Wireless intellimouse explorer connection problems

I've had this mouse for about a year or so, when it suddenly simply stopped functioning...
I went through all the phases of the troubleshooting guide according to the guide at the microsoft support website, article number Q315973 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315973)
and it didn't help...

-I checked the USB port with other devices and there was no problem.
-I changed the batteries to new ones, and it also didn't help.
-I checked if the files hidusb.sys, hidclass.sys, hidparse.sys are present in Windows\System32\Drivers and they were..
-I even isloated the mouse and the base station from interfering objects as written in the article.

the problem is that when I press the button on top of the base station, its light flashes, and a dialog box open up, telling me to press the little "Connect channel" button at the bottom, and even if I clutch the mouse&station together, it doesn't work...



please help me....! *desperate*

TIA