BIOS Updates forum

Hey All -

My Dad just gave me an optical Microsoft IntelliMouse® Explorer, which would tend to crash in use on his Mac G4 (USB mode).

Anyone have one of these...and how do you like it?

I would be using it in USB mode, since I don't have a PS/2 port. Currently I have a Logitech Serial Port 3-button FirstMouse™ M-MD15L-9F (SerialV) situated on COM1. (FYI, my USR Modem currently resides on COM3.)

Any advantages of using a Serial vs. PS/2 vs. USB for a mouse?

Thanks!!

PS/2 is best thing for mouse. USB causes problems in Windows 9x/ME when the system is heavily loaded (jerky cursor motion).

I love mine. (USB & WinXP) Serial is horrible for mousing, especially if you're a gamer.

Soupy -> What version of the IntelliPoint Software are you using? This came with 3.0, but I think 4.01(?) is out now.

I thought I remember reading somewhere that USB was better than PS/2...I'll have to look for the article. I would try that, it I could find and adapter plate with a PS/2 plug in it. My DFI supports PS/2, but just has a header on the motherboard.

I'm not a gamer, so that isn't a consideration. What makes Serial so bad when gaming?

Serial has slow scan-rate of mouse movement. The best thing about PS/2 is that you can manually set the scan-rate up to 200Hz (AFAIK, in Windows 2K/XP Device Manager, some tool is available for Windows 9x/ME), which is better than USB

Yep, PS/2 is better than USB. I wanted to get rid of my keyboard and mouse IRQs, though.

OK...well since the mouse does have PS/2 as it's main connector, I'll start looking (again!!) for a PS/2 edge card adapter with the motherboard cable on it...

I was looking for one new, but can't seem to find one...any hints??

Question: PS/2 runs on what bus...PCI?? Does it run off the Keyboard Controller Chip? I know the COM ports reside on the ISA Bus...

PS/2 mouse is usually controlled by the keyboard controller (or the chipset if the KBC is not a discrete component on the board).

Thanks Rainbow...I thought I remembered that from another discussion on another BBS...

Might have found a PS/2 motherboard cable...waiting for a reply from the company (in Canada). Will post results here for those who may need one in the future.

Something else I was just reminded of...PS/2 will work in DOS where USB won't...

True.

(Also, my USB keyboard works in DOS with legacy support enabled in the BIOS, but won't work in Uniflash. )

UniFlash uses its own keyboard handler - so the legacy support does not work properly. Most probably it works only at BIOS level, although many chipsets support hardware emulation of real keyboard on ports $60 and $64, which should work with UniFlash too.

For BIOS Legacy Keyboard support...

Right now I have the motherboard USB turned off because I'm using an Adaptec DuoConnect USB1.1/2.0/FireWire expansion card to fix certain problems with this first implementation of chipset USB.

I would assume the legacy support would only apply to the chipset (i430VX) USB...correct?

Correct. USB legacy support did not work when the keyboard was plugged into my USB2 PCI card.

I haven't seen any i430VX BIOS with option to enable legacy support...