Microsoft KB Archive/88428

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Issues with Windows 3.0 and 8.0 Mouse Driver

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Q88428

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a

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SYMPTOMS
When installing the version 8.0 Microsoft Mouse driver in a computer running Microsoft operating system version 3.0, two problems may occur:


 * The version 8.0 mouse driver (MOUSE.COM) will not load in an MS-DOS session.
 * If Microsoft Mouse software is installed in the root directory, incorrect information is written to the SYSTEM.INI file.

If you are using Windows 3.1, you should be using the updated drivers that came with Windows, and not the 8.0 drivers.

8.0 Mouse Driver Will Not Load in an MS-DOS Session
The Microsoft Mouse driver (MOUSE.COM) version 8.0 cannot be started from inside a Windows 3.0 MS-DOS session.

MOUSE.COM version 7.04, which is shipped with Windows 3.0, can be started this way.

Workaround

 * 1) Load MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS in the AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file, respectively, at boot time.

-or-
 * 1) Run MOUSE.COM before starting Windows.

-or-
 * 1) Switch to the Mouse driver version 7.04 (this option is not available to Microsoft BallPoint mouse users).

If Mouse Software Is Installed in the Root Directory, Incorrect Information Is Written to the SYSTEM.INI File
If you install the Microsoft Mouse driver 8.0 files to your root directory without specifying a directory name, then Windows may return you to an MS-DOS prompt after you type WIN to start Windows.

When installing the mouse driver software, make sure you put the files in a directory other than your root directory. For example:

"C:\MOUSE" If you install the files in your root directory, for example

"C:\" it will add the following line(s) to the [boot] section of your SYSTEM.INI file:

"MOUSE.DRV=C:\\MOUSE.DRV or MOUSE.DRV=C:\\.DRV"

Workaround
Edit the [boot] section of your SYSTEM.INI file and remove one of the backslashes (\).