Need help with dual mouse!!!

[Cooper]

I am in the middle of building a mame cabinet and I've run into a little snag with my controls.  I have a trackball that plugs into a serial port that I've been using with no problems for awhile now.  I just got a spinner that plugs into a PS\2 port.  I didn't have a PS\2 port on my pc (it's old) so I added one since my motherboard had pins for expansion.  So here's the problem, if I boot up with both of these connected, the spinner is recognized but the trackball isn't.  If I boot up without the spinner connected, the trackball is recognized just fine.  I can then plug in the spinner and they both work, but then my keyboard isn't recognized.  I'm baffled, but then again I'm no genius at this stuff!  My pc is an older 200MMX with 64MB of ram running Windows 98.  I am hoping there is some different driver or something simple I can do to correct this problem.  

[Birdtales]

I know that I had a serial device (traclball) and a PS2 device (mouse) hooked up on my computer at the same time but my Motherboard is less than a year old. I'd say your old motherboard just can't handle the 2 devices at the same time.

[PacManFan]

On my Cocktail cabinet, I've got a serial trackball and a ps/2 mouse plugged in at the same time and they both control the pointer. It's a P2 233.
-PMF

[Cooper]

I have found on this site in the "Downloads" section there is a dual mouse driver.  I did a search on this subject and found a different dual mouse driver called Cutemouse.  I don't know which one of these to try or even how or where to install them.  Sorry if I sound stupid, I'm just not familiar with this aspect of computers.  Any help anybody could give me would be greatly appreciated!  

[AlanS17]

Here's the problem as I see it. One of your devices in PS2. That causes a problem in using independant devices since the PS2 would be considered primary. Now if you just want them to both move the same pointer then that's different. The problem may be in Win98. Have you tried using a DOS version of MAME to see if that's the culprit?

Also, the PS2 standard is kind of "iffy" on the whole plug-n-play issue. Plugging it in after start-up is not likely to ever be a viable solution...

[Cooper]

I am using Mame version .36 final in DOS.  When I plug in the spinner after boot up, the spinner and trackball both control the same pointer.  Is there any way that I can set it up for both the spinner and trackball have full control of the pointer on boot up?

[Cooper]

Ok, since nobody has really given me any ideas for a work around, I'll propose something.  Do you think it would work if I plugged the trackball into the PS/2 port and then got a USB spinner?  

[ErikRuud]

CuteMouse will work for you.

You just can't have them active at the same time.

I use GameLauncher and .bat files to launch my games.

Check This Trhread for more info

[Cooper]

CuteMouse will work for you.

You just can't have them active at the same time.

I use GameLauncher and .bat files to launch my games.

Check This Trhread for more info

I was under the impression that CuteMouse would only work in dos.  I am booting into Win 98 then running Mame in dos with command.com.  When I have both devices plugged in upon boot-up, it sees the spinner as my primary mouse.  I need the trackball to be seen as the primary mouse while in windows because I'm running a couple of pc games in my cab.  Will CuteMouse assign which mouse is primary while in Windows?

[Howard_Casto]

Why are you running mame in dos if you are running 98?  


And no cutemouse won't help a bit.  

[Cooper]

I have an old pc and it runs Mame version .36 final pretty good.  Much better than the newer releases at least!  I'm also running some pc games in my cab, so I need the Windows enviroment for those.  I need the trackball functional in Windows but I only need the spinner to work in a few Mame games in dos.  I have access to a usb spinner.  Do you think I might have better luck with that?

[Howard_Casto]

Yes you'll have better luck with usb.  I would suggest upgrading mame to at least version .59 though, unless it's super super slow.  If it's powerful enough to run windows then it's powerful enough to run windows mame.  

[Cooper]

I don't know about upgrading my Mame any higher.  As it is it can't even run 88 Games or Championship Sprint without a little lag!    Most of the older classics like Pacman, Defender, Joust, Donkey Kong, Tempest, etc.... run fine though.    Will the usb spinner do ok in a dos enviroment?

[ErikRuud]

With that slow of a mchine, I assumed you were using DOS.  You probably should be.  I have seen a big difference on the two cabs I have worked on. My current PC is a 233mhz and the previous was a 200mhz.  I am also building anothe cab for someonelse with a 200mhz pc.

Howard, On a slower machine a lot of the classic games run much better in .36 than they do in newer versions.  Vector games in particular.

[Spaced Invader]

--snip--
Will the usb spinner do ok in a dos enviroment?

Nope, USB won't work with DOS (some newer machines give limited functions though)...I would stay with DOS and use cutemouse (do you REALLY need those windows games?). The other viable option is what Howard suggsted...windows only. The only other thing I can think of is disabling the PS/2 spinner in windows (forcing the serial mouse to be seen?) and using real mode drivers in your dos session.

[Howard_Casto]

Your slightly incorrect.  If it was pure dos, not shelled within windows then usb devices wouldn't work.  However there is a good chance they will in dos mode within 98.  

[Spaced Invader]

Your slightly incorrect.  If it was pure dos, not shelled within windows then usb devices wouldn't work.  However there is a good chance they will in dos mode within 98.  

Again you're right...usb should work in a windows spawned dos session. I've spent too much time with NT and away from dos...still I should have remembered that. Always making me think, Howard.