Problem with an older computers com ports...

[Keen]

This computer is an old one running an AT motherboard with Win98se. Sometimes the computer will boot up fine, with all the correct com ports. Then it will occasionally boot up without com ports 1 and 2, but it will have 5 and 6 in their place. After removing ports 5 and 6 and rebooting, 1 and 2 come back. Everything works fine for a while, then it happens again.
Anyone know what could be causing this?

[OC]

Boot into Safe Mode, go into Device Manager, and remove all COM ports. Then reboot normally.

Win9x only shows active hardware in Normal mode. For example, let's say you change video cards. Only the new card will show up in Device Manager unless you are in Safe MOde.

Also, Win9x LOVES to duplicate things - 5 LPT1's, 8 COM2's and so on - but these duplicates only show up in Safe Mode. If you see that, remove all but one of the duplicates. Stay away from System Devices and USB stuff though - trust me on this.

Safe Mode is your friend. Use him well.

-OC

[Keen]

Thanks for the reply, I did as you said and on reboots I still got as high as com port 6, but in device manager I did not see the mouse listed as hardware. I did change out the mouse about the time the problem started. I booted without the mouse and then installed it on serial port 2, now it shows up in device manager on com 2. maybe windows was moving it around on com ports at bootup. I have booted up five times now everthing seems to work. If that was it I am going to look for a ps2 mouse cable for the motherboard and get the mouse off of the 9 pin to 25 pin adapter. Thanks!