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I have an old but good PS/2 mouse that I want to use with my new Lenovo laptop. But there are no PS/2 ports.
How can I use my good old mouse?
How can I insert my PS/2 mouse in a USB port?
Answers
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John T
Posted 2010-02-14T16:17:04.453
Reputation: 149 037
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A word of warning: I cannot specifically vouch for this adapter, but most PS/2 to USB adapters do not actually convert the PS/2 signal to a USB one, and as such, some older devices will not work using most PS/2 to USB adapters. I've had to cross this hurtle with my IBM Model M. http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/124184 is one of the few that I have found that actually converts older hardware for a reasonable price.
– Emory Bell – 2010-02-14T16:59:09.643@Emory you are correct. Significantly older devices will not work, they need to be USB compliant as well I believe. – John T – 2010-02-14T17:15:08.043
1I have lots of experience of them not working. on a related note, USB devices have inbuilt support for ps2 and a little adaptor thing like you pictured but the other way, will let you plug a usb keyb/mouse in a ps2 port. But if going ps2 to usb, with a ps2 device, then no, you need a big style adaptor. They look different. Every ps2 keyb i've tried has not worked with the little adaptor. Maybe maybe new ps2 keyboards do work with them. I always had to use big style adaptors for ps2 devices in usb ports. anyhow, normally i plugged ps2 in ps2 so had no need even for the big style one! – barlop – 2010-10-27T20:40:13.513
1the fatter ones, convert signals.. The one pictured by johnt is just as emory's link describes.. a "passive adaptor"(they all look the same) rather than a signal converter(emory's link mentions both). ps2 keybs i had always needed a signal converter type - some are bigger than others. I had a very big one that did keyb and mouse together 2-ps2 to 1 usb, but emory links to a nice one. just ps2 to usb and not very large. – barlop – 2010-10-27T20:48:35.823
@barlop so you are negging me because of your bad luck? nice logic my friend. – John T – 2010-10-27T22:08:18.877
1how common are ps2 keyboards with built in usb support? there are certainly loads of ps2 keyboards around still being used, that don't. There probably aren't even that many ps2 keyboards being made anymore.. I have seen new USB keyboards with a usb-ps2 adaptor on them. but are there many new ps2 ones out(and with usb support)? what % of ps2 keyboards in circulation support usb? Maybe it requires a lot of good luck rather than an absence of bad luck, for that little ps2-usb adaptor to work. – barlop – 2010-10-27T22:20:57.647
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@barlop for legacy keyboards, correct, you will need the signal converted. Most people aren't using these ancient keyboards that sound like typewriters, as awesome as they are. For PS/2 keyboards that are still produced, I'd say 80% or upwards will work with a simple passive adapter like this. And trust me, a lot are still manufactured: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100008650%20600009661&IsNodeId=1&name=PS%2f2
– John T – 2010-10-27T22:43:28.590@JohnT, The page you linked to is actually very expensive. NewEgg has them a lot cheaper.
– Drew Chapin – 2013-05-24T03:36:21.4300
For a bit more of a complete answer - a lot of modern mice and keyboards have processors that can handle both the PS/2 and USB protocols. In these cases a passive adaptor that simply changes the physical connection will do.
There's two scenarios where you need an active connector - firstly, where power draw is significantly higher than expected - some old Model Ms fall under this category. The second is where the mouse is old enough that it dosen't actually speak USB.
Interestingly the famous blue cube I recommend when people are looking for such an adaptor may not work for mice - you'll want an active converter with a mouse specific port - which often means a USB -> 2x PS/2 converter.
Journeyman Geek
Posted 2010-02-14T16:17:04.453
Reputation: 119 122
USB mice are cheap. Considering the low cost and the lack of economy in buying one PS/2-to-USB adapter you might be better off just buying a new USB mouse. – None – 2013-05-24T03:50:18.050