computer problems, please help!

[Blitzkrieg]

I currently have a dead mouse, and it is beyond frustrating me. When I turn the PC on, it beeps twice and says "pointing device error 8603". Halfway through startup, it flicks to DOS mode and says the following:

Windows

Invalid V dynamic link call from Pelmouse (02) + 0000010C to device "VMD ", service 3.
Your Windows configuration is invalid. Run the Windows Setup program again to correct this problem.
To continue running Windows press Y or ENTER. To quit current program press N. If you continue running Windows, your system may become unstable.


______________________________

Does this mean I have to re-install Windows? Will I lose everything? That seems a little drastic just because of a mouse issue that came out of nowhere, but I can't think of what else to do. I have messed around with trying to replace drivers and using different drivers, and that seems to do nothing. Using a different driver works somewhat, but the mouse goes spastic and is hard to use, and stops working after a short while anyway. I updated AVG and ran that and it found nothing.

Help.

 

[Mark]

Tried using a different mouse? They're quite cheap.

 

[Mark]

Oh, and running Windows setup can sometimes simply correct a problem with your existing installation. I think.

 

[Goreripper]

I think you just need to run the Setup, not a complete re-install. Back up everything and give it a go. *shrugs* This is where Josh would come in handy.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Yeah I was thinking that, damn drunk, get back here and help me with my PC problems.

I tried a different mouse, didn't help.

I considered running the setup, but didn't want to risk it wiping everything. Will it let me know if it is about to do that? Also, I can't find the original disk that came with my PC, so I lent a similar one from a friend. Would that make any difference?

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I just ran the Windows Setup program and it didn't fix it.

 

[Strat666]

Are you running Windows 98/Me or 2000/XP? Also, try disconnecting the mouse, booting up Windows, then shutting down, reconnecting the mouse, and rebooting Windows.

 

[MeKaChrOme]

weird... try sticking the mouse into a different port.... i.e. the other port of that type.

if it's a serial mouse, might be worth trying a USB mouse, you can probably pick one up for $10-15.... or better yet, borrow one off a friend or 'borrow' one from work for the night...

 

[Lord Tim]

That's a weird error, though. The VXD driver suggests it's Win9x (95/98/Me) but the fact it's referring to a service suggests it's NT Kernel based.

What OS are you running?

 

[Blitzkrieg]

98.

A USB mouse might be the best bet. I shall see if any of my friends have one. Pity the ones here at uni are all padlocked to the PCs. Still annoying though, I want this error fixed and fucked off.

 

[Lord Tim]

With 98, you can usually reinstall over the top and save settings OK. Sometimes, it's just easier to bite the bullet and back up all of your user files and do a fresh reinstall. It'll be quicker and less error prone in the long run.

I hope that's 98 second editon... if that's the first version, little wonder you're having trouble - that's a total dog!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I believe the one I had was the first edition, but I have borrowed the second edition and will probably backup then reinstall. I also borrowed an adapter to put the mouse in a different port, so I will give that a whirl too, but will likely still do the reinstall.

 

[Stonewall]

The 8603 can be PS/2 Pointing device error or System board failure, so maybe a USB mouse will do the trick, avoiding the PS/2 ports altogether.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

This just happened at THE WORST time possible. Any other time and I would just buy a new PC since they are so cheap now and I need one anyway (this thing is old school), but with my car costing over a grand to bring back to road worthy and having to save for the Graspop trip, I can't afford shit.

I shall try a USB mouse next I think, if I can find someone to borrow one off.

 

[The Amazer]

I just can't get over the fact that someone is still using 98

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I don't like XP so wasn't in any rush to get it, and this PC has done me pretty well over the years. The plan is for it to last me until the end of the year when I move out.

 

[phlogiston]

Depending on what you do with it, you may want to try one of the newer Linux distros. If all you want to do is email, surf and chat, Ubuntu is right up your alley. It tends to run a bit faster on older machines than Windows will. There's also a "live" cd that you can just boot off to see how it works for you without trashing your entire hard disk first.

It's a full CD download, so unless you're on broadband you might want to get one of your buddies to get it for you.

 

[Stonewall]

I'm still using 98, and my pc is even older than Blitzy's. 400Mhz of processing power

Suits me fine.

 

[Goreripper]

How do you guys even get this page to load?

 

[Stonewall]

Through a web browser usually Gore, linked from the UM forum page.




I expected to see some wanky comments like that so shit, just gonna run out and spend $1k on upgrades so I can load up a few graphics and text in a web browser, back soon. You know it's a pity, but I had to give up word processing because my PC was bought before 2003.