how to reinstall mouse driver

[metrojohnny]

mouse goes bad, try others including new wireless one.  None work.  After researching find out that the mouse driver is no longer installed.  How that could happen in itself is a head scratcher.

Microsoft tells me to contact HP.  HP tells me they do not provide driver downloads for my product since it was purchased prior to 2013 and since it is now running Windows 10.

Seriously?  It is a mouse.  How can it be that complicated?

[mdklassen]

From a command-line prompt, enter:   CD   C:\Windows\inf

and press ENTER

Enter: DIR MSMOUSE* INPUT*

and press ENTER

Do you see output like:

13/07/2009  09:31 PM            57,556 msmouse.inf
13/01/2016  06:53 PM            92,424 msmouse.PNF

13/02/2018  02:34 PM            69,292 input.inf
14/02/2018  08:23 AM           137,696 input.PNF
               4 File(s)        356,968 bytes

Use the RENAME command:

    RENAME msmouse.PNF msmouse.PNF.OLD

    RENAME input.PNF            input.PNF.OLD

Then, connect any "plug-and-play" mouse to your computer.

Windows should rebuild those 2 'PNF' files, and should load the device-drivers for the newly-attached mouse.

> Microsoft tells me to contact HP. 

How convenient for Microsoft. 

> HP tells me they do not provide driver downloads for my product since it was purchased prior to 2013

> and since it is now running Windows 10.

How convenient for HP.  

It is true that HP has not tested HP computers manufactured before August 2013 for compatibility with Windows 10.

I doubt that HP tested any HP keyboard or any HP mouse for compatibility with Windows 10.

Is your mouse the original HP mouse, or is it a mouse from a different manufacturer?

If the latter, then it should be "plug-and-play", you have a "software" problem with Microsoft Windows, and need to talk to Microsoft again.

Does any USB device, e.g., USB memory-stick, or USB-interface to an external disk-drive, or to a printer, work for you?

If not, you have a problem with the USB hardware on your HP motherboard.

[metrojohnny]

Hello md, 

Thanks for reply.

the directory does not show the msmouse inf or PNF files

It shows input.inf and input.PNF & xinputid.inf and xinputid.PNF files as the 4 files listed.

should I rename xinputid?

also, what is next step after renaming and plugging in mouse?  restart?

[mdklassen]

>  The directory does not show the msmouse inf or PNF files.

I guess that I have contacted a wider variety of mice to my computer, forcing Windows to create/update the 'msmouse.inf' file, and then Windows automatically creates the 'pnf' file.

> It shows input.inf and input.PNF & xinputid.inf and xinputid.PNF files as the 4 files listed.

> should I rename xinputid?

For a first step, just rename the 'input.pnf' file.

> what is next step after renaming and plugging in mouse? 

The mouse should be "plug-and-play", i.e., not requiring a restart.

A few "plug-and-play" devices (not a mouse) do require a restart, and Windows will prompt you to restart, if need be.

[metrojohnny]

input.PNF no longer shown either

assume this may because I reinstalled Windows 10 in between your suggestions