Va 503, no mouse..losing hair.

I was given this system by a friend...he's fixes and upgrade folks
computers and ends up with lots of leftovers. I like playing with old
stuff...so such is as follows.

Sweet midsized AT case, 503+ MB rev 1.2a e-o037. I didn't know what I
had when he gave it to me..but since I have become obsessed with
making this thing work.

Stuck and ATX Power supply in.

A couple old hard drives I had Linux installed on.
It had an Intel pentium 233 in it, I replaced it with an AMD k6-2
500.

Did all the jumpers as I found info through Google groups and this
newsgroup.

Some hiccups untill I put in 256 mb of pc133

Booted up but sees a k6-2 550.

Hmm

Anyway, the biggest gripe I have right now is one I have seen many
times and hours of perusing this newgroup. No mouse. It could have
been the reason the original owner disowned it...dunno.

Alas, I don't have a clue whether the serial cables are the FIC
orginals.

So, can I install a serial controller card in this thing?

Linux install , no mouse

Win* install hang and no mouse.

I've seen an inexpensive controller card at Compusa..pci, that looks
like it's worth a shot.

So, I ask, anyone think it's worth a shot?

Or point me, maybe in the right direction, something I have missed?

I want ths thing to RUN!

Thanks,

...Scott

Well, I think you have 2 possibilities short of adding a serial card:
1) Find someplace where you can get a PS/2 mouse port on a case bracket
(find the right connector- straight row of 5 or 6 holes with 4 wires, red
one by itself, a space, then the other 3), plug it in, and use a PS/2 mouse.
2) Find someone who has a bunch of serial port cables,and will let you keep
trying them until you find one that works. If neither of these is
practical, You can get either cable here:
http://www.baber.com/baber/products/...ard_cables.htm
The PS/2 bracket you need is the Type 2; the serial port bracket you need is
the Intel type. Hopefully even with shipping it would still be cheaper than
the serial port card (plus it takes up one of your only 3 PCI slots).
Robert
"MyGrain" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I was given this system by a friend...he's fixes and upgrade folks
> computers and ends up with lots of leftovers. I like playing with old
> stuff...so such is as follows.
>
> Sweet midsized AT case, 503+ MB rev 1.2a e-o037. I didn't know what I
> had when he gave it to me..but since I have become obsessed with
> making this thing work.
>
> Stuck and ATX Power supply in.
>
> A couple old hard drives I had Linux installed on.
> It had an Intel pentium 233 in it, I replaced it with an AMD k6-2
> 500.
>
> Did all the jumpers as I found info through Google groups and this
> newsgroup.
>
> Some hiccups untill I put in 256 mb of pc133
>
> Booted up but sees a k6-2 550.
>
> Hmm
>
> Anyway, the biggest gripe I have right now is one I have seen many
> times and hours of perusing this newgroup. No mouse. It could have
> been the reason the original owner disowned it...dunno.
>
> Alas, I don't have a clue whether the serial cables are the FIC
> orginals.
>
> So, can I install a serial controller card in this thing?
>
> Linux install , no mouse
>
> Win* install hang and no mouse.
>
> I've seen an inexpensive controller card at Compusa..pci, that looks
> like it's worth a shot.
>
> So, I ask, anyone think it's worth a shot?
>
> Or point me, maybe in the right direction, something I have missed?
>
> I want ths thing to RUN!
>
> Thanks,
>
> ..Scott

Thank you for the reply, Robert,
I have seen your wisdom spread through this half acre of usenet.
We have a place locally here that has lotsa old stuff, so I'll start
there for the PS/2 port.

I'm hoping this IS the problem. hehe. I like the gal who cuts my hair,
she's a cutie. If it ALL falls out, I've no excuse to ...well..

Thanks again!

...Scott



On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 03:22:36 GMT, "Robert Akins" <>
wrote:

>Well, I think you have 2 possibilities short of adding a serial card:
>1) Find someplace where you can get a PS/2 mouse port on a case bracket
>(find the right connector- straight row of 5 or 6 holes with 4 wires, red
>one by itself, a space, then the other 3), plug it in, and use a PS/2 mouse.
>2) Find someone who has a bunch of serial port cables,and will let you keep
>trying them until you find one that works. If neither of these is
>practical, You can get either cable here:
>http://www.baber.com/baber/products/...ard_cables.htm
>The PS/2 bracket you need is the Type 2; the serial port bracket you need is
>the Intel type. Hopefully even with shipping it would still be cheaper than
>the serial port card (plus it takes up one of your only 3 PCI slots).
>Robert
>"MyGrain" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>>
>> I was given this system by a friend...he's fixes and upgrade folks
>> computers and ends up with lots of leftovers. I like playing with old
>> stuff...so such is as follows.
>>
>> Sweet midsized AT case, 503+ MB rev 1.2a e-o037. I didn't know what I
>> had when he gave it to me..but since I have become obsessed with
>> making this thing work.
>>
>> Stuck and ATX Power supply in.
>>
>> A couple old hard drives I had Linux installed on.
>> It had an Intel pentium 233 in it, I replaced it with an AMD k6-2
>> 500.
>>
>> Did all the jumpers as I found info through Google groups and this
>> newsgroup.
>>
>> Some hiccups untill I put in 256 mb of pc133
>>
>> Booted up but sees a k6-2 550.
>>
>> Hmm
>>
>> Anyway, the biggest gripe I have right now is one I have seen many
>> times and hours of perusing this newgroup. No mouse. It could have
>> been the reason the original owner disowned it...dunno.
>>
>> Alas, I don't have a clue whether the serial cables are the FIC
>> orginals.
>>
>> So, can I install a serial controller card in this thing?
>>
>> Linux install , no mouse
>>
>> Win* install hang and no mouse.
>>
>> I've seen an inexpensive controller card at Compusa..pci, that looks
>> like it's worth a shot.
>>
>> So, I ask, anyone think it's worth a shot?
>>
>> Or point me, maybe in the right direction, something I have missed?
>>
>> I want ths thing to RUN!
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> ..Scott
>

It's a common problem, people don't realize the serial cable is different
and when they are getting rid of the board they don't much care anyway, so
the next person has to figure it out all over again. There are only 2 or 3
manufacturers who use this pinout but that still gives you a chance of
running across one. But finding the PS/2 port would probably be easier.
Then you could disable both of the serial ports in the BIOS and free up
their IRQs.
Robert
"MyGrain" <> wrote in message
news...
> Thank you for the reply, Robert,
> I have seen your wisdom spread through this half acre of usenet.
> We have a place locally here that has lotsa old stuff, so I'll start
> there for the PS/2 port.
>
> I'm hoping this IS the problem. hehe. I like the gal who cuts my hair,
> she's a cutie. If it ALL falls out, I've no excuse to ...well..
>
> Thanks again!
>
> ..Scott
>
>
>
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 03:22:36 GMT, "Robert Akins" <>
> wrote:
>
> >Well, I think you have 2 possibilities short of adding a serial card:
> >1) Find someplace where you can get a PS/2 mouse port on a case bracket
> >(find the right connector- straight row of 5 or 6 holes with 4 wires, red
> >one by itself, a space, then the other 3), plug it in, and use a PS/2
mouse.
> >2) Find someone who has a bunch of serial port cables,and will let you
keep
> >trying them until you find one that works. If neither of these is
> >practical, You can get either cable here:
> >http://www.baber.com/baber/products/...ard_cables.htm
> >The PS/2 bracket you need is the Type 2; the serial port bracket you need
is
> >the Intel type. Hopefully even with shipping it would still be cheaper
than
> >the serial port card (plus it takes up one of your only 3 PCI slots).
> >Robert
> >"MyGrain" <> wrote in message
> >news:.. .
> >>
> >> I was given this system by a friend...he's fixes and upgrade folks
> >> computers and ends up with lots of leftovers. I like playing with old
> >> stuff...so such is as follows.
> >>
> >> Sweet midsized AT case, 503+ MB rev 1.2a e-o037. I didn't know what I
> >> had when he gave it to me..but since I have become obsessed with
> >> making this thing work.
> >>
> >> Stuck and ATX Power supply in.
> >>
> >> A couple old hard drives I had Linux installed on.
> >> It had an Intel pentium 233 in it, I replaced it with an AMD k6-2
> >> 500.
> >>
> >> Did all the jumpers as I found info through Google groups and this
> >> newsgroup.
> >>
> >> Some hiccups untill I put in 256 mb of pc133
> >>
> >> Booted up but sees a k6-2 550.
> >>
> >> Hmm
> >>
> >> Anyway, the biggest gripe I have right now is one I have seen many
> >> times and hours of perusing this newgroup. No mouse. It could have
> >> been the reason the original owner disowned it...dunno.
> >>
> >> Alas, I don't have a clue whether the serial cables are the FIC
> >> orginals.
> >>
> >> So, can I install a serial controller card in this thing?
> >>
> >> Linux install , no mouse
> >>
> >> Win* install hang and no mouse.
> >>
> >> I've seen an inexpensive controller card at Compusa..pci, that looks
> >> like it's worth a shot.
> >>
> >> So, I ask, anyone think it's worth a shot?
> >>
> >> Or point me, maybe in the right direction, something I have missed?
> >>
> >> I want ths thing to RUN!
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> ..Scott
> >
>

And, further to the reason for using the ps/2 mouse port, the sampling rate
can be altered with some mice software to produce better responsiveness
(Logitech for example). I think I've seen a freeware utility somewhere to
alter the ps/2 sample rate also, but don't have a link, sry.

"Robert Akins" <> wrote in message
news:sN1Wa.16715$...
> It's a common problem, people don't realize the serial cable is different
> and when they are getting rid of the board they don't much care anyway, so
> the next person has to figure it out all over again. There are only 2 or
3
> manufacturers who use this pinout but that still gives you a chance of
> running across one. But finding the PS/2 port would probably be easier.
> Then you could disable both of the serial ports in the BIOS and free up
> their IRQs.
> Robert
> "MyGrain" <> wrote in message
> news...
> > Thank you for the reply, Robert,
> > I have seen your wisdom spread through this half acre of usenet.
> > We have a place locally here that has lotsa old stuff, so I'll start
> > there for the PS/2 port.
> >
> > I'm hoping this IS the problem. hehe. I like the gal who cuts my hair,
> > she's a cutie. If it ALL falls out, I've no excuse to ...well..
> >
> > Thanks again!
> >
> > ..Scott
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 03:22:36 GMT, "Robert Akins" <>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >Well, I think you have 2 possibilities short of adding a serial card:
> > >1) Find someplace where you can get a PS/2 mouse port on a case bracket
> > >(find the right connector- straight row of 5 or 6 holes with 4 wires,
red
> > >one by itself, a space, then the other 3), plug it in, and use a PS/2
> mouse.
> > >2) Find someone who has a bunch of serial port cables,and will let you
> keep
> > >trying them until you find one that works. If neither of these is
> > >practical, You can get either cable here:
> > >http://www.baber.com/baber/products/...ard_cables.htm
> > >The PS/2 bracket you need is the Type 2; the serial port bracket you
need
> is
> > >the Intel type. Hopefully even with shipping it would still be cheaper
> than
> > >the serial port card (plus it takes up one of your only 3 PCI slots).
> > >Robert
> > >"MyGrain" <> wrote in message
> > >news:.. .
> > >>
> > >> I was given this system by a friend...he's fixes and upgrade folks
> > >> computers and ends up with lots of leftovers. I like playing with old
> > >> stuff...so such is as follows.
> > >>
> > >> Sweet midsized AT case, 503+ MB rev 1.2a e-o037. I didn't know what I
> > >> had when he gave it to me..but since I have become obsessed with
> > >> making this thing work.
> > >>
> > >> Stuck and ATX Power supply in.
> > >>
> > >> A couple old hard drives I had Linux installed on.
> > >> It had an Intel pentium 233 in it, I replaced it with an AMD k6-2
> > >> 500.
> > >>
> > >> Did all the jumpers as I found info through Google groups and this
> > >> newsgroup.
> > >>
> > >> Some hiccups untill I put in 256 mb of pc133
> > >>
> > >> Booted up but sees a k6-2 550.
> > >>
> > >> Hmm
> > >>
> > >> Anyway, the biggest gripe I have right now is one I have seen many
> > >> times and hours of perusing this newgroup. No mouse. It could have
> > >> been the reason the original owner disowned it...dunno.
> > >>
> > >> Alas, I don't have a clue whether the serial cables are the FIC
> > >> orginals.
> > >>
> > >> So, can I install a serial controller card in this thing?
> > >>
> > >> Linux install , no mouse
> > >>
> > >> Win* install hang and no mouse.
> > >>
> > >> I've seen an inexpensive controller card at Compusa..pci, that looks
> > >> like it's worth a shot.
> > >>
> > >> So, I ask, anyone think it's worth a shot?
> > >>
> > >> Or point me, maybe in the right direction, something I have missed?
> > >>
> > >> I want ths thing to RUN!
> > >>
> > >> Thanks,
> > >>
> > >> ..Scott
> > >
> >
>
>