Where to find out if mouse is combo or serial or just PS/2?

[MikeSmithFL]

I'm trying to set up an old laptop for my wife to use but the mousepad doesn't work right so I'd like to use one of the old mice we have laying around. The laptop uses the serial port for external mice but I can't tell if our mice are combo mice or strictly PS/2. I tried looking at the mfr's websites, but the mice aren't there any more. Is there some way to find out if they might be combo mice? They don't say so on the labels either.

Thanks

 

[micker377]

Does the mouse have a ps/2 connector? If so, you can use an adapter (ps/2 to serial). The only problem is that an adapter doesn't always work (there's no such thing as a "combo" mouse). You can usually pick up a cheap serial mouse as cheap as an adapter! Is there a socket to plug in an external keyboard? This same socket will accept a ps/2 mouse. In fact they make a "Y" adapter to plug in a ps/2 mouse and keyboard at the same time.