Mouse Installations

[Beno]

Hi everyone,

can anyone tell me why is it that when I want to use my Zip Drive then I just plug it in and play however when I want to change to a different mouse then I have to restart the computer. Why is that??

Also how do I restore my quicklaunch toolbar on Win98 when a program crashes. Sometimes when a program crashes the quicklaunch toolbar goes with it and the only way I know how to get it back is to reboot the machine. Is there another way at all??

Thanks everyone :-))

Ben

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Have a nice day

[Paleo Pete]

Zip drive and mouse use different types of ports. Zip drives normally use a parallel port, which usually can be "hot swapped" or plugged in while the computer is powered up. Only parallel ports and monitors can be plugged in while the computer is powered up. NEVER plug anything into or unplug a serial (mouse) or PS/2 port while the computer is running.

The mouse uses either a serial port or PS/2 depending on the system. Neither can be plugged in while the computer is powered up, it will fry the mouse, and possibly the port it's plugged into. Especially PS/2. If you start win98 without a mouse, it will pop up a screen telling you no mouse is found and it is safe to plug it in, I think it temporarily disables the mouse port to do this. Not sure what it will do if you're using a PS/2 mouse, never used one. Not in win98 anyway...That's the only time it's safe to plug in a mouse while under power.

I fried a serial mouse a few weeks ago when I forgot to plug it into a DOS test board, and realized it too late...no more mouse. Guess that's what I get for getting in too big a hurry...Glad it wasn't my good one!
Note: The above should serve as a very good demonstration of the benefits of taking your time and double, even triple checking everything.

To get the Quick Launch bar back right click on an empty space in the toolbar and click toolbars, you should have a quick launch option, click it. Then find out why the computer crashed and fix it. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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[sleddog]

Originally posted by Paleo Pete:
If you start win98 without a mouse, it will pop up a screen telling you no mouse is found and it is safe to plug it in, I think it temporarily disables the mouse port to do this. Not sure what it will do if you're using a PS/2 mouse, never used one.

Windows 95 will instruct you to power down, connect the ps/2 mouse and reboot -- I image Win98 is the same.

[hiredgoonz]

No, PaleoPete is correct, W98 tells you that no mouse is detected and that you may plug in a serial mouse if you have one...of course when this happened to me, the mouse didn't work after I plugged it in, so I had to shutdown anyway...

[Paleo Pete]

hiredgoonz: sleddog was referring to a PS/2 mouse, which I was in no way sure about. Since I don't think PS/2 can be plugged in under power in any way, I thought it would probably instruct you to shut down and plug in the mouse, but wasn't about to say so with no solid evidence or experience to go on, since I've never used a PS/2 mouse, except in my win3.11 Packard Bell, and have never forgotten to plug in the mouse before booting it.

sleddog confirmed my suspicion, and thanks for that...

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Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

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