"Jo-Anne" wrote:

Before I do more checking on the basis of what JJ and Vanguard said (and I
thank you both), I should clarify: What I have in mind is keeping the
optical mouse, with all its electronics, but substituting the cable/cord
from one of the older mice, which seems to have the same connector to the
mouse itself--but a PS2 connector to the computer.

Also, I just discovered that I have a never-used Belkin USB-to-PS2 adapter
(not connector) that claims it will connect PS2 mice and keyboards to a USB
computer and that it "installs with plug-and-play ease" and requires no
drivers or power supply. I'm guessing that it might not work, but I thought
I'd ask. Could it be that the Belkin adapter is really a connector?

You cannot change a USB-only mouse to support PS/2 simply by changing
the connector (by replacing the cable or using a passive adapter). For
a mouse to support USB+PS/2 means it needs sense logic inside the mouse
to do that - or you have to use an *active* adapter to change between
the hardware protocols (USB-to-PS/2).

Again, you need to check if your old broken mouse supports. Is it:
- USB only?
- PS/2 only?
- Both USB and PS/2?
I'm talking about the mouse and its specification, not what you use for
a replacement cable or adapters at the end of the cable. The *mouse*
has to support the hardware protocol (or you need a *active* adapter to
substitute for missing logic inside the mouse).