Looks like maybe ‘mule syndrome’ is fairly widespread among those who frequent this forum.
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Please watch the OA ( don’t read the plot on wiki/imdb). You’ll either love it or hate it.
Wife hates you and thinks you’re a good-for-nothing sloth! Deal with it 
Why a combo? Keyboard stopped working too??
Hmm. While we’re at it, let me ask you. Is it possible to somehow pair a wireless mouse from a different brand with a wireless keyboard from another brand (like you use just one dongle for both of them). If so, then yes, I can buy just a wireless mouse, instead of a combo. I don’t think this is possible, but you tell me…
The keyboard I’m now left with is from Microsoft.
It took about 4 hours and I have no idea what I did but it still works after 4 years.
Oh! The joy of serendipitiously fixing something! 
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So…will you tell me what is mule syndrome?
(Or are you going to do a Morpheus and say: “Unfortunately the meaning of the mule syndrome cannot be explained to anyone; you’ll have to experience it yourself”)
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Hmm. While we’re at it, let me ask you. Is it possible to somehow pair a wireless mouse from a different brand with a wireless
I had different makes (successfully) stuck into a raspberry pi
So i guess it should be ok
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Are you talking about the TV show on Netflix?
How did you know?? Do you get it too??
I don’t see why not? Of course, you never know what Microsoft is capable of doing…
This is what I have got 3 months ago:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015NBTNHQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Made in China, but still works. 
Can’t beat that price. If you have a USB thing still available on your comp, just plug it in, done! It should work fine.
Yes, I love that!
Do you live in the USA? Then I would get this mousy for you! I’m serious!!! It’s almost Christmas! Let me know! (you can even choose your color, but don’t choose pink, it costs $1 more!)
That’s the least that can happen in this forum!
If you won’t tell us what “mule syndrome” is, at least let us know if it’s good or bad, please! We have the right to get prepared!
I’d say
mule syndrome = being stubborn
even if you’re making life difficult for yourself, and its an excellent way to learn. Especially if you’ve had too many birthdays
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Generally - no…
Logitech are trying to simplify this - and they even have software for Linux for a “unified driver” or whatever for Logitech 2.4 ghz devices and dongles… I doubt if that would work with Microsoft - and - it’s pretty picky on which dongles it will work with, and probably wouldn’t work with old old Logitech devices…
I tried to get it to work - I have a few Logitech USB dongle pieces of crap - and tried the universal driver doohicky - and couldn’t get it to work… I have all sorts of Logitech dongles, for headphones, trackpads (yeah like the trackpad on a mac - but for PC / Windows / Linux [works out of the box on Linux - with the dongle]) but couldn’t get the universal thingie to work on Linux, same with a Logitech headset (supports both Bluetooth and USB dongle) - coulnd’t get the universal driver to work on Linux…
I’ve actually thrown out keyboard / mouse combos (from Microsoft) when I damaged the USB dongle - A POX on those dongles I say - I don’t use them anymore - I only use Bluetooth (some of the devices I’ve purchased come as BOTH - i.e. Bluetooth AND USB 2.4 ghz dongle)… I try to avoid using the dongle, where possible - because I LOATHE the idea of losing one, or breaking it…
Telling a lie - I recently, stupidly, bought a “gaming headset” Razer Barracuda - that relies on a USB dongle! Not only that - the charging port is USB B (not f–king USB C? WTF?) - and I could never get them to work with conferencing VOIP on Linux either (Zoom, Jeans, Teams, WebEx etc)…
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Yes. A truly ground breaking piece of work; multi-layered, sublime storytelling but sadly, Netflix cancelled it after two seasons.
I guessed it. Came close to getting married twice, but luck would have it otherwise.
Ok, I meant to ask if the sole dongle will work for two different brands: like a microsoft keyboard and say an HP/Dell wireless mouse. @daniel.m.tripp has provided a correct answer to this question.
No, I don’t live in the States. And who uses a pink coloured mouse?!! 
You are promoting the demise of production capacity of your own country! Traitor!! 
The mouse I would probably buy would cost me around 3-4$, so I’m fine with it. Just a simple 3 button mouse with a scroll wheel. I’m ok with it.
**
PS: @shamu You know, the dongle for this mouse+keyboard combo has been inserted for such a long time, in the usb port, that it has permanetly distorted the shape of that port. And now, no other usb device/cable can be inserted in that port.
The weather induced expansion and contraction has permanently moulded that usb port to the shape of that specific dongle only. So now I lose one port permanently.
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Thanks a lot for the detailed reply. That was very informative and educative.
Yes, I doubt it too but perhaps I can try once. If it doesn’t work then I can get a refund.
It’s probably not possible. Can’t use a Honda part in a Ford.
I meant one port for a keyboard and one for a mouse, so they would use different drivers and get different signal. That should work.
I was wondering about that myself! Maybe girls?? And why does it cost $1 more???
No! I did not make that decision. I just have to live with it. 90% of all products made in China and nothing really works right. The other 10% in other countries and they are not any better either. You should feel sorry for us!
I suppose it’s a desktop pc, don’t you have more USB ports on that thing? You could get a USB hub?
I would never use my pc outside in the rain or sunshine…
You are a very simple guy…but many times it pays off…
I remember now, I used to have one of those Microsoft combos. First my mouse broke and the keyboard followed it shortly after. I guess they just can’t live without each other. So get ready! But don’t blame me again if it happens! 
Like this one… 
It may work until reaching a sharp bend 
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Topic TLDR;
Maybe you need to clean the wheel of your mouse and/or the optical sensors beside the wheel.
Search for mousewheel cleaning tips, there are some videos about it.
Yes, been making my mouse work that way for past ~3 years. But now this clean-up tip doesn’t work anymore.
Err…haha! Actually, its the number of years it has been used for. Long summers and then short but acute winters – that is what caused it. It is a port in my Dell monitor which has conked off. So plenty of ports in the CPU cabinet.
Deceptively simple 
First my mouse broke and the keyboard followed it shortly after. I guess they just can’t live without each other. So get ready! But don’t blame me again if it happens!
Know what man…~15 days ago, my PC stopped working. It developed some motherboard issue. I got it back today and the mechanic warned that he will not be able to repair it again (Phenom II 965 BE Quad Core + Gigabyte motherboard).
I think it is the recent lunar eclipse: bad for my zodiac. So many electronic stuff going down with the gap of 3-4 days.
<<Begin Alex Jones’ rant: &@#(8 and. the globalists…$(@…technocratic slavery…Bill Gates…something something…enslavement of humanity…)…Bezos…(@#)(@#…Soros…third-worldization of the first world…gay frogs…mark of the beast…)@#(@&$(…Kissinger…technocracy…globalists…end of Alex Jones’ rant>>
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all this talk of cleaning mouses reminds me of one job I had…
I was a Level 2/3 engineer, UNIX, some Netware and some Wintel.
My colleague was a level 3 engineer, Netware, and mostly Netware.
We got sent as arses-on-seats onsite for a “managed service” contract (outsourced IT) - but - the “Dead Wood” (inefficient slovenly civil servants [nothing wrong with civil service, I worked about 15 years before that as a civil servant]) HUGELY resented us being there - and the only ticket we SPECIALIST were ever allowed to work on - was “jerky mouse” - this was back in the day when mouses had balls, so either one of us, would trundle off with a bottle of cleaning alcohol and a rag to clean the accumulated lint out of the rollers the ball “rolled”…
Both of us were specialists, on probably 10-15 K p.a. more than the dead wood…
It was pretty depressing too… THANK F–K that was my morning shift, I’d then knock off, jump on my Suzuki GSXR1100 and ride about 15 km (about 15 km/h over the speed limit 
) up the Freeway to the northern suburbs and do my afternoon job, which was COOL as all F–K : DG-UX on AViiON RISC, IRIX on MIPS RISC - UNIX UNIX UNIX!
That was for Ralph Sarich’s Orbital Engine Company (in Perth) and it was cool place to work too - all these test labs testing stuff with fuel injection systems, some labs they’d freeze a whole engine block rock solid, then thaw it out by firing it up - till it cracked or exploded! They had “tanks” where teenage apprentices would blast about on fuel injected jet-skis…
DG AViiON workstations with MASSIVE 21" CRT “X-Terminals” facing back to faster AViiONS or Silicon Graphics IRIX graphics processing units…
Note : by this time (early 2000’s) Orbital Engine Company were mostly only doing work on their fuel injection system, mostly for 2 stroke engines…
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Then it’s time to trash it.
Thank you for sharing your story – very interesting and I can imagine the joy you would draw from your afternoon job. It definitely sounds fun, especially for the early noughties…
I’ve have short story on that. Once was working as project manager (mid-late 2000s) for a contact center service provider. We had to set up like 450 or so seats/agents/execs and were checking the inventory. Guys at the HQ sent us mice and about 2 dozen of them had no balls. So my desktop/PC team counterpart shot them a mail with subject line: “Mouse without balls”(!) – hahaha! We all had a good laugh thinking how all the team members marked on that mail will take it.
Early 2000s were such fascinating times. I still remember the early internet and honestly miss a lot from that era [ASL PLZ – remember? hehe; how many kids today know what that is??]. The Matrix released in 1999 was still impacting pop culture in those years, with 2003 marking the release of the two sequels. I clearly remember reading the Unabomber Manifesto for the first time somewhere around 2000/2001 and also those Templar/Da Vinci conspiracy stuff. Discovery Channel had great documentaries back then; real, serious ones (alas, slo-mo stuff, reality TV/Man vs Wild etc. took over later and that era of serious science–especially physics/astronomy–documentaries is gone…sigh…!).
Also think the most seminal PC games were created in that era: Half Life, Bioshock, Deus Ex, Max Payne…
Alright man, I think the original intent for this thread has been realized. So let me not hog the server space and end it now.
Thank you all for the contribution!
Mods/Admin: You may close this thread.
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Not yet, I’m not done.
It’s been nice talking and joking with you man!
Have a wonderful Christmas!! 
I’m done.
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