My USB mouse is not recognized by Win XP on boot if it is plugged into a different USB port than it was in when I first started Win XP.

I have a 1 yr. old eMachine laptop with four USB ports running Windows XP SP2. When I first started up Win XP, I had my USB mouse plugged into a USB port on the side – inconvenient. Now I plug the mouse into one of the two back USB ports, but every time I boot up Win XP I have to unplug the USB mouse and re-plug it in for Win XP to recognize it. I am presuming that if I had the mouse plugged into a back USB port at the very beginning I wouldn’t be having this problem.

It's a pretty generic mouse with no driver cd. And my laptop has no PS2 serial port.

Here is what I tried so far to solve it, after having done some research:
1. I created the environment variable DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES which meant my device manager would show all installed DEVICES, even if they are not currently plugged in. Then I uninstalled all instance of that USB mouse (around 10 of them) in both categories HID devices and Mice.

NOTE: I set this by right-clicking My Computer and choosing Properties.  Click the Advanced tab, and the "Settings" (XP) or Environmental Variables (older Windows) button.  Click the New button, and enter the devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices for the name, and 1 for the value. In device manager you then have to select view/show hidden devices.

2. I tried a different mouse. Logitech, which also did not have an installation cd. Which I connected to a back USB port on my laptop. Still the same problem. As though if Win XP won’t recognize any mouse on boot that is connected to a port on the back of my laptop.

3. I’m wondering if there is some way to access com port settings. I don’t see com ports at all in my device manager! Weird.

Any IDEAS?

Thanks,
Roger


One should not  play with the reg unless you know what to do?

load the usb movse driver.....and then plug it in......why someone would use a usb......movse baffles me.......as it serves little.....Sorry, Merlin. I didn't hit the reply button at first. I'm new to these sites.

For the sake of others.... my USB mouse is a pretty generic one, with no driver cd.

Even after unistallation all instances of themouse in device manager, somewhere Windows is still thinking this mouse should only be plugged into the side USB port of my laptop. BTW, I don't have a PS2 serial port.

Thanks for your time, Merlin_2.
RogerA very usual laptop......with no ps2 ...port......i have to stop as i know to much on emach/gateway......pcs..Check your bios Legacy USB support.
Do you have a MOBO book?