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I'm running Win98se on an Intel-based system (2.4G CPU, "Brownsville" Mboard, 512MB RAM, two 80-GB HDs w total of 110GB free); I do a lot of graphics. My Logitech Trackman Marble (new 1999) died--I wore out the left-click switch--and I couldn't find another near home, so I bought a MS Trackball Optical and connected it via USB. According to MS, the "Intellipoint" software conflicts with the basic PC-mouse software, causing erratic movt of cursor or no movt at all; my experience was exactly that, ending up with the device becoming undetectable even in safe mode. I exchanged that trackball for a new one, which developed the same problems (except it remained detectable). Then I did the things MS said to, to fix them. Good results, but they lasted only a week. Heard that the MS Trackball worked better with Logitech software; yes, for ten days, and the same problems began. I bought an old Logitech Trackman like my old one for $5, and it's been the control against which I'm judging the others. I bought an optical Logitech "w 4 buttons" (that's an error, has only 2 + the wheel, so I planned to return it). Bought a Kensington TurboBall (not optical, has 4 real buttons + wheel). These both will not be detected if they're attached via USB; they are if attached to serial PC port. But attached that way, the Kensington worked wonderfully for 3 hrs and then developed same probs as the Microsoft Trackball Optical; I had newest updates of its software, etc., but the device simply does not control the cursor. The optical Logitech (w 2 real buttons) seems to work all right, but its functions are limited. Does anyone have experience of using multi-function trackballs attached via USB? via serial port? with these very strange problems? with obsolescent software that comes on the CDROM with the trackball (both Microsoft's and Kensington's devices would not install with the software that came with them; I had to download newest versions)? . . . After "fixing" the MS-trackball problem a second time, my OS became unstable and I had the HD reformatted & Win98se re-installed two weeks ago. I tried the MS trackball (but w Logitech software--I'm afraid to use the MS stuff again), the Kensington, and old & new Logitechs since the reformatting. I'm being super-careful about what's installed, am defragging frequently, cleaning registry w Reg1stAid, etc., so Win98se is in as good shape as possible: it shouldn't be causing problems, but maybe it's incapable of dealing with USB devices? fast CPU? I just don't know enough, and I'd really like to use (instead of examine and diagnose) a decent trackball and do some graphics. Help?
-- D_Spider
-- D_Spider