why mouse determined to annoy?

Hi, i have been having ongoing trouble with various mouses with my computer lately and i am running out of ideas on what to do about it?

 

Ok what happens is the mouse pointer freezes for a few seconds on a regular basis. It is exceedingly annoying!

 

It all started about 2 months ago when my fairly new expensive gaming mouse started playing switch off - every so often the red light goes out as if it is not plugged in, then i have to unplug and replug for it to work again. It seemed to happen exactly when i would move the cord of the mouse, so i assumed the cord must have internal damage so i got a different mouse and all was well for a short time.

 

The new mouse started this new problem of pointer freeze every so often. So i replaced that mouse and all was well again for about 2 weeks when the second new mouse started doing pointer freeze as well! It starts off not so bad and gets progressively more and more intense until the mouse is basically unusable. Also changing USB ports temporarily seems to alleviate the problem as well.

 

The USB ports in the roof of the computer (dust catchers facing upwards!) have always seemed dodgy because the portable HDD could never function properly when connected there. I had all the mouse connected there due to shortness of cord but got a cord extender and tried using the rear USB but problem again returned. It may be possible dodgy USB on roof damaged all the mouse somehow?

 

The pointer freeze most often happens after the pointer has been still for a few seconds, but when it starts getting really bad, it happens all the time regardless.

 

What else i did when this third mouse started pointer freezing was to change the mouse pad. That actually fixed the problem for a few days but then the pointer freeze issue promptly returned again!

 

Also i did virus scan and i checked bios options to make sure USB options were on, tried plugging in different USB ports etc etc, , nothing worked.

 

This morning i tried using the computer and pointer freeze was severe, then when i gave up and turned the computer off i noticed the red light of the mouse flashing very fast like a strobe light!! so i unplugged it.

 

My computer is running windows Vista 64 bit and is otherwise fine with one exception - since brand new, it cannot complete a defragmentation process. If i try to defragment the HDD it will run the process for days and days and will never finish, eventually i have to cancel the defragmentation. In order to defragment this HDD, i have to remove the HDD and defrag it in my older xp computer, and that works fine.

 

Going by all the above information, it is very difficult to pinpoint the problem? Can you help?

 

What i am thinking to do next is to disconnect the USB ports in the roof of the computer. Then I will probably go and by a couple more different brands of mouse, a new mouse pad and see how i go?

 

If that doesn't work then i will try a little axe therapy on the computer before going and buying a new one!

 

This specific mouse issue aside, years ago, i used to have an old Amiga computer, and i had that computer for probably five years with the original old ball mouse it came with and that mouse was still going strong when i finally boxed the Amiga and took on my first IBM system. From that day on, no matter where i am or what computer i use (even work computers), mouses of all shapes and types must never be reliable for an extended period of time, that seems to be the law of the universe.

50,140 views 17 replies
Reply #1 Top

1. Please give some detail: What type of HDD is in your computer?

2. Have you ever run a  "Chkdsk [your drive letter] /f /r  ?

3. do any other USB devices malfunction on the same ports?

4. What happens when you do Control+Esc?

5. Does Explorer.exe freeze, or not respond to left click?

6. Does the problem exist if you boot in Safe Mode? Does it exist if you do a "Clean boot"?

7. List your System Information, please.

 

**Very Important** - Please check if there are any availavle updates for your BIOS. If there are, please follow the instructions on your OEM's website about how to do a BIOS update.... and follow those instructions to the letter.

Reply #2 Top

Just guessing.....sounds like either the usb hub or the OS installation is borked

Reply #3 Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 1
1. Please give some detail: What type of HDD is in your computer?

2. Have you ever run a  "Chkdsk [your drive letter] /f /r  ?

3. do any other USB devices malfunction on the same ports?

4. What happens when you do Control+Esc?

5. Does Explorer.exe freeze, or not respond to left click?

6. Does the problem exist if you boot in Safe Mode? Does it exist if you do a "Clean boot"?

7. List your System Information, please.

 

**Very Important** - Please check if there are any availavle updates for your BIOS. If there are, please follow the instructions on your OEM's website about how to do a BIOS update.... and follow those instructions to the letter.

 

1. HDD is i forget?

2. Yes

3. There is another older Portable HDD which also functions intermitantly on the upper USB but properly on the back USB. As opposed to the new portable HDD as mentioned which will not work at all on the upper USB but fine on the back USB.

4. don't know?

5. good question actually? Is the computer freezing when the mouse freezes? i will have to check.

6. don't know about mouse in safe mode? rebooting does not solve the problem, but the intensity of the freezing does vary each time the computer restarts/turned on.

7. I'm at work, so i do not have access to system information right now. I do know the system is starting to get a bit outdated by now - over 2 years old.

Bios update - i have looked into that previously, and the website instructions were inadequate that i can fully understand everything so it is not possible.

Reply #4 Top

Quoting Lantec, reply 2
Just guessing.....sounds like either the usb hub or the OS installation is borked

 

possibly,

 

Well, i think i would definitely prefer to buy a new computer or motherboard rather than re installing the OS or going thru the struggle of understanding and carrying out a bios update.

Temporarily, i will try unplugging the upper USB and get a new mouse pad. I don't think i really want to risk getting another good mouse and plugging it into this machine when i'm not sure what is wrong? Then i might try a new cheap mouse tho, and if the problem returns i will definitely just go out and buy a new motherboard or entire system depending on what deals are around at the time.

 

 

Reply #5 Top

1. HDD is Hard drive.

2. OK

3. That might mean a hub problem on the mother board or a Bios problem.

4. * Try doing Ctrl+Esc  next time this happens.  Ctrl+Esc  is 'Refresh'

5. * Please Check

6. * Please try to see if this happens in Safe Mode also.

7. If the system is over 2 years old, chances are you probably do have a Bios problem. You should look up "How to do a Bios       Update". You can email your computer's manufacturer, give make, model and request exact question how to update the Bios in your computer.

 

Reply #6 Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 5
1. HDD is Hard drive.

 

Hahahaha, i meant i don't remember the brand of the HDD, but i presume it is Seagate - Because i did not prioritize HDD brand when i purchased the system and what else would cheap system builders use other than Seagate if the buyer does not specify??

Thanks for other advice.

Reply #7 Top

You're welcome. Please find a way to get and do the Bios update. It might very well be the source of your problem.

Reply #8 Top

USB mouses depend on cpu polling to get new data, and if cpu is too busy it could stop the mouse for short time.

 

Its unlike old PS2 connector mouse which is INT driven therefore could run even with very busy cpu. Thats one of things I miss about old PS2 connector keyboard and mouse.

Reply #9 Top

I have some more interesting developments to add to this situation....

I have an expensive USB digital mouse which i have been using for some time before all this started. It started going dead intermittently, then i have to unplug it and plug it in again for it to work again. It only goes dead at times if i have moved the cord of the mouse, it never goes dead if i am careful not to move the cord too much, it will stay on and work perfectly, no freezing. Also i tested the mouse on 2 other computers and same thing there too, so definitely the cord is the issue here. I tested it again last night on the problem system and it still works perfectly without freezing, but still turns off if i move the cord too much, so it is not a viable permanent solution to my problem.

I have two brand new el cheapo digital USB mouse (identical) that i purchased the same day.

I was using one of these cheap ones after my good mouse started going dead. After some months of proper function, it began this freezing problem. Then i switched to the second el cheapo mouse but that one only worked properly for about a week before it too started the same freezing problem. I even switched back to the first el cheapo mouse and to my surprise, it worked perfectly for a short time (several days) before the freezing nonsense returned again.

I borrowed my Wife's expensive mouse of her laptop when she wasn't home and it worked perfectly without freezing. But then just yesterday, it too began the freezing nonsense as well!!

So these are the facts of the case so far;

1) The original good mouse never freezes.

2) two identical cheap mouses freeze and one expensive laptop mouse freezes.

3) When the pointer freezes on the screen, the mouse wheel still responds!

4) There appears to be a delayed reaction response to the mouse pointer... in other words, if i moved and clicked on something when it was frozen, it sometimes moves and clicks there suddenly after it unfreezes! But also it will often move erratically, (possibly because of my response to the mouse freezing).

 

Going by all the above facts combined, it indicates the problem is due to the fact that the system has become self aware and is capable over a period of time of figuring out how to f**k up whatever mouse i am using, presumably with the goal of forcing me to use the original mouse that it likes! This is the only logical explanation i can think of??

Reply #10 Top

This all sounds like a job for Yrag .... but beware....he'll probably call you several 'names' before solving the problem....;)

For the life of me I can't see how defragging an OS HDD in another machine will do anything GOOD for the OS on that HDD.

Mouse pointer 'freezing' can simply be a screen redraw issue...in other words symptomatic of a Graphic Card driver/problem.

 

But leave it to Yrag.....

He's probably ROFLMAO too much to respond presently....;)

Reply #11 Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 10
This all sounds like a job for Yrag .... but beware....he'll probably call you several 'names' before solving the problem....

For the life of me I can't see how defragging an OS HDD in another machine will do anything GOOD for the OS on that HDD.

Mouse pointer 'freezing' can simply be a screen redraw issue...in other words symptomatic of a Graphic Card driver/problem.

 

But leave it to Yrag.....

He's probably ROFLMAO too much to respond presently....

 

The purpose of defragging a HDD in another machine is nothing more than the desire to complete a defrag at all!

 

As for the graphics card driver, i do vaguely remember having a big fight with it previously when i tried to update the driver. I cannot remember exactly what happened, but i do remember the system was crashing and boot freezing and throwing tantrums and crying and screaming!! Oh wait, now i remember, i had multiple screens switched on - one for my computer and the other for the TV. Eventually i discovered the driver update process did not like having multiple screens engaged at all, very nasty! It all went fine after i took multiple screens off.

 

 

Reply #12 Top

Quoting Mystikmind, reply 11
The purpose of defragging a HDD in another machine is nothing more than the desire to complete a defrag at all!

Whether a file system is Fat, Fat32, NTFS, whatever, the OS that uses the drive really likes to know where all its bits are....and some need to be in specific locations.  Only the OS installed on the drive will know where its bits are.  Another machine's OS will neither know nor care.

Reply #13 Top

A shot in the dark. If the original mouse never freezes could it be a driver issue? I kind of doubt it though because I've used multiple mice on a single computer before without any issues.

Reply #14 Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 12

Quoting Mystikmind, reply 11The purpose of defragging a HDD in another machine is nothing more than the desire to complete a defrag at all!
Whether a file system is Fat, Fat32, NTFS, whatever, the OS that uses the drive really likes to know where all its bits are....and some need to be in specific locations.  Only the OS installed on the drive will know where its bits are.  Another machine's OS will neither know nor care.

 

The 'geographical' location of an OS's parts on a drive makes little sense, since it is all mathematically based. Possibly a specific mathematical sequence is what your really trying to say? In which case that does make sense, but in practice, there was no 'new' issue that resulted from the HDD being defragged in another machine, infact it improved the performance! And also i have noticed Windows are now to embarrassed to let you see the defrag pattern like they did with their older OS systems, i wonder why?

Reply #15 Top

Quoting Uvah, reply 13
A shot in the dark. If the original mouse never freezes could it be a driver issue? I kind of doubt it though because I've used multiple mice on a single computer before without any issues.

 

Well, anyway, I'm going to try and buy a good mouse and see how it goes? I don't like the mouse i have now regardless of the freezing issue because of the random left click issue.

The random left click issue is where my middle finger is resting on the left mouse button and after a while my finger will slowly get heavy enough without me realizing and then 'click'. It can be exceedingly annoying at times! I need a mouse where the buttons are slightly less sensitive than what these new generations of mouses are coming out with these days. ones with firmer mouse buttons tend to be the very expensive ones, i dunno why?

Reply #16 Top

What powersupply do you have?
How many HDD´S or SSD´s do you use.HDD Hard disk drive and SSD is solid state drive
Besides the HDD or SSD are there any external drives ?
Whats your RAM count?
is the mouse plugged into a usb hub or the motherboard itself?
Do you have printers or any other devices attached? Did you test the mouse on a diffrent computer yet ?

just some ideas If you have it plugged in the Motherboard usb port then shutdown the system, try removing your USB devices also unnessesary External-HDD devices  and printers and only plug your keyboard keep the mouse deattached until your system is re-booted,
Now replug your mouse and test it.
If you still have freezing issues its either a motherboard problem a defect mouse an unclean or dusty plug.

If the HDD freezes and slow performence is common generally on USB devices is noticeable it can be that the powersupply cannot deliver enough energy.Therefore some devices will set out.(This can occur while gaming) depending on what grafic card is in use those puppy´s can suck up to double the amount thats needed for the regular windows work.
If the above method works for you - try replugging each other device ( of course after you have shutdown your system ) until the problem occurs again might need some time to test.

Reply #17 Top

Quoting Roloccolor, reply 16
What powersupply do you have?
How many HDD´S or SSD´s do you use.HDD Hard disk drive and SSD is solid state drive
Besides the HDD or SSD are there any external drives ?
Whats your RAM count?
is the mouse plugged into a usb hub or the motherboard itself?
Do you have printers or any other devices attached? Did you test the mouse on a diffrent computer yet ?

just some ideas If you have it plugged in the Motherboard usb port then shutdown the system, try removing your USB devices also unnessesary External-HDD devices  and printers and only plug your keyboard keep the mouse deattached until your system is re-booted,
Now replug your mouse and test it.
If you still have freezing issues its either a motherboard problem a defect mouse an unclean or dusty plug.

If the HDD freezes and slow performence is common generally on USB devices is noticeable it can be that the powersupply cannot deliver enough energy.Therefore some devices will set out.(This can occur while gaming) depending on what grafic card is in use those puppy´s can suck up to double the amount thats needed for the regular windows work.
If the above method works for you - try replugging each other device ( of course after you have shutdown your system ) until the problem occurs again might need some time to test.

 

Thanks for the help, got all those options covered tho.