Inspiron Desktops

[suptprof]

I dug out an old (10+ years) Dell Dimension 4100 desktop. The mouse won't work with it. Tried two different mice in both USB ports. The desktop does not seem to recognize the mouse. Any fix-it suggestions??

BTW, I need to get a PS/2 keyboard USB adapter so the keyboard works with the PC.

[Mary G]

I had that model--21 years ago!  It's not worth spending any money on it. It cannot run any supported version of windows. Recycle it.

Dimension 

Model	Released	Processor type
4100	2000	Intel Pentium III, Celeron.

[RoHe]

@suptprof  - As Mary already said, it's an old PC...

If it's just been sitting around unused for a long time, the motherboard battery is probably dead. So if you really still want to get it working, you should start by replacing that battery before going any further. Probably a CR2032, 3-volt coin cell battery, ~$2.

And you'd be better off using a USB keyboard with one of the PC's USB ports. Otherwise, you'll need an active USB>PS/2 adapter that's specifically designed for using a USB keyboard with a PS/2 port on the PC. NOTE: not all active adapters work with all USB keyboards...

[suptprof]

I just want to get it running so I can see if there's anything (e.g., photos) still on the hard drive worth downloading.

[RoHe]

Then just replace the battery and see if a USB mouse and USB keyboard will work.