Yesterday, my old keyboard totally gave up the ghost (no power) so I installed a new one & today, the optical mouse pointer froze solid in the middle of the screen. I did a reboot and it WORKED long enough to at least get the computer booted, but then froze again and this time, nothing I've tried has helped.

The mouse works fine when I plug it into my laptop so I know there are a number of things that could be wrong with the desktop itself since the mouse must be okay, but I don't know how to get into the computer without a mouse. I have a *lock* on the desktop.

Now we are coming down to tax time and my last three years of returns are on the PC and I need it soon for the carryovers.

I have a love/hate relationship with these machines. Until I hear from someone, I will continue trying whatever I can think of.

tia

Are these real PS/2 peripherals, or some sort of USB or wireless things? If the latter, do you have PS/2 equipment to test with/We are already into the tough questions. Both my mouse and keyboard have round plugs so I know they are not USB and they are not wireless. I guess that would make them PS/2 peripherals and I have no idea what equipment they have to test these ports (? or whatever they are called).

Should I go out and find the test equipment? I will google to see what I can come up with.

Thanks so much for helping.Go into Control Panel/SYSTEM/Device Manager and delete the drivers for the mouse and keyboard and reboot. Let us know what you find.

What happened prior to this disaster?Prior to this disaster, I was gone for a week and had unplugged the backup system from the wall and turned it off. When I first tried to BOOT it up, nothing happened so I had to turn it off at the switch and that time it booted up without a problem. That was on Saturday evening. Suddenly, the power for my keyboard went out and I couldn't get it to come back on. I had been having TROUBLE with some of the keys so already had another board ready to go and I installed it.

All went well until late this afternoon and the mouse froze when I was playing a card game. I thought maybe I just needed a new mouse and would buy one tomorrow, but since it works with this laptop I am now using, I don't see how it can be the mouse.

There was a serious storm and power outage while we were gone and that messed up my TV and its components even with a battery backup, but this computer and the peripherials were totally unplugged. I RETURNED to both computer and replayTV trouble and am beginning to think I am too far over my head with today's electronics.

I cannot get into the computer to delete the drivers since I can't figure out how to get past the *lock* I have on it. I can't click on my user name so I can enter my password and am clueless as to how to do this without a mouse.

Thanks for your help.Turned out to be very easy to fix. Went to WalMart, bought a cheap two-button mouse, plugged it in and all is well again.

I was afraid I would have to hire one of those people who come in, do all the same stuff you've already done and charge $100 for not fixing it.

Thanks for your help.Quote

Mice are strange animals...