Step 3. Enable USB. Mice and trackballs commonly connect via a PS/2 (Personal System/2) or USB (Universal Serial Bus) port. Because it's just another pointing device, Windows treats a trackball as if it were a mouse, making the installation process for both devices generally the same. The steps include connecting the device, installing the device software, and configuring features and options. Be aware that some manufacturers instruct you to install the device software before you connect the mouse or trackball to the computer, while others have you do it after the connection is made and you've turned your computer on. You'll need to refer to the manual on what to do with your particular device, but here, we'll start by making the connection.


Making The Connection

As we've mentioned, your mouse or trackball connects to your computer through either a PS/2 or USB port. If your computer lacks USB ports but has PS/2, you can still connect a USB mouse or trackball by using a USB-to-PS/2 adapter, which often comes with USB devices or is available separately.

Step 1. Shut down your computer. If you are using a PS/2 mouse or trackball, shut down Windows and turn off your computer. If you are connecting a USB device, the computer does not have to be turned off.

Step 2. Unplug the other cables (optional). If you find it difficult to access the PS/2 or USB port because of all the other cables on the back of the computer, you may need to unplug them. On many computers the connections are color coded, but if yours are not, you'll want to draw a diagram of how they are connected so you can correctly reconnect them later. This is especially important if you are connecting a PS/2 mouse because both your keyboard and mouse typically use a PS/2 type of connection and hooking them up to the wrong port is an easy mistake to make.

Step 3. Install the wireless device batteries. If you are connecting a wireless mouse or trackball, follow the vendor directions and insert the batteries into the device, making sure to correctly orient the positive (+) and negative (-) ends of the batteries in the battery compartment.

Step 4. Set the wireless device channels. For a wireless mouse or trackball to work, the receiver and device must be set to the same frequency channel. Sometimes, there's a small A-B or 1-2 switch on each component that must be set the same. In other cases, there's a Connect button you press once the device is connected and the computer is turned on. For the specifics on your device, check your manual.

Step 5a. Plug in the USB device. If you are installing a USB mouse or trackball, connect it to a USB port on the back, front, or side of your computer. If you have a USB keyboard, most include extra ports on either side for connecting other USB devices, including your mouse or trackball. USB ports are notched on one side, so the plug must be correctly oriented.

Step 5b. Plug in the PS/2 device. If you are installing a PS/2 mouse or trackball, connect it to the PS/2 mouse port on the back of the computer, being careful not to confuse the port with the PS/2 keyboard port. If you do accidentally reverse the connection, your computer won't be damaged, but your keyboard and pointing device won't work. As you plug in your device, make sure to properly orient the PS/2 pins with the port.

Step 5c. Plug in the wireless receiver. If you have a wireless mouse or trackball, connect the device receiver to either the USB or PS/2 port, as described in step 5a or 5b. For the wireless pointing device to work properly, the receiver should be positioned away from your monitor, large metal objects, or florescent lights, as they all can interfere with the wireless signal.

Step 6. Reconnect other cables. With the pointing device connected, reconnect any other cables that you unplugged, but don't yet turn on your computer. We do that in the next section.

Install The Device Driver

A device driver is a small program that tells Windows how to control a particular piece of hardware. For devices such as printers and scanners, drivers are a necessity that you install from a CD that's included with the device, but with pointing devices, things are a bit different. Because the mouse is such an important part of your system, Windows includes generic drivers that work with most mice and trackballs. This means you can connect the device, turn on your computer, and your mouse or trackball works without installing any extra software from the vendor CD.

For a simple mouse or trackball that doesn't have extra buttons or options, the default drivers that Windows installs are fine. However, if the pointing device includes extra features, you'll want to install the drivers included on the vendor disc, so you can access those features.

Step 1. Turn on the computer. With the mouse or trackball connected, turn on your computer.

Step 2a. Load the Windows PS/2 drivers. If you have connected a PS/2 pointing device, Windows will recognize and load the generic PS/2 drivers automatically, and the device will work.

Step 2b. Load the Windows USB drivers in Windows 98/Me. If you are connecting a USB pointing device to your computer for the first time, Windows 98/Me displays a message saying that it did not detect a mouse attached to the computer, and you'll find that the USB mouse or trackball is not working. To load the generic Windows driver, go through these steps:

•Press ENTER to continue, and the New Hardware Wizard will appear, indicating that a USB Human Interface Device was found.
•Use the arrow keys to select the Next button and press ENTER.
•When you are asked if you want to search for the best driver for your device or display a list of drivers in a specific location, use the arrow keys to move to the second option, and press ENTER.
•A hardwire device list will display with one item, a USB Human Interface Device. This is a generic driver that's included with Windows. Press ENTER.
•The dialog box displays that Windows is now ready to install the selected driver. Press ENTER and the driver is installed. During the installation you may be asked to insert the Windows CD, so be sure to have it handy.
•When the process is finished, your new pointing device should work.


Step 2c. Load the Windows USB drivers in Windows XP. As Windows starts, you'll see the message New Hardware Found, USB Human Interface Device display from the system tray area. Windows automatically loads the generic USB drivers, and once the process is complete, the device will work.

Step 3. Install the vendor drivers (optional). With the device now working, you have the option of continuing with just the generic Windows driver or installing the driver included on the CD that came with the device. Most vendors also include additional software that adds even more options. For example, Logitech includes MouseWare software that enhances the Mouse utility found in the Control Panel. To install the vendor drivers and software:

•Insert the device CD into the CD-ROM drive.
•If the setup program does not automatically run, click Start and Run, and in the Run dialog box, choose Browse. Navigate to the CD and choose the Setup.exe or Install.exe file, click Open, and then click OK.
•When the setup program starts, follow the on-screen directions. Once setup is complete, you may have to restart the computer. After you do, the vendor driver is loaded and the enhanced device features are available.


Installing A Vendor Driver Without Additional Software

In certain situations, you may want to connect a device and load the vendor driver without installing the extra software, especially in cases where you decide that you'll never use the extra features the software provides. To load just the vendor drivers, you must bypass the CD setup program and use the Windows Device Manager.

Win98/Me. Click Start, Settings, and then choose Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, double-click System, and on the System Properties window, click the Device Manager tab.

•For a PS/2 device, expand the Mouse listing on the device list and then double-click the mouse driver that is listed.
•For a USB device, expand the USB Human Interface listing and double-click the driver that is listed.
•On the Properties window, click the Driver tab and the Update Driver button.
•In the Update Device Driver Wizard, click Next, choose Display A List of Drivers In A Specific Location, and click Next.
•Insert the vendor CD, click Have Disk, click Browse, and navigate to the vendor CD.
•On the CD, the driver will probably be in a folder with the same name as your operating system. Open the folder, click OK, and then click OK again.
•From the Models list, choose your particular device and click Next.
•Once the driver is installed, click Finish and restart your computer.


WinXP. Click Start, choose Control Panel, and double-click System (make sure you're in Classic View). On the System Properties window, choose the Hardware tab and then click Device Manager.

•For a PS/2 device, expand the Mice And Other Pointing Devices listing and then double-click the mouse driver that is listed.
•For a USB device, expand the Human Interface Devices listing and double-click the driver that is listed.
•On the Properties window, click the Driver tab and then the Update Driver button.
•When the Hardware Update Wizard starts, choose Install From A List Or Specific Location and click Next.
•Insert the vendor CD and choose the option Search For The Best Driver In These Locations. Then choose Search Removable Media and click Next.
•When a list of drivers appears, choose the one that matches your particular device and click Next.
•Once the driver is installed, click Finish and restart your computer.

Vista. Click the Start orb and then click Control Panel. Next, click Mouse under Hardware And Sound.

•When the Mouse Properties window appears, click the Hardware tab.
•This section displays any mice that are connected to your computer and displays information about whether each mouse is functioning properly.
•Choose your mouse from the list and then click the Properties button.
•Once the mouse's Properties window appears, click the Driver tab and then click the Update Driver button.
•Follow the wizard's steps, based on the WinXP directions above.

Getting It Just Right

Once your pointing device is successfully installed, you'll want to take a few moments to adjust how it works. Open the Windows Control Panel and double-click the Mouse icon. Depending on your specific device and what driver is installed, you'll find options for adjusting speed, sensitivity, and button functions. With a little bit of trial and error, you'll get your new mouse or trackball customized to work just the way you like it.

by John Lortz and Susan Leavitt