows as your basis to establish if a mouse is working. Use MOUSE.COM for DOS, which contains PS/2 and serial drivers, in conjunction with TEST.EXE. This is a more effective means of testing. Sometimes serial mouse or ps/2 mouse drivers will not be auto loaded in Windows depending on what the install condition was like.

Also, there are two standard pin-outs for serial cable headers that I am aware of. SiS and UMC-based PCI boards tend to use different ones. Use a multi-meter to determine where the pins are going. $5 multimeters often don't have the quick "beep" setting to check for continuity, but you can still use the resistence setting. Usually a 0-2 ohm readout indicates a continuous run of conductor. BUY A MULTIMETER!

And one more thing, BUY A MULTIMETER.

i just bought a logitech mouseman serial mouse..
underneath the mouse it says "MouseMan, Serial Version M/N: ML38 P/N: 811187-00"
here u see a pic of the mouse: http://www.recycledgoods.com/logitech-ml38-mo … -811187-00.html

connected to com1 on my VLB io controller
trying it in win95.. STILL get the msg "Windows did not detect a mouse"
when i try to use cutemouse "comtest" it shows the mouse as a modem when connected
and nothing when not connected..

i dont have a multimeter.. nor do i understand how to use one..
in case u havent noticed im not even worried about the ps/2 mouse header/bracket adapter anymore i GAVE UP on that already
i have purchased a normal serial mouse + THAT DOESNT WORK EITHER. so obviously something else is VERY WRONG.
because this computer will not work with ANY MOUSE.. either ps2 or serial.

i NEED someone who has the same motherboard as me to help + let me know what his/her settings are..
u assume too much that people are familiar with the knowledge that u have feipoa.. i know different things than you im sure aswell.
i would not expect u to know eveyrthing that i know.. im not worried about backing up + overwriting the bios. why would i do that? when i have the 401 bios already
im not familar with MODBIN or UNIFLASH or using a multimeter. neither do i understand why i would want to do those things untill it is explained to me.

everything else with the computer is working fine except the mouse. i have a logitech SERIAL mouse.. and it doesnt work..
something is stopping it from working.

You can use the internet to research what you do not know, especially in the context of using a multimeter, saving your BIOS image, etc. There are plenty of tutorials out there. If you are unwilling to put in a little research time, then take your computer to someone who is. There is only so much spoon feeding that we can do - you need to chew.

Also be aware that the serial chip on motherboards can go bad. I have a few 486 boards with either bad serial chips or floppy chips. To replace these, you will need to cut, solder, and source a replacement chip.

It would seem rare that both the PS/2 mouse function (via the KBC chip) and the serial chip would go bad, so you should not entirely abandon your PS/2 mouse efforts.

chrisNova777 wrote:

i just bought a logitech mouseman serial mouse.. underneath the mouse it says "MouseMan, Serial Version M/N: ML38 P/N: 811187-00 […]
Show full quote

i just bought a logitech mouseman serial mouse..
underneath the mouse it says "MouseMan, Serial Version M/N: ML38 P/N: 811187-00"
here u see a pic of the mouse: http://www.recycledgoods.com/logitech-ml38-mo … -811187-00.html

connected to com1 on my VLB io controller
trying it in win95.. STILL get the msg "Windows did not detect a mouse"
when i try to use cutemouse "comtest" it shows the mouse as a modem when connected
and nothing when not connected..

i dont have a multimeter.. nor do i understand how to use one..
in case u havent noticed im not even worried about the ps/2 mouse header/bracket adapter anymore i GAVE UP on that already
i have purchased a normal serial mouse + THAT DOESNT WORK EITHER. so obviously something else is VERY WRONG.
because this computer will not work with ANY MOUSE.. either ps2 or serial.

i NEED someone who has the same motherboard as me to help + let me know what his/her settings are..
u assume too much that people are familiar with the knowledge that u have feipoa.. i know different things than you im sure aswell.
i would not expect u to know eveyrthing that i know.. im not worried about backing up + overwriting the bios. why would i do that? when i have the 401 bios already
im not familar with MODBIN or UNIFLASH or using a multimeter. neither do i understand why i would want to do those things untill it is explained to me.

everything else with the computer is working fine except the mouse. i have a logitech SERIAL mouse.. and it doesnt work..
something is stopping it from working.

Did you check the serial port header? Be sure that it is connected to the motherboard serial header correctly (pin 1 on the motherboard and red/pink/printed side of the serial port flat cable should be on the same side. Are you sure that it is connected to "com 1" or "serial 1 " header? Did you check the BIOS options regarding com ports (like "enable/disable" and resource allocations - 3F8 & IRQ 4 for com1, for example))?

tayyare wrote:

Did you check the serial port header? Be sure that it is connected to the motherboard serial header correctly (pin 1 on the motherboard and red/pink/printed side of the serial port flat cable should be on the same side. Are you sure that it is connected to "com 1" or "serial 1 " header? Did you check the BIOS options regarding com ports (like "enable/disable" and resource allocations - 3F8 & IRQ 4 for com1, for example))?

the com port is on the io controller not the motherboard.. and yes i have it open in front of me ive tried eveything + anything i can do.. its on 3F8 yes.. + IRQ 4..
as i said i was using the comtest dos app that comes with cutemouse and it says its a modem connected when its plugged in and says UART 16550 etc etc
nothing will make the mouse work i just dont GET IT

when i came home with this mouseman serial mouse earlier today i expected to plug it in and have it work immediately.
because i thought my problems were to do with ps2 connector wired incorrectly.. and the ps2/serial adapter not being wired correctly
now.. this is a serial mouse.. connected directly to com1.. still no mouse working.. I DONT GET IT

Stop being a spazoid and breathe. Goosfraba, Goosfraba. 🤣

Anyways making multiple posts about it won't help and neither will making accusations that others don't want to help or that they want to gloat about getting it to work and not help you. That's non-sense logic.

Anyway, are you sure the I/O controller is even working? Maybe it has compatibility issues with certain input devices. I really doubt the motherboard is at fault, the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4 is a nice motherboard. Besides that, the I/O controller is on a separate card and not part of the motherboard itself.

It does seem though that you possibly have a faulty I/O controller card. There's also the fact you're using cutemouse, which is not compatible with all mice. Example: cutemouse don't work with my Microsoft serial mouse at all, I had to use the actual Microsoft mouse driver. Instead of cutemouse try a driver called MITSUMI mouse driver or use the actual mouse driver for your mouse hardware.

ive tested both the labtec + the logitech mouseman SERIAL mouse + they do indeed work.. ive just connected the mouseman to my windows 7 machine and its working for me right now.. so it does work.. i also have 2 different IO Controllers.. one that is VLB.. and one that is ISA.. ive been unable to get any mouse to work with either of them!! this is just freaking wierd

the thing is.. the PS2 port is on the motherboard itself..
the COM port is on the IO Controller..
im hoping somehow its the IO Controller.. or posibly the configuration of it..
i sure wish the bios was PNP and gave me control ovr the IRQ's.... the way my ABIT BE6 board does..
then id have a clue whats going on..
im trying to come up with reasons that would stop both the ps2 + serial mouse from working..
but i cant think of anything.. ive even replaced the com port ribbon connector.. with a brand new one..

isnt it highly unlikely that TWO seperate io cntrollers would behave exactly the same?
is it possible that the mouseman serial mouse i have is somehow incompatible? it says somethng aobut 12v on the bottom.. is there anyway its just not getting enuff juice via the com port on this old 486?
the mouseman serial mouse works on my asus win7 machine...
this is a nightmare..
at this rate im going to end up using the 386dx40 and just shelving this 486;(
i would like to test the io controllers in the 386dx40 but its not VLB and the video card thats in that machine is not VGA and i dont have an EGA/CGA monitor or adapter to be able to use a display with it... otherwise id be testing the mouse + the io controllers in it to see if they behave/function ok seperate from the 486SV2GX4

I'm guessing te mobo is a dud. I have a similar issue with one of my 286 boards, though on start up the serial port does work but drops out after 5 minutes or so.

One of those diagnostic cards the plugs into the ISA slot my give some clue as to whats up.

Chaniyth wrote:

It does seem though that you possibly have a faulty I/O controller card. There's also the fact you're using cutemouse, which is not compatible with all mice. Example: cutemouse don't work with my Microsoft serial mouse at all, I had to use the actual Microsoft mouse driver. Instead of cutemouse try a driver called MITSUMI mouse driver or use the actual mouse driver for your mouse hardware.

There's a legacy mode switch in ctmouse that may have worked.

this is the io controller i have.. perhaps the serial ports are damaged somehow.

Have you checked its jumper settings? (W36-W41)

You can quite easily swap the COM1 and COM2 connectors to set COM2 to the DB9 port and COM1 to the DB25 port.

psychz wrote:

Have you checked its jumper settings? (W36-W41)

Default for COM1 and COM2:

COM1: I/O port 3F8, IRQ 4

COM2: I/O port 2F8, IRQ 3