Differing mouse function

I'm having difficulties with my wheel mouse under WinXP
(Home) & SP1

I recently asked a friend:-

In Windows Explorer (Win98SE) I can use the scroll mouse in
either window without any hassle but in WinXp it reacts in
a
different way. After changing panes in Windows Explorer I
have
to place the cursor over a file name and wait for it to
highlight
before the scroll mouse will work. Once highlighted all is
ok
until I change back to the other pane and then it stops
working
again - until I once more highlight a file/folder.
Do you experience the same with WinXp-Pro.

To which I received the reply:-

No, I can move the mouse to either side of the window and
scroll and it
works. If I have a file highlighted on the left, I can
move right and
scroll the other window without changing focus. I can
scroll any window without changing any focus at all.. I can
simply move the pointer and scroll over any window, focus
has no effect good
or bad.

I have now tried three different mouse drivers with my
copy of WinXp and not one of them (including the Microsoft
drivers) will allow me to work in WinXp WIndows Explorer
in the same way as I can in Win98SE.

Is there some switch or user option somewhere that I have
failed to activate and if so can anyone please direct me
to the appropriate settings panel? Using a standard PS2
wheel mouse.

xp runs on a per window basis system meaning that each window must be clicked in in order to be used in any way i found the same problem that you have found with my track ball optical i found if you simply click in the window that you would like to scroll
in then you can but until you do it will not scroll you dont have to click a file just some where in the inside of the window so that the window knows you are in it weird but it is the sad truth to XP you probably have a certified microsoft mouse as well :
)

Indeed - but how come some Xp users do NOT have to do
this? That is the real question.

-----Original Message-----
xp runs on a per window basis system meaning that each
window must be clicked in in order to be used in any way i
found the same problem that you have found with my track
ball optical i found if you simply click in the window
that you would like to scroll in then you can but until
you do it will not scroll you dont have to click a file
just some where in the inside of the window so that the
window knows you are in it weird but it is the sad truth
to XP you probably have a certified microsoft mouse as
well
.