Difficulties with Com1 with a serial mouse connected - mouse not recognized.

Pentium Pro 200 Windows 98

Gave a family member (novice users) my 'old' computer system (four year old tower box, three year old CPU, one year old hard drive).

Received a call that the computer could not find the mouse (Serial/PS-2 connected to Com1).

The following are the most of the steps followed in trouble shooting the system:
1. Verified problem that Win98 did not find the serial mouse.
2. Reinstalled mouse driver - same result.
3. Reinstalled Win98 (overlay Windows folder) - same problem.
4. Reinstalled Win98 (inWin98 folder) - same problem.
5. Reinstalled Win98 (overlay Windows folder) - same problem
6. Replaced mouse with a new mouse (USB/PS-2)- same problem
7. Deleted mouse from system devices - mouse NOT found.
8. Reinstalled Win98 (overlay Windows folder) - same problem.
9. Reinstalled Win98 (inWin98 folder) - same problem.
10. Reinstalled Win98 (overlay Windows folder) - same problem.
11. Purchased/installed ISA I/O card (disabled COM and Parallel ports in BIOS) - same problem (new mouse on system, new ISA I/O card, BIOS Com and Parallel ports disabled: mouse not found, no mouse in system devices)
12. Reinstalled Win98 (inWin98 folder) - same problem.
13. Reinstalled Win98 (overlay Windows folder) - same problem.
14. Cleaned up pile of hair from along side the CPU box (hair from pulling it out).

Assumption:
The I/O functions of the CPU are defunct.???
USB/PS-2 mouse will not work using a PS-2 to Serial adapter??

Corrective action:
Replace CPU???
Get a Serial or Serial/PS-2 mouse???

OR

Couple of things...

To use a PS/2 mouse in serial port it must be a combination mouse. It will have a Serial|PS/2 switch on bottom if it's a combination mouse.
COM1 must be enabled in BIOS to use mouse on COM1.
After all this, I don't see a Format/reinstall to a clean hard drive. You're bringing the old problems along with you when you reinstall all these times without formatting. Overinstalls are nothing but trouble.
Install to the Windows folder where it's supposed to be.

I would format and reinstall windows on a clean hard drive, and get a PS/2 or combo mouse. After all you've done you're likely to have problems from all the overinstalls.

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