Mouse-Trak Ps/2 trackball wont work with USB adapter

[CreamyNutButter]

I bought a Mouse-Trak B-5XXMP trackball from eBay.  It is a PS/2 trackball and it works perfect in my other computer's PS/2 slot.  I bought a PS/2 to USB adapter but when it is plugged in any usb port it says "USB Device not Recognized".  I suspect that the adapter is faulty as it "is wholesale from China factory"  and looks like a piece of crap.  It is green, which would indicate that it is only for a mouse, but the seller claimed it will work with a mouse and keyboard.  It pisses me off how it works perfect with PS/2 but not a USB port through an adapter.

[keyb_gr]

Sounds like a problem with that particular adapter to me. Check the wiki for some potential replacement candidates.

[CreamyNutButter]

I wish there was a way to get this adapter to work, because the cheapest good adapter costs $20 and the trackball only cost $10.

[Milquetoast]

What you have is very likely an adapter, and not a converter. An adapter just connects the appropriate pins, and only works with devices that are designed to be compatible with USB and PS/2. In those devices, the electronics determine whether it should be operating as USB or PS/2 when you plug it in.

Older PS/2 devices, however, can't speak USB, and need a converter, which translates the PS/2 protocol to USB.

If you payed less than $5 bucks, you undoubtedly have an adapter.

[CreamyNutButter]

What you have is very likely an adapter, and not a converter. An adapter just connects the appropriate pins, and only works with devices that are designed to be compatible with USB and PS/2. In those devices, the electronics determine whether it should be operating as USB or PS/2 when you plug it in.

Older PS/2 devices, however, can't speak USB, and need a converter, which translates the PS/2 protocol to USB.

If you payed less than $5 bucks, you undoubtedly have an adapter.

Yes, I found an actual converter cable that only costs a bit more, it is a Sabrent cable with an actual converter.  This one was identical to one of the good ones on the wiki.  The one I had was just a stupid plug changer.