# What have I done wrong. Computer repair question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953 "2009-08-10T18:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/1 "2009-08-10T18:29:18Z")
I had 2 hard drives in my desktop. One was for the OS and the other was for everything else. Recently, the drive with the OS (XP Professional) crashed. So, I bought a new drive and set out to replace it today. All was going well and the installation of XP seemed to go off without a hitch. However, when the computer booted, I had no use of my USB mouse. The pointer doesn’t even show up on the screen. I have to assume that I missed something but I don’t know what I may have done wrong. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/2 "2009-08-10T18:36:11Z")
You should have basic USB mouse functionality during installation unless… Are you using one of the stranger ilks of mice? Like some Logitech six-button touch-sense mouse? Many mice brands these days require a driver installation and might not work when windows hasn’t been fully updated with drivers. See if you can borrow a generic Microsoft or Dell mouse from someone. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/3 "2009-08-10T18:52:40Z")
Check that it hasn’t been disabled in the BIOS. It happens even if only rarely. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/4 "2009-08-10T18:59:48Z")
I’d be looking for a loose connection somewhere, possibly even inside the case. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/5 "2009-08-10T22:10:10Z")
Does the mouse have a battery? ---
**Author:** ![Erasmus\_Darwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@Erasmus\_Darwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erasmus_Darwin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/6 "2009-08-10T23:08:04Z")
Is the mouse still securely plugged into a USB port, and is the USB port securely plugged into the motherboard? One of those two connections may have gotten dislodged while you were removing the old hard drive or installing the new one. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/7 "2009-08-10T23:45:49Z")
Do you have any other USB devices connected? And if so, do they work? If not, check in your device manager and make sure the drivers for your USB controller installed correctly. I had this happen to me once, when the USB controller on my motherboard was apparently whacked out. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-have-i-done-wrong-computer-repair-question/505953/8 "2009-08-11T01:19:37Z")
After much searching I think that the USB controller is messed up. That will be the first thing I fix once I find the discs and stuff I put away after I built the computer. I’ll post an update in the morning. Thanks