Lab 8.2: Installing a Mouse in a DOS System

The mouse is one of the first pieces of hardware to be added to a computer. Whether you are installing a mouse or some other piece of hardware, the process is very much the same. You must determine the system resources, physically install the device, configure the computer, and then test the hardware item you installed.

Upon completion of this lab, you will be able to install a serial mouse in a DOS system.

Set Up

For this exercise, you will need:

• A working PC with DOS installed

• A serial mouse

• A mouse driver

• A DOS utility disk

Exercise

In this lab, you will determine the COM port IRQ assignments, install a serial mouse, install a mouse driver, and observe the changes in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file when a mouse driver is installed.

Installing the Mouse

1. Boot the computer and determine the COM port IRQ assignments by using the MSD command:

   C:\>MSD 

   Record the COM port IRQ numbers:

2. Shut down the computer, plug the mouse into an unused serial port, and then boot the computer.

3. To display the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, enter the following command:

   C:\>TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT 

   Copy the AUTOEXEC.BAT file into the space provided:

4. To display the CONFIG.SYS file, enter the following command:

   C:\>TYPE CONFIG.SYS 

   Copy the CONFIG.SYS file into the space:

5. To find the mouse installation program, insert the mouse driver disk and enter the following:

   A:\>DIR 

   In the directory that is displayed, look for a file that contains Install or Setup.

6. To install the mouse driver, enter the installation filename. Accept all defaults:

   A:\>INSTALL 

7. Reboot the computer. The boot process executes the changes made to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files by the mouse driver.

8. To test the mouse, execute the EDIT program or any program that supports a mouse:

   C:\>EDIT 

9. To exit the EDIT utility, click FILE, and then click EXIT.

10. If the mouse does not function, press Alt+F to open a menu, press the X key to exit the Edit utility, and then return to step 6.

11. Compare the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files with the originals from steps 3 and 4. Enter the following to display the files:

    C:\>TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT C:\>TYPE CONFIG.SYS 

12. Run the MSD utility and note the mouse port and the IRQ assignment for the mouse port:

    C:\>MSD