In windows you need to separatley set the mouse again for microsoft mouse or mouse systems mode or something.

As for the ribbon cables, did you check if you actually have both kinds? You need to check the back of the DB9 connector to see how the wires go.

The headers can be either

1 3 5 7 9
2 4 6 8
or
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9

I know another one:

12345
9876

All my ribbon cables are 12345 up top, 6789 on bottom. The serial ports on the ISA card are also the same pin layout.

The problem isn't just on Windows. I can't move the cursor on anything. I know it's not my mice because they both work fine on my 486, which has the same pin layout as the others.

TSG wrote on 2021-04-14, 14:05:

All my ribbon cables are 12345 up top, 6789 on bottom. The serial ports on the ISA card are also the same pin layout.

The problem isn't just on Windows. I can't move the cursor on anything. I know it's not my mice because they both work fine on my 486, which has the same pin layout as the others.

That is exactly what might be the problem. Being that your cables are 12345 up top and 6789 on bottom.

You could try to rewire one cable to have 13579 on top and 2468 on bottom, or purchase one.

weedeewee wrote on 2021-04-14, 14:09:

That is exactly what might be the problem. Being that your cables are 12345 up top and 6789 on bottom.

You could try to rewire one cable to have 13579 on top and 2468 on bottom, or purchase one.

I'm not using the cables. I've disabled the onboard serial to use the ISA card instead.

I saw where someone was having a similar problem to mine and the solution was only a specific Logitech driver would work. I'm going to try that same driver.

in the first post you say com1 irq 3 ... are you sure about that ? because normally... com1 is irq 4

weedeewee wrote on 2021-04-14, 14:40:

in the first post you say com1 irq 3 ... are you sure about that ? because normally... com1 is irq 4

I'm pretty sure. The ISA card has jumpers you set by hand for IRQ# and COM#. Not sure why you would need to go all the way to COM6, but it does.

You could even go to COM8.
But that's beside the point
Thing is...
COM1 - 0x3F8 IRQ 4 <- this is default... unless the mouse driver is set to use IRQ3. It will, by default, try to use IRQ4 .
so your onboard ports might not work due to a cabling error, your add-on card probably doesn't work due to an IRQ error...

weedeewee wrote on 2021-04-14, 14:56:

COM1 - 0x3F8 IRQ 4 <- this is default... unless the mouse driver is set to use IRQ3. It will, by default, try to use IRQ4 .
so your onboard ports might not work due to a cabling error, your add-on card probably doesn't work due to an IRQ error...

Ok I changed the jumpers to IRQ4 on COM1. If this works i'm going to feel mighty stupid.

EDIT: It works! Thanks for pointing that out. I would have been stuck for eternity.

Huray again !

Now if you ever feel like checking the onboard ports...
if you look at the DB9 connector and measure between top right pin ( pin5, GND) and your mainboard GND (any ground pin, black wires on power connector)
( This is offcourse with the DB9 cable connected to the mainboard, on the correct pinheader and in the right orientation )
You should have 0 ohm or continuity beep and close to zero indication.
If not, the layout is incorrect and you'll find it on another pin of the DB9 which will give a clue as to what layout is the correct one.

I'll check it later with the ol Fluke. Thanks! Playing me some Quake now.