XP PC will not boot without PS2 mouse - suggestions

[dellboy]

The problem is that the Windows XP pc will not boot unless there is a PS2 mouse in the PS2 mouse port. (You may want to bear with me on this long winded explanation as it has taken me 3hours to suss out something apparantly very simple)

The user (child) uninstalled the (wireless) mouse to install a new mouse - MS wireless optical mouse 2.0 (model 1008). The user also installed Intellipoint 5.0. When the user restarted the PC, the PC would not boot.
The PC would start in all safe modes but would not restart normally even when trying to restart from a restore (suggesting that critical OS files had been deleted).

After lots of messing around trying restore etc I eventually completely unplugged the PC and plugged in a PS2 mouse and keyboard, monitor and power - the machine started. I then added wireless keyboard - through a PS2 connector and again the machine started. All the time the PS2 mouse was installed. I then added the USB hub to the equation with the wireless USB mouse attached to the hub and the machine again started.
I removed the PS2 mouse and the machine failed to start.

I therefore summized that the PC must need a mouse installed and the wireless USB mouse - through the USB hub - was obviously not getting a signal and therefore failing to boot.
I then plugged the wireless USB mouse directly into the USB port thinking this would resolve the problem. Rebooted and the PC again failed to start.

I once again plugged in the PS2 mouse and the wireless USB mouse into the USB hub and sure enough the machine now starts without a problem - both the wireless USB and PS2 mouse work

Has anyone any ideas what is going on? It would appear that for XP to boot in safe mode it does not require a mouse of any description but for it to boot in standard mode requires a PS2 mouse. I thought the only requirement for a PC to boot was a keyboard, otherwise you get an F1 F2 setup error.

If anyone has any ideas and suggestions how to rememdy this problem I would be greatful. While having a PS2 mouse plugged into the PC is no huge problem it all seems a bit strange

 

[hardrock49]

did you try disabling the ps2 mouse in the bios.

 

[Jontmke]

Did you uninstall the mouse? Or just unplug it? Go into device manager in safe mode and uninstall the PS2 mouse. Then reboot with the wireless connected. Hopefully Windows will stop trying to load the PS2 drivers.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[soaplover]

I think it could be the "halt on all errors" in the bios .
Usually this is set to all but keyboard.(not all errors)

 

[dellboy]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Jontmke - How would you uninstall a PS2 mouse? there is no specific software installed.

I think soaplover may have the answer but I am not back at the client site until next week and so will see then. I looked in the BIOS and noted that there was a "halt on all errors" I seem to remember. I will also try disabling the PS2 mouse in the BIOS and see what happens.

Thanks for your comments, always appreciated

Cheers

 

[Jontmke]

When you say it won't boot, do you mean Windows or the bios won't post? When does it stop? Does it just freeze or do you get a BSOD?
As for uninstalling hardware, while it is a little weird to do it for a mouse, you go into device manager and right click on it and choose uninstall.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[dellboy]

The BIOS passes the POST and the OS starts to boot - with WinXP showing the bar moving across the screen - but will not boot. It just freezes, there is no BSOD, but a freeze and then you have to power down and repower.

Starting in safe mode the machine gets as far a loading agpsys.exe (I seem to remember, its a few days ago now) and then loads XP in safe mode.

The BIOS passes POST but then fails to load the OS, I believe it could be a "halt on all errors" in the BIOS as mentioned by soaplover

Cheers

 

[Jontmke]

No, it would not even start to load the OS in that case. Try the "uninstall" in Device manager thing in safe mode.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)