Hardware Browser Shows @ Mice When Only One Is Connect

["billg" <billg f-m fm>]

When I connect a Microsoft USB Wireless Intellimouse Explorer to
FC -Test3, the Hardware Browser shows two mice: one is the USB device,
the other, mythical mouse, is shown as a ps/2 device.  The Intellimouse
also behave oddly in X. E.g., appears to freeze at random moments, and
unfreezes after I jostle it around a bit.

I'm using an ordinary ps/2 3-button mouse now and all is well, but I'd
prefer to use the Intellimouse. 

On a related issue, can I make use of the Intellimouse's buttons (all 5
of 'em) without running an external program like imwheel?  I've tried
imwheel on a Slackware setup and it was flaky, to say the least.  Thanks.
-- billg