Re: PS/2 vs. USB Mouse...big difference?

[Ken Williams]

Is the following still the case that is, if you have a mouse or
keyboard attached to USB ports they are not usable in either Windows
safe mode or I would gather DOS. If so then I can understand why
Microsoft in the documentation for the Optical mouse recommends a
connection to the PS2 mouse port.

Ken W




:Walt C. ) wrote in message
:Subject: Re: PS/2 vs. USB Mouse...big difference?


"C.O." > wrote in message
news:ubnjP27mBHA.2112@tkmsftngp02...
> Are there dramatic difference between the speed and performance of
PS/2
> mice, USB mice, USB optical mice, and cordless mice? (particularly
in 3d
> gaming?)
>

>The default sample rate for a USB mouse is much higher than that for
a PS/2
>mouse, which means much better control, but as someone pointed out
there is
>public domain software which allows you to raise the sample rate of
a PS/2
>ball mouse to equal that of a USB mouse.

<snip>


>Possible down sides to consider:

>(1) The USB version usually won't work when you boot into Safe mode
(because
>USB drivers are loaded with the OS as drivers which safe mode won't
load.)
>It doesn't bother me, though, because I simply took my old PS/2
mouse and
>left it plugged into the PS/2 port and placed it out of the way.
I've
>disabled the PS/2 mouse under Windows so when Windows normally
starts the
>PS/2 mouse is plugged in but inactive. When if ever I have to boot
into
>safe mode, I simply reach over and grab the PS/2 mouse and use it
because
>safe mode ignores any device manager deactivate commands you have
setup in a
>normal Windows boot session, but safemode supports a PS/2 mouse by
default.

<snip>

[D.Currie]

I have one computer that doesn't have PS2 at all, and another where the PS2
ports are flakey at best. I use usb keyboard and mice on both, and they work
for the bios settings, booting from DOS disks, in safe mode...I've never run
into an occasion where they don't work.

"Ken Williams" > wrote in message
...
> Is the following still the case that is, if you have a mouse or
> keyboard attached to USB ports they are not usable in either Windows
> safe mode or I would gather DOS. If so then I can understand why
> Microsoft in the documentation for the Optical mouse recommends a
> connection to the PS2 mouse port.
>
> Ken W
>
>
>
>
> :Walt C. ) wrote in message
> :Subject: Re: PS/2 vs. USB Mouse...big difference?
>
>
> "C.O." > wrote in message
> news:ubnjP27mBHA.2112@tkmsftngp02...
> > Are there dramatic difference between the speed and performance of
> PS/2
> > mice, USB mice, USB optical mice, and cordless mice? (particularly
> in 3d
> > gaming?)
> >
>
> >The default sample rate for a USB mouse is much higher than that for
> a PS/2
> >mouse, which means much better control, but as someone pointed out
> there is
> >public domain software which allows you to raise the sample rate of
> a PS/2
> >ball mouse to equal that of a USB mouse.
>
> <snip>
>
>
> >Possible down sides to consider:
>
> >(1) The USB version usually won't work when you boot into Safe mode
> (because
> >USB drivers are loaded with the OS as drivers which safe mode won't
> load.)
> >It doesn't bother me, though, because I simply took my old PS/2
> mouse and
> >left it plugged into the PS/2 port and placed it out of the way.
> I've
> >disabled the PS/2 mouse under Windows so when Windows normally
> starts the
> >PS/2 mouse is plugged in but inactive. When if ever I have to boot
> into
> >safe mode, I simply reach over and grab the PS/2 mouse and use it
> because
> >safe mode ignores any device manager deactivate commands you have
> setup in a
> >normal Windows boot session, but safemode supports a PS/2 mouse by
> default.
>
> <snip>
>
>
>

[Ken Williams]

Thanks for the response. I guess the thing to do is try it on the
machine that I have and see.

Ken W

"D.Currie" > wrote in message
...
: I have one computer that doesn't have PS2 at all, and another where
the PS2
: ports are flakey at best. I use usb keyboard and mice on both, and
they work
: for the bios settings, booting from DOS disks, in safe mode...I've
never run
: into an occasion where they don't work.
:
: "Ken Williams" > wrote in message
: ...
: > Is the following still the case that is, if you have a mouse or
: > keyboard attached to USB ports they are not usable in either
Windows
: > safe mode or I would gather DOS. If so then I can understand why
: > Microsoft in the documentation for the Optical mouse recommends a
: > connection to the PS2 mouse port.
: >
: > Ken W
: >
: >
: >
: >
: > :Walt C. ) wrote in message
: > :Subject: Re: PS/2 vs. USB Mouse...big difference?
: >
: >
: > "C.O." > wrote in message
: > news:ubnjP27mBHA.2112@tkmsftngp02...
: > > Are there dramatic difference between the speed and performance
of
: > PS/2
: > > mice, USB mice, USB optical mice, and cordless mice?
(particularly
: > in 3d
: > > gaming?)
: > >
: >
: > >The default sample rate for a USB mouse is much higher than that
for
: > a PS/2
: > >mouse, which means much better control, but as someone pointed
out
: > there is
: > >public domain software which allows you to raise the sample rate
of
: > a PS/2
: > >ball mouse to equal that of a USB mouse.
: >
: > <snip>
: >
: >
: > >Possible down sides to consider:
: >
: > >(1) The USB version usually won't work when you boot into Safe
mode
: > (because
: > >USB drivers are loaded with the OS as drivers which safe mode
won't
: > load.)
: > >It doesn't bother me, though, because I simply took my old PS/2
: > mouse and
: > >left it plugged into the PS/2 port and placed it out of the way.
: > I've
: > >disabled the PS/2 mouse under Windows so when Windows normally
: > starts the
: > >PS/2 mouse is plugged in but inactive. When if ever I have to
boot
: > into
: > >safe mode, I simply reach over and grab the PS/2 mouse and use
it
: > because
: > >safe mode ignores any device manager deactivate commands you
have
: > setup in a
: > >normal Windows boot session, but safemode supports a PS/2 mouse
by
: > default.
: >
: > <snip>
: >
: >
: >
:
: