Optional Windows Update freezes PS2 Mouse and Keyboards – now here’s the fix

Think installing all the optional updates for Windows is a good thing?

If you are one of the many who suddenly found their PS2 keyboard and mouse stopped working after downloading from Optional Updates an IdeaCom HID PS/2 Touchscreen driver for Windows XP or Vista, you may think different.

This driver is accidently being pushed as an optional driver update for many computers that do not even have this touchscreen installed — and in such systems, installation may cause your PS2 mouse and keyboard to stop working.

Microsoft is usually pretty good at resolving issues like this quickly, but if this has happened to you, some have resolved it by using System Restore to roll the system back to the restore point prior to the driver install. If this doesn’t work, plug in a USB mouse and keyboard and remove the IdeaCom HID PS/2 Touchscreen device in the Device Manager. Not sure how to do that? Check out Ed Bott’s fix at http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=2326 for more details.

FYI: If all this leaves you thinking, “The heck with Windows Updates!”, let me put it into perspective. Critical updates for your operating system are VITAL. Think of them as patching a hole in your Operating Sysem that virus and spyware creators often use to gain access to it. Without critical upates, your system is more at risk for malware infections, hijacking, identity theft, and more.

Optional updates, however, are a different story. They are, well… OPTIONAL. They exist to add some potential benefit to the system, but are not necessary for the safe functioning of your computer. These often include driver updates for hardware components Windows Updates recognized as being installed on your computer.

The best rule to consider when thinking of downloading an optional update is this: am I having any problems with the hardware currently installed on my computer? If not, I wouldn’t worry about installing optional updates. If you depend on the latest and greatest performance tweaks that come from running the newest hardware drivers, I recommend downloading drivers directly from the manufacturer of your computer or the card (video and other add-in cards) in question, and installing it directly.

In short, if your PS2 Mouse or keyboard stopped running after downloading updates, give the above steps a try and see if the above helps. If not, come visit us at Geek Squad. We sorta specialize in making your technology work well for you.