T21 - PS/2 Mouse Scroll Wheel INOP !!!

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oldbob · #1 Post by **oldbob** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:14 pm

Several months ago, I bought a "refurbished" T-21 Thinkpad with Win98SE installed on the 20 gig hard drive. In order to try various Linux distro's, I Fdisked & formatted into two 10 gig partitions. I then reinstalled Win98SE and Red Hat 8.0, both OS's are working "fine".

I have a scroll wheel mouse plugged into the the PS/2 port. "Old Bob's" fingers are not what they use to be !!

I "seem to recall" that the scroll wheel was "functional" when I first got the Thinkpad, BEFORE I "formatted" and reinstalled Win98SE.

I have tried several different Track Point settings in the "Think Pad Configuration" window, and all I've managed to do is "freeze" the cursor a couple of times !!

Right now, BOTH the mouse AND Track Point "red nub" are FULLY functional [cursor movement & clicking] EXCEPT for the scroll wheel. I have to "drag" the vertical slider up & down.

Does anybody have a "fix" [driver or setting] ???

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 11:35 am

Try windows update and see if it shows any HID drivers or mouse drivers available for your T-21. If so, try installing these.

Next you could look in Device Manager which can be found in: Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager. Look under 'Mice and other pointing devices' and see what's listed. You can then do a Google search on the device name (including the word 'driver' in the search box) and perhaps find some new drivers.

oldbob · #3 Post by **oldbob** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:18 am

GomJabbar,

Thanks for response.

Yes, I'm must be due for a Windows Update, but Microsoft probably is not writing anything for something as "old" as the T-21 !!

I bought this "no-name" optical mouse at the local computer show for about $7, and you don't get any "software" at that price.

I don't think I mentioned that the scroll wheel is "equally INOP" with both Win98SE & Red Hat. But, I can't see this as "driver" related. And I did try switching mice.

I will post future results/success.

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:27 am

You can still get drivers and updates for Windows 98. Check out the link below:

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;e ... 9&sid=92#4

oldbob · #5 Post by **oldbob** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:51 am

GomJabbar,

I wasn't too optimistic that Microsoft drivers could fix my mouse problem.

As a matter of fact, I ran "Everest Home Edition" [it shows what's installed on computer] looking for "brand name" of my mouse and found it listed as "IBM PS/2 Track Point". Among the "features" was a line - "Mouse Wheel Not Present".

Any way, I went to site you posted and "many screens later" I got to a page that listed two drivers.

IBM human input software update - 1.6 MB & 1.2 MB

After a rather complex download/installation this added something called "IBM Travel Mouse" to the Thinkpad Configuration window under Track Point. This is a very impressive addition with many features.

I got online and loaded Firefox and "guess what" !! the scroll wheel is working !! I didn't realize how much I missed it until I got it working.

My only regret is I downloaded directly onto the Thinkpad. I will have to do this all over again on my desktop [where the CD burner is] so I will have a copy of "IBM Travel Mouse" if I ever have to reinstall it.

Thanks for your help and pushing me to get the driver downloads.

#6 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 8:37 am

Happy it worked out for you. Glad to be of service.

oldbob · #7 Post by **oldbob** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:48 am

GomJabbar,

Just a quick follow-up.

I have since found out that "IBM Travel Mouse" has really screw up Red Hat [the other half of dual-boot] the cursor is "bouncing off the sides of the screen" the moment I touch the mouse.

Still don't know enough about Linux to make a "quick fix". But I'm hopeful that a reinstallation will allow RH to identify mouse and assign a new driver.

Regards, Old Bob

#8 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:25 am

Can't help you with LINUX - haven't tried it.

oldbob · #9 Post by **oldbob** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 3:09 pm

GomJabbar,

To wind up this thread.

As I said before "If I knew Linux, I would [1) open a terminal window 2) log in as "root" 3) etc.....]

Since I don't, I got out the Red Hat CDs and reinstalled, RH picked up the "mouse changes" and RH is "good as before".

I'm back at Thinkpad/Win98SE and I'm still in awe of what a "difference" that installation of IBM Travel Mouse makes !!!

It's a whole new level of mouse options that I never had before, including yet another icon on my taskbar.

Until my next "Thinkpad problem". Regards, Old Bob

T21 - PS/2 Mouse Scroll Wheel INOP !!!

T21 - PS/2 Mouse Scroll Wheel INOP !!!

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