HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tdbear@tandon.com (Tom Barrett)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: MR. BIOS, Has anybody heard about this BIOS??
Date: 13 Aug 92 17:29:01 GMT
Organization: Tandon Corporation, Moorpark, CA

In article <1992Aug12.180920.29359@usho93.hou281.chevron.com> hhtne@usho52.hou281.chevron.com (H.T.Nettles) writes:
>>It's M.R. BIOS, not MR. BIOS
>
>The M.R. stands for Mecroid Research (spelling?)

Actually, it is "MR BIOS" on the label... it *does* mean
Microid Research, but is still pronounced "Mister BIOS" by
most people.

-- 
Tom Barrett (TDBear)    tdbear@tandon.com                 voice 805-378-6207
Tandon Corporation      tdbear@p6.f1006.n102.z1.fidonet.org fax 805-529-8895
Sr. HW Design Engineer  "War is Peace, No is Yes, And We're All Free!" 
[The views expressed herein may not be shared by the organization of origin]
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: darel@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (darel)
Subject: PD Adaptec 1740A Software?
Organization: Department of Computer Science, McMaster University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:51:16 GMT

Hello,

We are currently faced with the prospect of creating software for a 
EISA 486 box to handle streaming data to an Exabyte-8500 attached to
an Adaptec AHA-1740A SCSI controller. Before begining I thought I'd 
ask the net if anyone is familiar with any PD software (ideally in
source form) which would demonstrate SCSI control of the Exabyte.


I guess I am looking for an appropriate archive site or leads to 
complete packages or code fragments.


Thanks for any help,

Darel


=============================================================================
Darel Mesher		     VE3DLT	
Electrical and Computer Engineering
McMaster University			    darel@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
=============================================================================


-- 
=============================================================================
Darel Mesher		     VE3DLT	
Electrical and Computer Engineering
McMaster University			    darel@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
From: chaim@linc.cis.upenn.edu (Chaim R. Dworkin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Gateway Telepath....does it work?
Date: 21 Aug 92 16:42:44 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

I am waiting for my third replacement of my Telepath modem.  The previous
two didn't work.  In a conversation with the Gateway tech support person
the conversation ended with his comment, "What do you want for $195? It's
a cheap modem and cannot handle line noise like the more expensive modems."

I also went through 5 Crystal Scan monitors before I got
one that worked.

Next time I'm buying a DELL.


Chaim R. Dworkin
chaim@linc.cis.upenn.edu
From: marvin@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Marvin Taylor)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 01:17:39 GMT
Subject: Re: QIC-40 vs. QIC-80 formats?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware

> Now, the 3M DC2000 cartridges which support the QIC-40 are universally
> available, but these are limited to 40Mb.  The 3M DC2060, which is the
> same as the DC2000, but with 60Mb capacity, can't be found (does
> someone know a supplier ot these)?

> There is a 3M DC2120 60Mb cartridge, which supports the QIC-80
> standard, which is also ubiquitous.  Can this be used in a QIC-40
> drive?  Colorado's documentation is ambiguous on this point.

Yes.  Per their BBS, the 120 can use a DC2000 or DC2120.  The 250 can
use the DC2120 or (if I remember) DC2080.

In fact, my roommate has a 120 and borrowed a DC2120 from me and had no
problems.

The 120 uses QIC-40 and the 250 uses QIC-80, regardless of the tape.
Also, the 250 can *read* the 120's tapes, but that's all as far as it
goes.

- Marvin
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:22010 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:11571 comp.windows.x:15306 comp.unix.bsd:4271
From: abh@genesis.nred.ma.us (Andrew Hudson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,comp.windows.x,comp.unix.bsd
Subject: Re: WANTED: highest graphics performance under 386BSD X11R5, DOS, Windows
Date: 16 Aug 92 14:58:04 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Genesis Public Access Minix  +1 508 664 0149

The fastest VGA cards fall into three categories:
34020 TIGA based (very expensive, $500+, awkward drviers)
S3 based (fast line drawing, $200+)
WINGINE based (just released by Chips and Technologies, VERY fast)

The Wingine VGA cards are not yet in wide distribution but
I have heard that they do not have the silly segmented memory
addressing bottle-neck of regular VGA cards. This will be a BIG plus.

Andrew says check 'em out.

- Andrew
From: hhtne@usho52.hou281.chevron.com (H.T.Nettles)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: MR. BIOS, Has anybody heard about this BIOS??
Date: 12 Aug 92 18:09:20 GMT
Organization: Chevron

In article <1992Aug11.185720.23468@panix.com> schuster@panix.com (Michael Schuster) writes:
>In article <168408591.JWEST@r3vm.dsd.trw.com> JWEST@r3vm.dsd.trw.com (Judson West) writes:
>>In article <13998@goanna.cs.rmit.oz.au>
>>gtj@goanna.cs.rmit.oz.au (Glenn T Jayaputera) writes:
>> 
>>>Has anybody heard about 'MR. BIOS'  ?  How is it??  Is it fully compatible
>>>with something like AMI or Award bios??
>>>
>>>thank you
>>>GLenn Jayaputera
>> 
>>Yes, it runs on MR. Computer. It comes with a MR. SVGA Monitor, MR. MOUSE
>>and MR. WINDOWS instead of MS. WINDOWS (definitly a MANs computer).
>
>Nice attempt at humor, but I think you've got it wrong.
>It's M.R. BIOS, not MR. BIOS

The M.R. stands for Mecroid Research (spelling?).  In my experience,
this is the best ROM BIOS available.  You will also find that it is  
the most expensive as well, which is why you don't find it on very
many new motherboards.

-- 
  | Henry T. Nettles                      Mail: hhtne@hou281.chevron.com |  
  | Seismic Technology Division                                          |
  | Chevron Petroleum Technology Co.      Tel:  (713) 596-2453           |
  | Houston, Texas  77242-2832            Fax:  (713) 596-3041           |
From: fevrier@sunburn.ec.usf.edu. (Ian Fevrier (EE))
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Are SEAGATE drives any good ?
Date: 10 Aug 92 06:36:20 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Univ. of South Florida, College of Engineering



Recently I had a local computer dealer  try to convince me that Seagate
drives are not worth the metal they're built with.

To this date I would have sworn on a Seagate so I'd like to know if I
have just been lucky. 

Any data to substantiate this dealers claim ?
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:22095 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:11609
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 10:40:51 EDT
From: BOB CONN <REC102@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Gateway's E-mail address info they sent me

Write to GATEWAY@AOL.COM.  They are on America On Line.  The
person in charge of on-line services is Cyndy Lloyd.  She will
most likely be the one receiving your message on AOL should
you wish to address it to someone at Gateway.
******************************
REC102 @ PSUVM
REC102 @ PSUVM.PSU.EDU (INTERNET)
BOB CONN
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
******************************
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: bp112@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steven C. Lin)
Subject: Disgnostic the provides POST-type error codes???
Reply-To: bp112@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steven C. Lin)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 04:40:25 GMT

A friend of mine has a sick computer... I have a great book called Que's
Upgrading and Repairing PCs [unsolicited plug!], that lists all of the
IBM POST and Diagnostic Error Codes.  The problem is, the only way I can
see these codes is by using IBM's Advanced Diagnostics diskette, which
probably costs more than I want to pay.  My question is... Does anyone
know of a freeware/shareware program that will display these codes??  If
so, could they provide me with the ftp site that has it (or other means
of getting it)?  Any help would be appreciated!

BTW, the error is in the floppy drive/controller, so it is not a fatal
error, that is why the BIOS won't disply it on bootup!

Steve Lin
bp112@cleveland.freenet.edu

-- 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.arch
From: jimh@pacdata.uucp (Jim Harkins)
Subject: Re: 486DX light in a 486SX tunnel.
Organization: Pacific Data Products
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 16:40:54 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.204236.10495@kithrup.COM> sef@kithrup.COM (Sean Eric Fagan) writes:
>Not Cyrix:  they decided to not get into the 486 business.
>
>Or was it C&T who pulled out?  Gah.  Brain rot.

Cyrix has the '386 that they call a 486.  C&T pulled out of the 486 market.

jim

-- 
Lawyers Creed:  What's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Harkins                         [ucsd|uunet]!pacdata!jim
Pacific Data Products               jim@pacdata.com
--------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,sci.electronics
From: derbyc@tplrd.tpl.oz.au (Derby Chang)
Subject: Re: What is the difference between DX and SX?
Organization: Telectronics Pacing Systems
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 22:47:47 GMT

The way I heard it was that the DX had the full on-board maths coprocessor,
and the SX had the same co-processor, but disabled !!!

It had something to do with market positioning....

Derby.
From: adsb@bnr.co.uk (Andrew Benham)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: When is an AMI BIOS
Date: 14 Aug 92 16:07:25 GMT
Organization: BNR Europe Limited, Harlow, GB

Date: Friday 14th August 1992

not an AMI BIOS?

We've several 486DX machines in the lab at work with AMI BIOSs. The features
provided by this BIOS (e.g. configurable NUM LOCK at start-up, drive boot
order chosen by user, and many others) was one of the reasons when I bought
my own 486DX that I specified an AMI BIOS.

Now, my machine has an AMI BIOS in it, *but* it only implements a small
sub-set of the features of the machines in the lab. The two features
I give as examples as above are missing, as is a number of others.

I'm slightly puzzled! I can understand that certain BIOS features (ROM
shadowing, memory wait states, etc) are functions of the chipset and
perhaps the motherboard: however I would have thought that the startup
NUM LOCK state (for example) could be user-configurable on any machine.

I'm further confused in that looking through a "Buyers' Guide" for 486 PCs,
there are PCs listed with identical motherboards, identical chipsets, with
AMI BIOSs, *but* with different BIOS features.

So I'm wondering whether I've been sold a pup? Looking through the BIOS ROM
area of memory, I can see all the text strings for the options that don't
appear. Is there perhaps a table of flags in the ROM which controls which
features are implemented in a particular ROM? Or do I need to buy a full-
spec AMI BIOS to get the extra features?

Andrew Benham
(adsb@bnr.co.uk)
(also g8fsl@g8fsl.ampr.org [44.131.19.45])
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: kgermann@zeos.com (Ken Germann)
Subject: Re: Performance difference between 486SLC, 386DX-40 and 486DX-25,33
Organization: Zeos International, Ltd. 
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 02:31:55 GMT

The SLC sits at about 65-72 on the SI rating for Norton. Cyrix markets it
as being equal to the Intel 486SX-25. Databooks are available on the 486SLC
from Cyrix. The SLC has a 16 bit bus. The 486SX and 386DX have a 32 bit bus.
The pricing on the SLC is about the same as the Intel 386SX-20 chip. Cyrix
added a addition in the hardware to help speed up the processor. There are 
a few traces on a 386SX motherboard that need to be made in order to 
control the 1k cache and the suspend mode that is built into the processor.

Overall the performance and price are worth investigating. Intel is
taking Cyrix seriously.. 
-- 
	  Moderator of biz.zeos.announce and biz.zeos.general.
	
			   info@zeos.com 
Ken Germann		support@zeos.com 	Zeos International, Ltd.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Anyone Heard Of This Comm Card??
From: pwhite@urbana.mcd.mot.com (Patrick White)
Date: 14 Aug 92 17:27:13 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Urbana Design Center

I am trying to use this rs232 comm card but I have no 
information for it, any help is much appreciated.

It is an 8 bit, half size PC card. Looks like it has at
least 2 serial ports and a real time clock of sorts. The
silkscreen says it is a `Diamond 0100'. I know this isn't 
much to go on, but if anyone has heard of a manufacturer or
a brand name like this, it would be a start.

Thanks.

Pat White

Motorola - Core
1101 E. University Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801

pwhite@udc.urbana.mcd.mot.com
From: ebrown@bud_light.kodak.com (Eric Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Which network card?
Date: 20 Aug 92 18:05:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: bud_ligh.EBROWN.92Aug20140559
Reply-To: ebrown@tap.kodak.com
Organization: Eastman Kodak Company


I'm trying to buy a TCP/IP thin (BNC Coax) eternet card. For NT purposes,
I must choose between:
    Etherlink II (8 bit)           $179
    Etherlink II / 16 (16 bit)     $279
    SMC/West.Dig. WD8013 (16 bit)  $179
    SMC/West.Dig. WD8003 (? bits)  $???

Why is the Etherlink II/16 so much more then the WD8013?
Isn't 8-bit fast enough?
   [I thought an 8-bit bus @ 5 MHz = 8bits * 2.5MHz = 2.5MBytes per second
    while ethernet is only 10MBits/second = 1.1MBytes/second. Shouldn't 8
    bits be fast enough?]

Thanks in advance,
Eric Brown.
--
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: robertt@vcd.hp.com (Bob Taylor)
Subject: Re: Printing text on DeskJet 500C with color ink
Organization: Hewlett-Packard VCD
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 23:16:02 GMT

Arthur Leung (Arthur_Leung@mindlink.bc.ca) wrote:
: I should have been more specific about my question. Actually I need to print
: text in DOS, not Windows, using color cartridge in a DeskJet 500C. Is there
: anyone who knows of a way of doing it?
: 

You can't do this with ASCII text calls - the DeskJet 500C only
supports graphics with the color pen.  If you want text, you have
to rasterize the text into graphics before sending it.

With the black pen installed, the DeskJet 500C is just like a
DeskJet 500 (DJ500 drivers will work fine).  ASCII text will
work fine in this mode.

: Thanks for any info.
: 
: Arthur

Bob Taylor
HP Vancouver
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: S3679988@deimos.ucc.umass.edu (S3679988)
Subject: Re: FYI: Availability 586, 486 DX2 66 Mhz
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 21:52:58 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20

In <92223.195329JXS118@psuvm.psu.edu> Jeff writes:

> I spent some time on the phone with Intel today. They said the 586 would not be
> available until sometime first quarter 1993. They said the chip was being
> retooled for easier manufacturability (sp?).
> 
> Intel publicly announced the 66 Mhz DX2 486 chip today. This is the clock
> doubled version of the 33Mhz 486. Intel says it will take about 1 month
> to "stock the channel" to get chips into vendor motherboards.
> 
> I asked about 100Mhz DX2 chips. The guy said Intel has made no public
> announcements regarding these chips.


jeesh...should've asked about a DX3/99 or is that just a pipe dream ;)

-- craig
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: jeff@is.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp (Jeff McAffer)
Subject: What's an NE2000?
Reply-To: jeff@is.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Organization: University of Tokyo, Good Times Department.
Distribution: comp
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 01:18:41 GMT


I have recently seen some ethernet cards labeled NE2000 and people
talking about other cards as being NE2000 compatible.  This seems to
typically be in a NetWare setting but I no one seems to really know
what these cards are.  Can someone out there tell me what these cards
are like.  Are the compatible with anything like the WD800x or the
3com cards?


--
atode, |m         -- "What happened to all my disk space?"
                     "I hear Mike took it."
                     "Bastard!"
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: choe@dirac.phys.washington.edu (In-Jerng Choe)
Subject: What can I do with Adaptec 4000A/MFM drive and 3530/Qic 36 Tape drive?
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 07:47:23 GMT

First of all, I'd like to thank you very much for all those kind replies
I received for my previous post (about Priam drive).
Actually, I have

 1. Adaptec 4000A SCSI to MFM controller card with Priam 70M MFM drive V185
 2. Adaptec 3530 SCSI to QIC36 controller card with Tape drive 
    (Wangtek 5099EN24).

They are removed from an old (_working_) 3com file server (dated 1987?),
which is no longer worth to use :-(
Because I don't have any internal space available, I was trying to
swap one of my small hard drives with Priam.   Somehow, my PC can
not access the drive, although I tried nearest possible matches.
Still, the same drive works OK in the original 3com server.
I wish to use them as external SCSI devices if possible, but I don't know
whether they are compatible with current SCSI host adaptors.
And how about all those IRQs to set?

Currently my system has
 Intel 386 (really made by Intel!) w/ Pheonix 386 BIOS v1.0
 1.2 & 1.44 Meg floppies
 Quantum 540  &  Seagate ST251
 LPT1 and LPT2 are used. (IRQ5, IRQ7)
 COM1 port is used. (IRQ4)
 3c503 ethernet card (IRQ3)
 ATI Wonder XL with bus mouse (IRQ2)
 1-8 bit & 1-16 bit slot free

Is it possible to use a SCSI adaptor in my PC with all those IRQs consumed
already?  If then, could somebody recommend one?
What kind of software do I need in addition to the adaptor card?

Many many thanks for any advice.

Jay

--
Physics FM-15, U of Wash., Seattle, WA 98195      choe@phys.washington.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.windows.x,comp.unix.sysv386
From: mark@lowton.rn.com (Mark Powell)
Subject: Orchid Prodesigner IIHCs and Sampo Alphascan 15
Organization: Mark-one Communications
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 13:28:21 GMT

An X386 question:
I have an Orchid Prodesigner IIHCs and a Sampo Alphascan 15
monitor. I got the Xconfig database off of comp.windows.x
some weeks ago and from it I see my card can clock up to 75MHz.
(I'd previously only been using the 65MHz clock which I was told existed.)
The Sampo can sync. up to 60KHz according to docs. (anyone
know better?), but when I try the following Xconfig values
I get a steadier picture (higher vertical sync.) than a 65MHz clock,
but there is image breakup on vertical lines.

###############################################################################
# Card: 		Orchid ProDesigner IIs
# Contributor: 		David Wexelblat [dwex@mtgzz.att.com]
# Last Edit Date: 	10/14/91
#
# chip    ram   virtual    clocks                   default-mode  flags
 ET4000  1024  1152 900    25 28 32 36 40 45 75 65  "1152x864"

# name       clock  horzontal timing      vertical timing      flags
"640x480"   25     640  672  768  800    480  490  492  525
"800x600"   36     800  848  920 1056    600  608  610  633
"936x702"   65	   936  968 1168 1208    702  747  788  810
"1024x768i" 45    1024 1064 1224 1264    768  777  785  817   Interlace
"1024x768"  65    1024 1064 1128 1280    768  768  770  800
"1152x864"  75    1152 1200 1248 1400    864  864  876  900

Monitor's fastest horizontal sync.= 1/60000 = 16.67us
1152x864 mode horizontal time = 1/75000000 * 1400 = 18.67us
18.67us = 1/18.67e-6 = 53571Hz (well below the 60KHz maximum monitor sync.)

This is the original database entry with the numbers trimmed a little
in the "1024x768" line and my own "1152X864" line. The "1024x768" is
fine at 65MHz, but if the clock value is changed to 75 in Xconfig and
X restarted the display is steady, but again with vertical line break-up.
The monitor cable is supposed to be shielded and the monitor doesn't seem
to be near any RFI source.

Anyone any ideas why this is happening?
I can only assume that the Sampo is not up to it's specs.?

Thanks in advance.

BTW Even though using 75 gives break-up maybe I'll keep using it if it's
    better for my eyes. Anyone agree? Maybe a repost to sci.med? I'm
    using 75 at the mo. to post this article, so the break-up isn't bad,
    just annoying after sitting down and working out that from the specs.
    this card and monitor should provide a 1024x768 at around 70Hz. Only
    to find I've got to settle around 60Hz.
-- 
Mark Powell

mark@lowton.rn.com				Home:	+44 942 714317
uunet!gator!jshark!lowton!mark			Nr. Manchester, UK.
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:22254 comp.arch:8968
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.arch
Subject: Re: Does a 487sx shut down the 486sx??
From: strauss@uncavx.unca.edu
Date: 19 Aug 92 21:25:52 -0500
Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville
Nntp-Posting-User: strauss

In article <IeYSMJK00Voz8Vf8ZN@andrew.cmu.edu>, ks3l+@andrew.cmu.edu (Kenton Shaver) writes:
> Could anyone clear this up for me?
> I read it in some magazine, but my ECE
> friend is credulous.  Will my 487sx
> just shut the 486sx down and take over?
> 

This wasn't a good deal until the 486 DX2 came along. The DX2 is a full
486 chip and replaces the 486SX: either by pulling the old chip and inserting
the new one (some systems) or by plugging the DX2 into a free slot. Yes, it
does shut down the SX chip.

The advantage is that you get a 486 system for about $500 cheaper than a DX2
system, and in 2-3 years, when the chip costs about $100, you can upgrade to a
"real" 486.  So, all of a sudden, this is not such a bad deal.

**************************************
**           Bob Strauss            **
**         Ramsey Library           **
**          UNC-Asheville           **
**       Asheville, NC 28804        **
**       Strauss@UNCA.BITNET        **
**     Strauss@uncavx.unca.edu      **
**************************************
From: cis501@clark.edu (Charles Boling)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: HELP: Genius Mouse
Summary: Want to install reset switch
Date: 20 Aug 92 18:07:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: clark.1992Aug20.180704.22559
Organization: Clark College, Vancouver, Wa.  USA

I have a genius mouse.  For those not familliar with this mouse, it has two 
operating modes: Microsoft and MouseSystem.  Instead of having a little switch
on the bottom like many mice (mouses?), it defaults to Mouse System, unless you
hold down one of the buttons during power-up of your system.

Naturally, I never remember to hold down the button when I turn on my computer,
and many of my programs will not work with Mouse System.  What I want to do is 
install a "reset" button on the side of my mouse, so that I can hold it down to
kill power to the mouse, then push one of the other buttons (or not push them)
to switch modes.

I checked out the wiring on the mouse, and here's the RS232 signals it uses:

PIN Signal
 1  Prot. GND
 2  Tx
 3  Rx
 4  RTS
 7  Sig. GND
20  DTR

I was thinking of using a Double-Pole, Normally Open momentary contact
subminiature pushbutton on the side of the mouse to break the two ground
lines.  I don't know what signal(s) it checks on power-up, but I figure
that if I break both grounds, it will effectively kill all the signals.

Does this sound okay?  Does anyone know of any reason I should not do this?
I'm not a real electronics wizzard, and I'd hate to spend an hour or more on
this project only to damage my mouse!

Any info as to whether I should/should not do this would be appreciated.

 
-- 
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\ Charles L. Boling   cis501@clark.edu             Clark College       /
/                     cis501@wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu    Vancouver, WA  USA  \
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/