Computer mouse switch going bad

[~misfit~]

Once upon a time on usenet oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

I just got a packet of 10 mouse switches from Aliexpress for $3.
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy
little classification in the DSM*."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)
(*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

 

[Tim Schwartz]

On 1/13/2018 4:29 PM, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

Don't forget the the cable could be going bad after a few 100,000 flexes.

--Tim

 

[ABLE1]

On 1/13/2018 4:29 PM, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

Hi Oldschool, I have been reading this thread with a smile.

I also have a Win98se machine that I desperately need to do what I do.

When I was really concerned it was was going to die and leave me with
nothing but tears and frustration beyond human limits, I searched
eBay and found a guy that was building Pentium 4 systems running
Win98se. Long story short I bought two(2) for $125 each.

Now I have a set of twin Win98se machines, Unit (A) and Unit (B).
Both with USB mouse and keyboard. Presently only using Unit (A) and by
my theory of universal backup planning as long as I have Unit (B) then
Unit (A) will never die. Best $125 ever spent.
Well actually $250 but who's counting.

My original Win98se still runs to this day and only use it when I need a
file that was not important at the time, 5 years ago, to move over.

Good luck with your PS/2 to USB adapter thingie. That may be a short
term fix as everything eventually breaks, one way or another.

Les

 

[Allodoxaphobia]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 15:29:53 -0600, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

Visit your local 2nd-hands shops: GoodWill, ARC, Salvation Army, etc.
Lots of widows donate the geezer's old computer stuff and there are
often many old mice handing from peg boards in those stores.

 

On Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 1:32:27 PM UTC-8, olds...@tubes.com wrote:

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

Are you sure it doesn't have a broken solder joint on the switch? Years of clicking could cause cracking.

G²

 

[Tim R]

On Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 11:35:22 AM UTC-5, Allodoxaphobia wrote:

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 15:29:53 -0600, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:
My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

Visit your local 2nd-hands shops: GoodWill, ARC, Salvation Army, etc.
Lots of widows donate the geezer's old computer stuff and there are
often many old mice handing from peg boards in those stores.

This. Every thrift store I've been to has a dozen mice at $1 each. You could probably make a deal for a bulk buy.

 

[Jon Elson]

oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

I wear them out. Actually, I use trackballs, but the switches are the same,
and seem to be interchangeable. So, I pull the right button switches out of
old mice and put them in the ones I use. Digi-Key has the SW502 that seems
to fit most mice. $1.61 in single quantity.

Jon

 

[Ian Field]

<oldschool@tubes.com> wrote in message
news:eg2l5dh9496lm90us3vl0jqfvr55bupsb9@4ax.com...

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:53:13 -0500, Tom Biasi <tombiasi@optonline.net
wrote:

On 1/13/2018 4:29 PM, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:
My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

Walmart has a USB mouse for $4.79 USD

You get a "F" for reading comprehension.

I SAID: I need a PS/2 mouse.
I probably have 4 USB mice, which are not suitable for my needs.

I did just find they make adaptors, to convert a USB mouse to PS/2. I
ordered one on ebay for about $3. But until I get it, I have to keep
fighting with this mouse, which works fine for awhile, then refuses to
do anything till I beat the crap out of that button a dozen times or
more.....

Searching around forNOS might dig up a ball mouse from when they came with
an adaptor - I had a few left over from various things and found they're not
universal. if it came in the same box as the device - it should work.

I'd get some cheap mice from flea markets until I found the right spare
switch to salvage.

Ball mice didn't work for me because i used to be a heavy smoker. the
optical ones rarely work on proper mouse mats, but they work perfectly on a
sheet of plain white paper. just stick a sheet on the mouse mat with carpet
tape and trim round the edges.

 

[Ian Field]

"Sjouke Burry" <burrynulnulfour@ppllaanneett.nnll> wrote in message
news:5a5a8386$0$1703$e4fe514c@textnews.kpn.nl...

On 13-1-2018 22:29, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:
My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

I have replaced some of those switches in a few mice.
The electronic lab had them in stock.
So somebody is selling them.

Couple of years ago I looked at the several boxes of mice and decided enough
is enough.

most of the switches got used on E-cigarettes.

 

[rickman]

~misfit~ wrote on 1/14/2018 6:37 AM:

Once upon a time on usenet oldschool@tubes.com wrote:
My mouse left button is getting real flakey. I took the whole thing
apart and cleaned everything. It still dont work all the time, so I
guess that switch is going bad. There dont seem to be any place to get
some contact cleaner inside of it.

Have any of you ever found a way to repair these switches?

Yea, I know computer mice are cheap, but I need a PS/2 connector and
want a ball mouse. I dont like the infared mice, and can not use a USB
mouse on my Windows 98 computer.

So, I have to order this on ebay since all the ones in the stores are
USB and infared these days.

So, until I can get one from ebay, is there any temporary fix? (The
other mouse functions work fine).

I just got a packet of 10 mouse switches from Aliexpress for $3.

I don't think he'll buy from Aliexpress, too cheap and he doesn't like the
free shipping you can get. All kidding aside, he doesn't like buying
Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA even though they are all the
same parts.

--

Rick C

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms,
on the centerline of totality since 1998

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/14/18 4:05 PM, rickman wrote:

he doesn't like buying Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA
even though they are all the same

You haven't been paying attention.
He buys Chinese all the time, he's too cheap to buy American.
He just rags on them non-stop to show he's a real patriotic American.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

"Notwithstanding, here's the USB to PS/2 adapter you need.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252486083292> "

Those pretty much do not work. It may have the correct wiring but the USB drivers must be installed, and if they are then the problem is solved.

I remember building a 98 PC for a buddy of mine. After all the ordering of components, it was off to the local PC store for a few things. They talked him into a USB keyboard. I said "Just how fast can you type ?" but he got talked into it anyway. Problem was he wanted to use a power on password which of course won't work in 98 with a USB keyboard.

The same is true of USB keyboards as well as mice. The wires in the adapter plug are not the whole story.

You should still be able to find an optical PS/2 mouse. I have one. Even though I run XP on that box it works just fine, lucky in light of the fact that I have boot drive select on that machine.

 

>"Sometimes those work, sometimes not. It depends on what the mouse & PC are capable of. "

The adapter is just a plug to a plug. It either needs USB drivers or some software to convert the PS/2 mouse port to a USB mouse port. Such software does exist, as does for regular serial to UBS (I beet performance sucks) and parallel to USB (common on printers of a certain vintage.

 

On Monday, 15 January 2018 02:05:09 UTC, jurb...@gmail.com wrote:
NT:

"Sometimes those work, sometimes not. It depends on what the mouse & PC are capable of. "

The adapter is just a plug to a plug. It either needs USB drivers or some software to convert the PS/2 mouse port to a USB mouse port. Such software does exist, as does for regular serial to UBS (I beet performance sucks) and parallel to USB (common on printers of a certain vintage.

I've used such adaptors with many mice. Some work off the bat, some won't. Why? Because mice generally have the ability to work with either of 2 port types, though which 2 varies. (That means if you cut off a mouse's plug and wire on a different type, sometimes it will work.)

Early Win3.1 era mice were DB9 only. For years most mice did PS/2 or USB.


NT

 

[~misfit~]

Once upon a time on usenet Fox's Mercantile wrote:

On 1/14/18 4:05 PM, rickman wrote:
he doesn't like buying Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA
even though they are all the same

You haven't been paying attention.
He buys Chinese all the time, he's too cheap to buy American.
He just rags on them non-stop to show he's a real patriotic American.

So a Trump voter then?
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy
little classification in the DSM*."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)
(*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/14/18 9:47 PM, ~misfit~ wrote:

Once upon a time on usenet Fox's Mercantile wrote:
On 1/14/18 4:05 PM, rickman wrote:
he doesn't like buying Chinese when he can get a part sold in the USA
even though they are all the same

You haven't been paying attention.
He buys Chinese all the time, he's too cheap to buy American.
He just rags on them non-stop to show he's a real patriotic American.

So a Trump voter then?

Probably not, but he certainly appears ignorant enough

--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[Archer]

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:50:52 -0600, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

ISAID: I need a PS/2 mouse.

There are USB 2 PS/2 adaptors so you can easily go with a USB mouse
once you have the adaptor. And PS/2 mice are really getting scarce.

--
HTH
Archer

 

On Mon, 15 Jan 2018 20:27:08 +0530, Archer <iam@here.com.invalid> wrote:

On Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:50:52 -0600, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

ISAID: I need a PS/2 mouse.


There are USB 2 PS/2 adaptors so you can easily go with a USB mouse
once you have the adaptor. And PS/2 mice are really getting scarce.

Saturday I ordered one of the adaptors on ebay. It's just a matter of
waiting till it arrives. It was like $3.50.

Funny thing, yesterday this mouse was getting on my nerves with that
failing switch. I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
button really hard. Its been working flawlessly ever since.....

But I still plan to get another one or more.... I'm sure this one will
eventually fail. But at least it will hopefully work till I get my
adaptor or another PS/2 mouse.

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 1/15/18 1:08 PM, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:

I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
button really hard.

Remind me to NOT let you work on any of my things.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <IsWdnb7Rn-wojMDHnZ2dnUU7-K-dnZ2d@giganews.com>,
jdangus@att.net says...

On 1/15/18 1:08 PM, oldschool@tubes.com wrote:
I took the insulated handle of a plyers and smacked that
button really hard.

Remind me to NOT let you work on any of my things.

For us older people, we know the first thing one does is to hit the
device that is causing the problem.