Pointer Freezes but contol key usually unfreezes. Ideas?

[presto]

On one of my computer the mouse pointer freezes regularly after non use for a while. Hitting the control key usually unfreezes it. I don't have my computer set to hybernate or anything.

My set up is a bit unusual:

1) The ps2 mouse port seems to have died on this computer so I bought an adapter which lets me plug one end into a USB port and the other two ends into the keyboard and mouse.

2) I have three computers hooked up to a KVM switch so they share the same keyboard, video monitor, and mouse. It only accepts ps2 so I can't just go with a usb mouse and keyboard.

I'm sure a good troubleshooting test would be to just hook the computer up so it is not going through the KVM switch but everything is hooked up and the plug is under the bed and things work pretty good now so I'm just going to try asking around and trying little things to see if I can fix this.

3) I allready tried deleting the mouse from the device manager and letting windows reinstall it. No change.

Any ideas? Does the fact that the control key unfreezes it mean anything to you guys?

Thanks

[Jayhawk]

Actually I had a similar setup and problem and was unable to solve it. Some KVM's are not good at keep alive signals I was told by one fairly competent guy I know. (KVM port must appear as "active" to both computers even though only one is punched in at a time). Another told me the keep alive is there but the USB connector doesn't pass it correctly.

Regardless, I just gave up and pulled the KVM out of the loop. Good luck.

[presto]

Thanks for your reply. I installed a different mouse with the latest drivers and I haven't had a problem yet. I do think the KVM switch is not as "transparent" as it should be. Combined with a mouse driver that was a bit touchy and you have a crash (I think).

So far so good.

[presto]

GRRR. Pointer locked up again.

Another told me the keep alive is there but the USB connector doesn't pass it correctly.

This seems to be what is happening because the only computer having this problem is the one that is using usb port.

Does anyone know what steps I take to troubleshoot the ps2 ports on this computer? I guess they are part of the mainboard and not something I can just pop out. Is there such a thing as ps2 board I can install? (Actually I'll just search for that and see if it is available).

Thanks

[Jayhawk]

With a laptop you can plug in a 2-into-1 "Y" adapter and use a mouse and keyboard into the single plug-in. Makes sense since they both have different interupt signals. Don't see why it wouldn't work on a desktop machine. You can buy the adapters for $2.99 - $4.99 at Microcenter, CompUSA, etc.

That would allow you to use the mouse and keyboard through the working keyboard plug and get rid of the USB thingy.