Member Avatar for Sabrina

Hello,
I am using Windows XP Home edition and my mouse does not work in safe mode, otherwise, it works without any problems. The keyboard works in safe mode. Will you please tell me how I can get my mouse to work in safe mode? I've searched the internet and the Microsoft Knowledge Base and only found something relating to Windows 2000 or earlier.

I am using a serial mouse and connecting to my computer's serial port.

The registry shows this:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\
sermouse.sys

sermouse.sys shows this:
Name Type Data
ab (Default) REG_SZ Driver


In Control Panel\Mouse\Hardware\Properties\Driver\Driver Details:

Driver files:
(green check mark) C:\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\mouclass.sys
(green check mark) C:\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\sermouse.sys

File version for mouclass.sys is 5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)
File version for sermouse.sys is 5.1.2600.0 (XPClient.010817-1148)
both have the Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows XP Publisher

Both files, sermouse.sys and mouclass.sys, do appear in the System32\Drivers file. The mouclass.sys entry does not exist in the registry. I tried adding mouclass.sys to the registry--no effect--although I let stand the name as (Default) because I didn't know what else to call it. Next, I tried deleting sermouse.sys and leaving mouclass.sys in the registry--no effect. So, I returned everything back to what it was. I added sermouse.sys and deleted mouclass.sys. Will you help me?

Thank you,
Sabrina

  • 3 Contributors
  • 4 Replies
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  • 7 Months Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Kinseeker69

Dani AI

Generated

As discovered, the behavior is not a mystery of the mouse hardware so much as how Safe Mode picks drivers. Safe Mode only starts services that are explicitly listed under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal

and it expects service names (for example mouclass and sermouse), not driver filenames like sermouse.sys. If the service keys are missing or were created with the wrong name/value (for example a key named sermouse.sys or a default value of Driver), the serial mouse driver will not be started. PS/2 mice typically work because the i8042/mouse class drivers are included by default; USB/serial mice often require extra drivers that Safe Mode does not load unless explicitly enabled (as noted).

From a working Windows session the safe fix is to add the service names under the SafeBoot\Minimal key (back up the registry first). Example steps:

  1. Export HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal as a backup.
  2. Run regedit.
  3. Create two subkeys (if missing) named mouclass and sermouse under that path.
  4. Set each key's default (REG_SZ) value to the literal string Service.
  5. Reboot and select Safe Mode.

A registry (.reg) fragment that implements the above:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\mouclass]
@="Service"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\sermouse]
@="Service"

Notes and cautions: always export keys before editing and create a System Restore point if available. Verify the corresponding service entries exist under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ (for example sermouse and mouclass) and that the driver files exist in \Windows\System32\drivers. If editing the registry is not desirable, the simplest workaround is the PS/2 mouse that used, or using BIOS USB-legacy support for a USB mouse where available. For situations where core system files are damaged, Recovery Console / repair options (as suggested) may be required.

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for RC_Razor

i havnt found anything on this sry .. There are circumstances where safe mode will not be able to help you, such as when Windows system files that are required to start the system are corrupted or damaged. In this case, the Recovery Console may help you.

and make sure you chooseing the right safe mode ...

To start the computer in safe mode

  1. You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 2.
  2. Click Start, click Shut Down, and then, in the drop-down list, click Shut down.
  3. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart, and then click OK.
  4. When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8.
  5. Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.
  6. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access using the arrow keys, and then press ENTER.
Member Avatar for RC_Razor

and you might want to contact :evil: microsoft:evil: and ask them they help sometimes... :rolleyes: (maybe)

Member Avatar for Sabrina

Finally---

I guess XP doesn't support a serial mouse in safe mode but it does support a ps/2 mouse. I tried a ps/2 and now have a mouse in safe mode.

Thanks,

Sabrina

Member Avatar for Kinseeker69

Is your mouse a USB mouse ? If it is then it's not supported in Safe-Mode

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