Optical Mouse in Win 98SE on T22

[Summer Deep]

I've acquired a T22 which has Windows 98 SE on it. A bit of a rash move perhaps, as I have zero experience of this operating system. Anyway, it became apparent straightaway that my wired optical mouse wouldn't work on it. Win 98 detected an 'optical mouse' (which the Hardware Wizard also describes as a 'USB Human Interface Device') and offered to install a driver for it, then demanded I insert a Win 98 SE CD-ROM, which needless to say I don't have. ThinkPads Forum's own drivers section lists trackpoint drivers for Win 98, but no optical mouse ones.

Not sure where to go from here....

[Neil]

Even though you don't have a W98SE installation CD, the CAB files you need may be somewhere on the hard drive. At least that is the way I ways installed W95 and W98SE on my machines, plus I think W98 automatically copies all setup-files from the CD-ROM to the harddisk during install. Check your system by selecting from the "Start"-menu: "Find" / "Files or Folders" and search for *.cab. They are usually in Windows\options\cabs.

[JBUK]

You might be able to load the manufacturers W98 drivers for the mouse if it is a branded one, Logitech for example supplied W98 drivers at the time.

[Summer Deep]

I searched through the various cab files in the drivers folders, and could only find an 8 kb text file relating to mouse drivers. Since then I've come across an 'unofficial' Windows 98 SE iso, which I burned to a dvd, and Hey Presto, to my great surprise, the OS loaded a driver from there and now I have a modern Packard Bell usb mouse functioning perfectly in Windows 98 on a 17-year-old Thinkpad.

You might be able to load the manufacturers W98 drivers for the mouse if it is a branded one, Logitech for example supplied W98 drivers at the time.

Interesting. I've looked at a few Logitech mice in the local supermarket and in PC World, and they only officially seem to be supported by Windows 7, 8 and 10. But who knows, based on the experience related above, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd work with the old Logitech drivers - anyone tried this out?

[rheacox]

https://web.archive.org/web/20190816045 ... rivers.php

Here are generic flash drive drivers which will also install some usb hubs and human interface devices. They also worked to install a usb 2.0 card on one machine I had. Site seems to be down but you can still download from the wayback machine.

[kfzhu1229]

if your optical mouse if from the 2000s, maybe you can try plugging that to the PS/2 port as well with a passive wiring adapter. Unlike T23, T22 only has 1 USB port.

[JBUK]

I can supply a W98SE cd if you need it . Getting an optical mouse to work on W98 should be easy unless your mouse is of a recent vintage.
Or just put XP on it it is a much more stable OS on the T2x or indeed anything.

[Summer Deep]

^Thanks, I very much appreciate your kind offer, but as I mentioned in my previous post, the OS seems to have successfully acquired and installed the driver(s) from my 'home-made' Win 98SE installation disk. All working fine now.