(Long)

I hope it is easy for you to switch the OS(s).
The following might not work, or be harder than it first seems.

I do not know why Win98se does not like your configuration,
but it might just be it detects things differently and is more
fussy than the earlier versons...
So I would try using *that* against it...

I have systems that have odd configurations, and require different
hardware profiles,  and a new boot menu (made by Windows itself).

The trick with yours is to confuse Windows "enough" to force it
to bring up the built-in Hardware Profile Boot Menu.

First, check the "state" of your system...
Have you looked at the mice in Control Panel in Safe Mode to
see just how "totally confused" Windows is about what you have
and how many mice it thinks there are?
There "could be" five or six listed in there...
If so, delete them all in safe mode.
You "might?" have to do a "keyboard shut-down" so learn how
to do that.
When you re-boot, only have one mouse physically installed.
You and your partner can decide who is Original or "primary"
as far as naming the mouse/profiles...
If the trackball needs special drivers, I'd make the PS/2 the
Original configuration since that will be easier to maintain.

Look up hardware profiles in the help files and then set up a
second profile.
The first one will already be called Original Configuration.

Look in Control Panel, System, Hardware profiles.
Make a copy using the copy button, and name it with a short
clear descriptive name.
After you re-boot, see if Windows gives you a new boot menu
of these choices.

Add the second mouse in the second profile.

Re-boot again.

Go into each profile and mark one of the mice as
"Disable in this hardware profile".
That will be on a page in Control Panel, System, Device
Manager, then in the properties of the different mice.

I hope Windows sees this as enough of a change to
warrant the Boot Menu to come up.

If not, delete the second profile, OR look into what "will"
cause a boot menu to pop up and then the mouse will
be dragged along by the coat tails...

Good luck.  I have never done this with "just a mouse
or two" and since Windows is"always" looking for a
mouse, your results might vary. I've been using Hardware
Profiles since 1995 and the technology is sound if
implemented in a way MS intended...
(I've never tried to use two mice,
"connected at the same time", either...)

Wait a day or two to see if anyone on the list thinks this
is a bad idea or has other additions, corrections, or
a different way to handle it.
I saw the answer about USB, but would worry about
booting support outside windows with that type of mouse.
(Don't have one...)

              Rick Glazier

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilma Lawrence" <[log in to unmask]>

>     Is there a problem with Windows 98se? If so, is there a work around? I am back to windows 95. I have widows 98se and wish to
use it, but cannot because of the mouse problems.

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