Computer mouse switch going bad

[olds...@tubes.com]

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

[Tom Biasi]

Walmart has a USB mouse for $4.79 USD

[Mary-Jane Rottencrotch]

On 2018-01-13 13:29, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>
> Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
> want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
> mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

Does it not have USB ports? Disregarding the utter ridiculousness of
still using Windows 98 in 2018, it supports USB just fine (since Windows
95 OSR 2.1, around 1997 - 21 years ago nearly).

>
> So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
> other mouse functions work fine).
>

Well what sort of switch is it? The crystal ball is a bit cloudy on this
one.

[Sjouke Burry]

I have replaced some of those switches in a few mice.
The electronic lab had them in stock.
So somebody is selling them.
Try google......
Yep.
try
mouse microswitch in picture mode.
The tiny square ones are inside most mice.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, 13 January 2018 21:59:49 UTC, Mary-Jane Rottencrotch wrote:
> On 2018-01-13 13:29, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> >
> > Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
> > want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
> > mouse on my Windows 98 computer.
>
> Does it not have USB ports? Disregarding the utter ridiculousness of
> still using Windows 98 in 2018, it supports USB just fine (since Windows
> 95 OSR 2.1, around 1997 - 21 years ago nearly).

98 usb support is not ideal, though it works adequately with nusb3.1 installed.
The point is that USB mice are not readable by 98 era machines until the OS has booted and loaded the USB driver. P/S2 & D9 mice are superior in this respect.

> > So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
> > other mouse functions work fine).
> >
>
> Well what sort of switch is it? The crystal ball is a bit cloudy on this
> one.

Yes, either open the switch and clean the contacts or replace it. And always have a spare mouse, they never last forever.
FWIW with ball mice, the earlier D9 ones generally work much better IME.


NT

[olds...@tubes.com]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:53:13 -0500, Tom Biasi <tomb...@optonline.net>
wrote:

You get a "F" for reading comprehension. :)

I SAID: I need a PS/2 mouse.
I probably have 4 USB mice, which are not suitable for my needs.

I did just find they make adaptors, to convert a USB mouse to PS/2. I
ordered one on ebay for about $3. But until I get it, I have to keep
fighting with this mouse, which works fine for awhile, then refuses to
do anything till I beat the crap out of that button a dozen times or
more.....

Tomorrow I plan to go to Goodwill. They usually have mice....
I'll probably buy several of them, if they have any PS/2 ones. Seems
that are getting hard to find....

I never understood the reasoning for USB mice or keyboards. Many
computers only have 2 USB ports. Why waste them for a mouse or keyboard
when there are PS/2 ports.... One of my computers had both a USB mouse
and keyboard, and only had 2 USB ports. In order to use a flash drive I
had to keep unplugging either the mouse or keyboard.... Apparently these
are more "Designed by idiots" products.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/13/18 4:50 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> Tomorrow I plan to go to Goodwill. They usually have mice....

Predominately PS/2 mice and keyboards.

> One of my computers had both a USB mouse and keyboard, and only
> had 2 USB ports. In order to use a flash drive I
> had to keep unplugging either the mouse or keyboard.... Apparently
> these are more "Designed by idiots" products.

You do know they make USB hubs right?


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

[dansabr...@yahoo.com]

The switch inside is called a tact-switch and these are readily available and can be installed easily by anyone with soldering skills. The switches themselves are not "cleanable" typically. In most cases the small metal diaphragm gets fatigued and won't work properly. These switches usually cost less than $1

Dan

[rickman]

I don't mean to pick on you, but there are so many things wrong with this
post.

Hey, I have a 91 year old friend who is blind and can't use his Windows 98
computer anymore. If you want it, its yours for the shipping. It includes
a wired ball mouse I'm sure. Heck, I probably have a few of those around
here if I dig a bit.

Oh yeah, they make PS/2 to USB adapters. They are maybe a buck.

--

Rick C

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms,
on the centerline of totality since 1998

[rickman]

By "many computers" you mean many computers running Windows 98, right? My
laptop has four USB Ports. I don't think I've seen one that has less than
three in the last 10 years.

[Tom Biasi]

I never even considered that would be a problem. I guess it was for you.
Sorry I was of no help. You have antique equipment and just thought you
could make use of modern available devices.

[Tom Biasi]

It's just another BS post from this AH.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/13/18 8:31 PM, Tom Biasi wrote:
>>
> It's just another BS post from this AH.

Ayup.

[Tom Biasi]

On 1/13/2018 9:57 PM, Fox's Mercantile wrote:
> On 1/13/18 8:31 PM, Tom Biasi wrote:
>>>
>> It's just another BS post from this AH.
>
> Ayup.
>
>

It's not my nature to say these things Jeff but I'm a little off my game
today.

[Rheilly Phoull]

On 14/01/2018 7:16 AM, Fox's Mercantile wrote:
> On 1/13/18 4:50 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>> Tomorrow I plan to go to Goodwill. They usually have mice....
>
> Predominately PS/2 mice and keyboards.
>
>> One of my computers had both a USB mouse and keyboard, and only
>> had 2 USB ports. In order to use a flash drive I
>> had to keep unplugging either the mouse or keyboard.... Apparently
>> these are more "Designed by idiots" products.
>
> You do know they make USB hubs right?
>
>

Cue to question from yesteryear "What's hub and will it work on my win98?"

[olds...@tubes.com]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 15:38:35 -0800 (PST), dansabr...@yahoo.com
wrote:

>The switch inside is called a tact-switch and these are readily available
>and can be installed easily by anyone with soldering skills. The switches
>themselves are not "cleanable" typically. In most cases the small metal
>diaphragm gets fatigued and won't work properly. These switches

I always regret throwing stuff away. I have tossed several mice over the
years that probably still had usable switches. From what you said, the
price seems right, but only if it's free shipping. Much of the time
shipping a $1 item can cost as much as $10, or maybe even more. But I
will hang on to this mouse for now till I find a switch to use.
Soldering it is no problem.

[Fox's Mercantile]

Well yeah.

Notwithstanding, here's the USB to PS/2 adapter you need.
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/252486083292>

And for your 2-USB Port box, you can buy one of these:
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/112496332260>
That will free up the 2nd USB port for you flash drives.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/14/18 3:00 AM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> Much of the time
> shipping a $1 item can cost as much as $10, or maybe even more.

A myth for the most part, but shipping is not free.
When some says "Free shipping" the shipping cost is added to the part.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, 13 January 2018 22:53:27 UTC, olds...@tubes.com wrote:

> I did just find they make adaptors, to convert a USB mouse to PS/2. I
> ordered one on ebay for about $3.

Sometimes those work, sometimes not. It depends on what the mouse & PC are capable of.

> I never understood the reasoning for USB mice or keyboards. Many
> computers only have 2 USB ports. Why waste them for a mouse or keyboard
> when there are PS/2 ports.... One of my computers had both a USB mouse
> and keyboard, and only had 2 USB ports. In order to use a flash drive I
> had to keep unplugging either the mouse or keyboard.... Apparently these
> are more "Designed by idiots" products.

It's a bit cheaper to lose the ps/2 ports, and end users assume USB mice are somehow better, although they're really worse.
And fwiw you can plug the mouse & keyboard into any usb port.


NT

[whit3rd]

On Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 1:03:23 AM UTC-8, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 15:38:35 -0800 (PST), dansabr...@yahoo.com
> wrote:
>
> >The switch inside is called a tact-switch and these are readily available
> >and can be installed easily by anyone with soldering skills. The switches

I always regret throwing stuff away. I have tossed several mice over the
> years that probably still had usable switches.

Yeah, but... there's flat buttons and raised ones, 5mm square and 8mm square,
surface mount and through-hole, and probably a dozen other variants.

Sometimes the switch is just like one in my (sizeable) junque collection, sometimes not.
Every old dead VCR has a dozen, but that's not a dozen different types, just a dozen
examples.

Sometimes, too, it's a plastics-getting-sticky problem, and the switch is fine if
you just smear a tiny bit of silicone grease where the friction is.

[~misfit~]

I just got a packet of 10 mouse switches from Aliexpress for $3.
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy
little classification in the DSM*."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)
(*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

[Tim Schwartz]

On 1/13/2018 4:29 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:

Don't forget the the cable could be going bad after a few 100,000 flexes.

--Tim

[ABLE1]

On 1/13/2018 4:29 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:

Hi Oldschool, I have been reading this thread with a smile.

I also have a Win98se machine that I desperately need to do what I do.

When I was really concerned it was was going to die and leave me with
nothing but tears and frustration beyond human limits, I searched
eBay and found a guy that was building Pentium 4 systems running
Win98se. Long story short I bought two(2) for $125 each.

Now I have a set of twin Win98se machines, Unit (A) and Unit (B).
Both with USB mouse and keyboard. Presently only using Unit (A) and by
my theory of universal backup planning as long as I have Unit (B) then
Unit (A) will never die. Best $125 ever spent.
Well actually $250 but who's counting.

My original Win98se still runs to this day and only use it when I need a
file that was not important at the time, 5 years ago, to move over.

Good luck with your PS/2 to USB adapter thingie. That may be a short
term fix as everything eventually breaks, one way or another.

Les

[Allodoxaphobia]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 15:29:53 -0600, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
> apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
> guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
> some contact cleaner inside of it.
>
> Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?
>
> Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
> want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
> mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

Visit your local 2nd-hands shops: GoodWill, ARC, Salvation Army, etc.
Lots of widows donate the geezer's old computer stuff and there are
often many old mice handing from peg boards in those stores.

[stra...@yahoo.com]

Are you sure it doesn't have a broken solder joint on the switch? Years of clicking could cause cracking.

G²

[Tim R]

This. Every thrift store I've been to has a dozen mice at $1 each. You could probably make a deal for a bulk buy.

[Jon Elson]

olds...@tubes.com wrote:

> My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
> apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
> guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
> some contact cleaner inside of it.
>
> Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?
>

I wear them out. Actually, I use trackballs, but the switches are the same,
and seem to be interchangeable. So, I pull the right button switches out of
old mice and put them in the ones I use. Digi-Key has the SW502 that seems
to fit most mice. $1.61 in single quantity.

Jon

[Ian Field]

<olds...@tubes.com> wrote in message
news:eg2l5dh9496lm90us...@4ax.com...

> On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:53:13 -0500, Tom Biasi <tomb...@optonline.net>
> wrote:
>
>>On 1/13/2018 4:29 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>>> My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
>>> apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
>>> guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
>>> some contact cleaner inside of it.
>>>
>>> Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?
>>>
>>> Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
>>> want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
>>> mouse on my Windows 98 computer.
>>>
>>> So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
>>> USB and infared these days.
>>>
>>> So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
>>> other mouse functions work fine).
>>>
>>Walmart has a USB mouse for $4.79 USD
>
> You get a "F" for reading comprehension. :)
>
> I SAID: I need a PS/2 mouse.
> I probably have 4 USB mice, which are not suitable for my needs.
>
> I did just find they make adaptors, to convert a USB mouse to PS/2. I
> ordered one on ebay for about $3. But until I get it, I have to keep
> fighting with this mouse, which works fine for awhile, then refuses to
> do anything till I beat the crap out of that button a dozen times or
> more.....

Searching around forNOS might dig up a ball mouse from when they came with
an adaptor - I had a few left over from various things and found they're not
universal. if it came in the same box as the device - it should work.

I'd get some cheap mice from flea markets until I found the right spare
switch to salvage.

Ball mice didn't work for me because i used to be a heavy smoker. the
optical ones rarely work on proper mouse mats, but they work perfectly on a
sheet of plain white paper. just stick a sheet on the mouse mat with carpet
tape and trim round the edges.

[Ian Field]

"Sjouke Burry" <burrynu...@ppllaanneett.nnll> wrote in message
news:5a5a8386$0$1703$e4fe...@textnews.kpn.nl...

> On 13-1-2018 22:29, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>> My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
>> apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
>> guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
>> some contact cleaner inside of it.
>>
>> Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?
>>
>> Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
>> want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
>> mouse on my Windows 98 computer.
>>
>> So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
>> USB and infared these days.
>>
>> So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
>> other mouse functions work fine).
>>
> I have replaced some of those switches in a few mice.
> The electronic lab had them in stock.
> So somebody is selling them.

Couple of years ago I looked at the several boxes of mice and decided enough
is enough.

most of the switches got used on E-cigarettes.

[rickman]

~misfit~ wrote on 1/14/2018 6:37 AM:
> Once upon a time on usenet olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>> My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
>> apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
>> guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
>> some contact cleaner inside of it.
>>
>> Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?
>>
>> Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
>> want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
>> mouse on my Windows 98 computer.
>>
>> So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
>> USB and infared these days.
>>
>> So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
>> other mouse functions work fine).
>
> I just got a packet of 10 mouse switches from Aliexpress for $3.

I don't think he'll buy from Aliexpress, too cheap and he doesn't like the
free shipping you can get. All kidding aside, he doesn't like buying
Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA even though they are all the
same parts.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/14/18 4:05 PM, rickman wrote:
> he doesn't like buying Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA
> even though they are all the same

You haven't been paying attention.
He buys Chinese all the time, he's too cheap to buy American.
He just rags on them non-stop to show he's a real patriotic American.

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"Notwithstanding, here's the USB to PS/2 adapter you need.
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/252486083292> "

Those pretty much do not work. It may have the correct wiring but the USB drivers must be installed, and if they are then the problem is solved.

I remember building a 98 PC for a buddy of mine. After all the ordering of components, it was off to the local PC store for a few things. They talked him into a USB keyboard. I said "Just how fast can you type ?" but he got talked into it anyway. Problem was he wanted to use a power on password which of course won't work in 98 with a USB keyboard.

The same is true of USB keyboards as well as mice. The wires in the adapter plug are not the whole story.

You should still be able to find an optical PS/2 mouse. I have one. Even though I run XP on that box it works just fine, lucky in light of the fact that I have boot drive select on that machine.

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"Sometimes those work, sometimes not. It depends on what the mouse & PC are capable of. "

The adapter is just a plug to a plug. It either needs USB drivers or some software to convert the PS/2 mouse port to a USB mouse port. Such software does exist, as does for regular serial to UBS (I beet performance sucks) and parallel to USB (common on printers of a certain vintage.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

On Monday, 15 January 2018 02:05:09 UTC, jurb...@gmail.com wrote:
NT:

> >"Sometimes those work, sometimes not. It depends on what the mouse & PC are capable of. "
>
> The adapter is just a plug to a plug. It either needs USB drivers or some software to convert the PS/2 mouse port to a USB mouse port. Such software does exist, as does for regular serial to UBS (I beet performance sucks) and parallel to USB (common on printers of a certain vintage.

I've used such adaptors with many mice. Some work off the bat, some won't. Why? Because mice generally have the ability to work with either of 2 port types, though which 2 varies. (That means if you cut off a mouse's plug and wire on a different type, sometimes it will work.)

Early Win3.1 era mice were DB9 only. For years most mice did PS/2 or USB.


NT

[~misfit~]

Once upon a time on usenet Fox's Mercantile wrote:
> On 1/14/18 4:05 PM, rickman wrote:
>> he doesn't like buying Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA
>> even though they are all the same
>
> You haven't been paying attention.
> He buys Chinese all the time, he's too cheap to buy American.
> He just rags on them non-stop to show he's a real patriotic American.

So a Trump voter then?

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/14/18 9:47 PM, ~misfit~ wrote:
> Once upon a time on usenet Fox's Mercantile wrote:
>> On 1/14/18 4:05 PM, rickman wrote:
>>> he doesn't like buying Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA
>>> even though they are all the same
>>
>> You haven't been paying attention.
>> He buys Chinese all the time, he's too cheap to buy American.
>> He just rags on them non-stop to show he's a real patriotic American.
>
> So a Trump voter then?
>

Probably not, but he certainly appears ignorant enough

[Archer]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:50:52 -0600, olds...@tubes.com wrote:

> ISAID: I need a PS/2 mouse.


There are USB 2 PS/2 adaptors so you can easily go with a USB mouse
once you have the adaptor. And PS/2 mice are really getting scarce.

--
HTH
Archer

[olds...@tubes.com]

Saturday I ordered one of the adaptors on ebay. It's just a matter of
waiting till it arrives. It was like $3.50.

Funny thing, yesterday this mouse was getting on my nerves with that
failing switch. I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
button really hard. Its been working flawlessly ever since.....

But I still plan to get another one or more.... I'm sure this one will
eventually fail. But at least it will hopefully work till I get my
adaptor or another PS/2 mouse.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/15/18 1:08 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
> button really hard.

Remind me to NOT let you work on any of my things.

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <IsWdnb7Rn-wojMDH...@giganews.com>,
jda...@att.net says...

>
> On 1/15/18 1:08 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
> > I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
> > button really hard.
>
> Remind me to NOT let you work on any of my things.

For us older people, we know the first thing one does is to hit the
device that is causing the problem.

[The Real Bev]

On 01/15/2018 03:42 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
> jda...@att.net says...
>> On 1/15/18 1:08 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>> > I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
>> > button really hard.
>>
>> Remind me to NOT let you work on any of my things.
>
> For us older people, we know the first thing one does is to hit the
> device that is causing the problem.

Surprised he didn't try that sooner. Experience is SO important!

--
Cheers, Bev
The volume of a pizza of thickness 'a' and radius 'z'
is given by pi*z*z*a

[olds...@tubes.com]

It's usually more or less a last resort for me. I did all the cleaning
and stuff first. I'd fix this mouse if I could do it for a buck or two,
but not more than that, because there are plenty of cheap used mice at
second hand stores, rummage sales, and so on. The only problem is that
now when I need it, I have not found one yet. Hitting it was a last
resort. If I destroyed it, so be it....

Most of the time hitting an object does break it, but this time I lucked
out and made it work again. I did however use an insulated handle to
make the blow less damaging, yet still effective. It worked this time.
At least so far. I wont expect it to still eb working in a few weeks
from now, but by then, I'll find another mouse or have my adaptor so I
can use a USB mouse on my PS/2 plug.

[Mike Coon]

In article <MPG.34c7065b5...@news.east.earthlink.net>,
rmower...@earthlink.net says...

When, as an apprentice, I "worked" in the computer test bay (mainframe
in those 1960s days), there was a test that included hitting the frame
with a mallet in specified places...

Mike.

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <MPG.34c7cfa23...@news.plus.net>,
gra...@mjcoon.plus.com says...

One does have to know where or what to hit and how hard. Where I worked
there were many things that had a tendency to stick. WE could hit it
with something and it would work from weeks to months. If we repaired
or replaced it, it would still last a few weeks to months.

I am sure most everyone has heard the story where a company hired
someone from outside to repair something. The fellow walks up and hits
it with a hammer. Sends in bill . The company wants it it itemize. It
comes back, hit with hammer, $ 2.00, knowing where to hit it, $ 500.00.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

... but not really hard


NT

[olds...@tubes.com]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 13:59:41 -0800, Mary-Jane Rottencrotch
<use...@buttocks.local> wrote:

>On 2018-01-13 13:29, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>>
>> Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and

>> want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
>> mouse on my Windows 98 computer.
>
>Does it not have USB ports? Disregarding the utter ridiculousness of
>still using Windows 98 in 2018, it supports USB just fine (since Windows
>95 OSR 2.1, around 1997 - 21 years ago nearly).
>

When the government makes it mandatory to upgrade to the latest version
of Windows, I'll be the first person to throw my computer in the
garbage. I use both Win98 and XP. I wont touch anything newer.

I recently had the misfortune of someone handing me a computer with
Windows 8. They asked me to do someting with it. As soon as I saw that
butt ugly Metro screen, I closed the lid and told them to toss it in the
nearest garbage can.

Just for the record, Win 95 and 98 did not have good USB support. That
was just the one drawback of Win 9.x. Otherwise it was far superior to
anything made by MS since. Win98SE works better for me than any other OS
I have ever used. But XP is tolerable too, just lacks in some ways.

One other thing, I still use DOS, a USB mouse or keyboard wont work on
Dos.

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"One other thing, I still use DOS, a USB mouse or keyboard wont work on
Dos. "

LMGTFY "usb support for DOS"

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=bcVfWpT3HI2AtgXB8Lf4BQ&q=usb+support+for+dos&oq=usb+support+for+dos&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i22i30k1l6.2547.15840.0.17090.20.16.0.3.3.0.200.2483.0j14j1.15.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..2.18.2537.0..35i39k1j0i131k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i10k1.0.nU3IRUVc5rs

I agree about 98SE. Lost alot going to XP but 98SE would no longrer connect and the phone support would not walk me through a manual setup for the router/switch/MODEM. I said "What, did my money expire ?".

But one thing I miss is being able to confine a file search. I have this music library and to search that I had saved a search named "*.*" but within the music directory. You could put in any word from the artist or title and get results in milliseconds. Well XP won't do that and any search goes through something like five hard drives every time. Now Vista, I can't even figure out how to get the thing to search for a file.

Also, I manually did my "SendTo" menu you get on a right click. You create a shortcut and move it in there. Then you can send a file to any of your image editors, or a movie or music to any of your players, without changing the file association or going through its dialog box. I also liked the fact that the old style media player would allow multiple instances so files that I had downloaded could be compared and only the best one kept. Now, I have an old version of VLC or something that does that. Might be Irfanview not sure.

I got into the Sendto in Vista but as an administrator. I couldn't get in at all on Win 7. What do you mean access denied ? Whose PC is this anyway ?

Anyway, the government is not the one who will force your upgrade to the dumpster, it will be software manufacturers.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

The easiest way to find files on any PC is to maintain a plain text list of everyfile & its location, and update that now & then. There's a windows utility called LS that creates such lists, conveniently named to cause confusion with linux.

98 usb support was mostly fixed by nusb3.1 3rd party patch.


NT

[rickman]

I believe they made minor tweaks to 98 to create Windows ME and then
discontinued that OS line. The reason was it was designed from the ground
up to be insecure and unstable. It was impossible to provide the sort of
protection from misbehaving applications and malware that the "real" OS line
descended from NT has. I recall my copy of Windows 98 had gotten so full of
poorly written drivers that it would crash about once an hour. I got my
hands on a copy of of Win2k and my life was forever changed. If you are
going to obsess with a version of Windows, THAT is the one.

Windows 98 is a real piece of crap and anyone who is obsessed with running
it has so much to learn. But then we pretty much know that about you
anyway. So no surprises there. BTW, this was typed on a Windows 8 machine
that hasn't been rebooted in well over a month. Hmmm... 1 hour, 1 month...
I wonder which is better?

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <7993b88f-3489-4e63...@googlegroups.com>,
jurb...@gmail.com says...

>
>
> Anyway, the government is not the one who will force your upgrade to the dumpster, it will be software manufacturers.

I had to go to a Win 10 computer from XP just so I could run a tax
program. Partly the same way I had to move from Win 98 a number of
years ago to do the taxes.

Each upgrade of Windows causes me to have to keep another machine
running. I have laptops running Dos and WFW 3.11 to run some programs,
another ruunig Win 98, Win XP and Win 10. I did manage to bypass the
win 7 and 8 versions. The had to buy a newer version of Office to run
on a new laptop. Just glad I found someone on ebay that sells the key
(or whatever) for under $ 10 for the 2016 version.

I don't care for what microsoft has to offer, other than the Office set,
I don't run anything or do anything with microsoft once I get the
computer up and running.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

98 was dreadfully unstable and insecure by today's standards. But back then there wasn't anything better, it was as good as it got. Before anyone objects of course there were NT and stable non-windows OSes, but none of them had the range of apps needed to be very useful as a desktop machine.

Once you learnt 98's many foibles and got it running sufficiently, it's then near zero effort to keep running it. Hence many of us ran it when there were in some ways better OSes available. But I sure do not regret going linux, and watch people's endless win up/down/sideways-grade nightmares with bemusement. Why people are so keen to volunteer for their own misery I don't know.


NT

[rickman]

Ralph Mowery wrote on 1/17/2018 11:07 PM:
> In article <7993b88f-3489-4e63...@googlegroups.com>,
> jurb...@gmail.com says...
>>
>>
>> Anyway, the government is not the one who will force your upgrade to the dumpster, it will be software manufacturers.
>
>
> I had to go to a Win 10 computer from XP just so I could run a tax
> program. Partly the same way I had to move from Win 98 a number of
> years ago to do the taxes.
>
> Each upgrade of Windows causes me to have to keep another machine
> running. I have laptops running Dos and WFW 3.11 to run some programs,
> another ruunig Win 98, Win XP and Win 10. I did manage to bypass the
> win 7 and 8 versions. The had to buy a newer version of Office to run
> on a new laptop. Just glad I found someone on ebay that sells the key
> (or whatever) for under $ 10 for the 2016 version.

Maybe your problem isn't the OS, maybe it's the applications you want to
run. I haven't used MS Office in a decade or more. LibreOffice works great
and just seems to work everywhere I want to use it.

> I don't care for what microsoft has to offer, other than the Office set,
> I don't run anything or do anything with microsoft once I get the
> computer up and running.

I will say I miss Visio. But then I was using that before MS bought them.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

Somewhere out there there's a set of windows 2 apps made to run on modern windows. They're still usable.


NT

[rickman]

What do you mean "still" usable. When was it originally usable?

[tabb...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, 18 January 2018 09:07:17 UTC, rickman wrote:
> tabbypurr wrote on 1/18/2018 3:42 AM:

> > On Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:43:47 UTC, tabby wrote:

> > Somewhere out there there's a set of windows 2 apps made to run on modern windows. They're still usable.
>
> What do you mean "still" usable.

seriously?

> When was it originally usable?

when they were released with windows 2 or perhaps earlier.
Was there a point you wished to make?

[pf...@aol.com]

On Thursday, January 18, 2018 at 6:29:03 AM UTC-5, tabb...@gmail.com wrote:

>
> when they were released with windows 2 or perhaps earlier.
> Was there a point you wished to make?

Flyshit to the right.
Pepper to the left.

The point is already well-made, but creative hair-styling is at play.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[rickman]

I saw Windows 2 and it was virtually unusable on a 286 PC which was the
fastest at the time.

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <p3pff4$2r4$1...@dont-email.me>, gnuarm.del...@gmail.com
says...

I think we are sort of saying the same thing.

The tax program I am using quit woring with win 98, then it quit with XP
as the years went on. Some old programs that I need to run to program
old equipemnt such as motor speed controlers and radio transceivers
will not run under anythng but a true DOS program and a slow computer.
A TV dongle will show the video but not play the sound under Win 10.
With MS Office being used whre I worked, I got used to using it. Guess
that I could use Open Office at home now I am retired,but did not want
to change as the old Office XP worked fine for what I am doing.

I don't play games on the computer, but do have an old version of Doom
that I sometimes put on to check out the graphics speed. That thing
quit working under Win 10 ,just as some of the old games did under XP.

So it is the APPS that I want to run , but I still blame the OS for not
being compatiable with the old programs. The it works the other way,
blame Turbo Tax for not running on the older operating systems either.

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/18/18 2:47 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
> I think we are sort of saying the same thing.

I have a similar problem.
I have a 25 MHz 386 running Win98 SE because that is the
only machine my older Motorola radio programming software
will run on properly.

I've had three XP machines that have served quite well decide
"We're done here." One got replaced with it's twin brother
also running XP. One got replaced with a recent box running
Win7, and the other a new box running Win10.
My primary Win7 had issues, so I moved the hard drive to an
HP Pavilion. That was hours of fun. But that's working
perfectly now.

Then just for laughs, after 28 years of MS machines, I was
given a 24" iMac. Well, that's certainly different.
Pros: "It just fucking works."
Cons: "It didn't come with solitaire."

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"I have a 25 MHz 386 running Win98 SE because that is the
only machine my older Motorola radio programming software
will run on properly. "

I have a game that will not run on anything with a math coprocessor, so it is limited to a 386. It is an old poker game, runs nice and fast. Also there is a key that gives you all kinds of odds and stats. If you try to run it on anything 486 or newer you get a divide by zero error. I am pretty sure there is no "compatibility mode" or anything like that to make it run. It would have to disable the math coprocessor. The program also runs in DOS.

I got a windows based one which plays well on XP, runs kinda funny on Vista and won't run at all in Win 7. Both of these ran fine in Windows 3.1(1).

Like I said, it's not going to be the government forcing the old guy to update, it will be the software manufacturers. In my case I had to give up 98SE to connect to high speed internet. That was actually caused by Dlink.

I had 98SE running fairly stable. I loaded the PC and left it alone, no new software or anything like that.

One other thig bothers me is I had a Visioneer 6100B flatbed scanner. This was one exceptional scanner. It would scan in 3D. It kept in focus away from the glass. I scanned the ring gear from a Chevy van rear end, guns, our faces and all kinds of things. One thing I remember was a boat made of sheet metal, you've seen them, people make the out of beer cans. Well I scanned that and it picked up the whole thing even though it was bigger than the glass. So apparently the pickup in the thing had some weird pattern to it which allowed for this.

But I could not get XP drivers for it. I tried. It was also parallel port which is just about obsolete. I have a few year old PC that still has one, and also has PS/2 ports for keyboard ad mouse, which I use. I have an optical PS/2 mouse.

What I wonder is what anyone would have against an optical mouse. I would use nothing else. After all the trouble with the balls and getting a real surface to run an old mouse on I said "I want a frikken mouse that'll run on a gravel driveway" and an optical damnear will. The only thing it has trouble with is glass, or a mirror. At one poit I would only run a wireless keyboard because my wiring is a mess. But with the setup I have now it is not an issue.

Actually, my wireless USB keyboard ad mouse won't run in Linux. I tried to use OPHcrack on a machine and the damn thing would not do anything. I don't know if it would run in Win 7, didn't try.

I reloaded it, which gets me how they screw people. You can download the disk imagge of all these OSes for free. You get an ISO file which means you need the right software to rebuild the disk. Manufacturers are charging people for these restore CDs when they could get them for free, but without the nag-ware. Frikken they supposedly give you all this bundled software but it is all trial versions. Just download the proper OEM version from Microsoft.

Then you have to register it, and it is married to that machine. To reregister Win 7 I had to be online AND on the phone at the same time. But it worked. So don't let factory support stick it up your (_|_) charging you for something you actually already paid for.

You used to be able to trust big companies, now that is not true.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, 18 January 2018 21:15:26 UTC, Fox's Mercantile wrote:


> I have a similar problem.
> I have a 25 MHz 386 running Win98 SE because that is the
> only machine my older Motorola radio programming software
> will run on properly.

Sounds painful. I once had an old 486/66 with 24M RAM running 98se, got used very occasionally as a backup machine. 16 colour graphics or something like that. It got virus scanned all of once. It took over 15 minutes to even begin to scan.


NT

[Ralph Phillips]

On 1/17/2018 3:39 PM, olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>
> One other thing, I still use DOS, a USB mouse or keyboard wont work on
> Dos.

That really depends on the BIOS of the machine; I've got a few DOS
machines out there with USB keyboards.

(Don't use USB mice on DOS machines nowadays, so can't say.)

RwP