# Mouse and trackball at once

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-and-trackball-at-once/243896>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 6, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-and-trackball-at-once/243896 "2004-05-06T18:40:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-and-trackball-at-once/243896/1 "2004-05-06T18:40:46Z")

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I’ve taken to using a trackball, due to wrist problems. However, there’s some software where I’d prefer to revert to using a mouse. Is it possible to have both connected, and either both controlling the pointer or a software/hardware switch between the two?

(Win XP, both are USB connected)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mouse-and-trackball-at-once/243896/2 "2004-05-06T18:48:57Z")

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OK, scratch that. Hotplugging the second device after booting gets them working together. :smack:

Move along, nothing to see here…