posted on August 3, 2001 01:25:34 PM new
My mouse has been acting really weird all afternoon - it'll "freeze" up, the cursor will get "lost", it will automatically appears as if I have "right-clicked", it will minimize page windows and will highlight half the page in "blue" all on it's own will I am moving it around, "trying to wake it up"! I don't have a new mouse - maybe I need a new one? Was just wondering if anyone else is having any strange mouse problems--didn't know if it could somehow be related to the Red Worm Virus or something else. It doesn't just happen on eBay - it happens on other web sites also and it even happens in my e-mail...up until now, my mouse has been perfectly fine. Just wondering...
posted on August 3, 2001 01:29:48 PM new
Sounds like it just needs to be cleaned. Just take out the ball, wipe the ball and the inside of the mouse with rubbing alcohol and put it back in. Should work fine after that. If it still acts up after it's all cleaned out, then you might need a new one.
posted on August 3, 2001 01:50:53 PM new
Let us know what you find inside it. I found a wad of cat hair, a dime and two penny's, three half finished sentences and the rudder off Amelia Earhart's plane in mine.
posted on August 3, 2001 04:54:54 PM new
Mine did the same thing last week,I shut my computer down and restarted it.That was the only time it ever did that.I haven't cleaned it out lately,no telling whats growing inside.
posted on August 3, 2001 05:05:23 PM new
I "lose" my mouse from time to time. Only happens when I'm online. It's actually there, but no pointer is visable (sometimes a fun game of "click and see where I am"!)...I have to actually end the task & at the point the "end task" window comes up the mouse comes back. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I've cleaned it and cleaned it, I think I may have even replaced it. But it still disappears every now and agin'...One of life's little mysteries I suppose!
posted on August 3, 2001 05:46:14 PM new
The IBM I used to have did the "disappearing mouse" trick almost from the time I brought it home from the store. Being a new computer user, I thought it was something screwy that I was doing. Got two different customer support people who agreed with this assumption and had me do two different things that would correct the problem I'd caused with my stupidity. Neither worked. Finally I talked to the GeekBoy (and I type his moniker with reverence) at the local RadioShack. He had me reinstall Windows with the Product Recovery disc because he said it sometimes degrades in the unit. Worked like a charm, my mouse was back for good. Hail to the mighty GeekBoy! Probably has his own company by now and rightly so.
posted on August 3, 2001 05:47:26 PM new
I had the arrow disappear or stay in one place once and it was traced back to an updated McAfee Virus Scan. I think I had to delete the old update before installing the new one or something.
So did you add any software programs or updates lately?
~Not barrelracer on ebay, don't pick on them!~
posted on August 3, 2001 07:34:17 PM new
I had the same thing happen to a friend of mine. Come to find out it was the work of aliens.Earlier that day he spooted a UFO, and then his mouse started acting up,later he was abducted and choked to death with the cord from the mouse by aliens.Some of you may have heard of this if you read the tabloids.
posted on August 3, 2001 09:04:29 PM new
Hey barrelracer! Yes, indeed I have done a virus update this week...in fact it was earlier tonight...how do you go about "deleting" a past update - I have Norton. Haven't cleaned my mouse yet, but it's still giving me a heck of a time - has a mind of it's own - it really likes to jump around - if it decides to move at all - and likes to cascade my windows - boy, I'm tired tonight - it's taken me 2-3 times longer to do whatever I've wanted to do. Haven't loaded any auctions tonight - I guess THAT would've taken 'til 4 tomorrow morning!
posted on August 3, 2001 09:10:17 PM new
I don't know if this will contribute anything to this discussion: I have a strong hunch that my mouse PAD gets "worn out" after a long time. I was having mouse problems and thought perhaps it was because the ball couldn't really grab the surface of my pad anymore. Borrowed someone's pad, and the mouse worked perfectly. Got a new pad, and ditto. We eBayers give our mouses and pads a good workout. (Mice? Mouses?)
posted on August 4, 2001 08:38:56 AM new
Hi roadsmith! Yes! Thank you for your input! I had wondered about the mouse pad too - maybe it's just as simple as that! Gonna also try to clean it out too - if I can figure out how...thanks! Actually, Mr. Mouse seems to work a little better this morning, but I think it's because I am using a very light hand on it - I tend to be heavy-handed, especially when working very hard! I like to do computer "stuff" fast and using a light-hand on my mouse is SSSSSLLLLlloooooowwwww, but at least it's not going 'crazy'!
(Edited for spelling - told you I liked to work "fast"!)
[ edited by capefeartrading on Aug 4, 2001 08:41 AM ]
posted on August 4, 2001 09:40:57 AM new
I went to an 'optical mouse' and it works great. No ball but a beam of light instead. Not all that expense anymore either ($40).
posted on August 4, 2001 10:06:17 AM new
I've had the same problem come up periodically -- sometimes the mouse behaves itself, other times there is some kind of "disconnect" between sides and commands . . . . problem was, when the mouse was going through a "bad phase" I was getting logged off all the time.
I would say just save yourself the grief and buy a new mouse, as it sounds as if it is starting to deteriorate. That's what I had to do.
posted on August 4, 2001 05:48:33 PM new
My mouse (actually a Trackball) acts weirdly slow on booting from time to time but rebooting clears that up.
Mouse cleaning is a necessity--remarkable how cruddy they get.
You could also remove and reinstall the driver that runs the mouse. Check also to see if an updated driver is available on the manufacturer's web site before you do.
posted on August 4, 2001 06:50:29 PM new
The symptom of a dirty mouse is usually the mouse pointer 'jumps' as you move, not moving smoothly. It may even refuse to move much in one direction (left/right, up/down). But if it is disappearing, highlighting funny, etc., that is more likely an indicator of hardware or software problems. As usual, try rebooting, then reinstalling the driver, and even switching in a new mouse, and see what fixes the problem.
I just got an optical mouse, love it, for my one PC that was always having problems with dirt/lint buildup. Try a new mousepad first, but if the pc just happens to be in a dirty environment, you'll find that the mouse might need cleaning weekly. If so, get an optical, the price is falling - recently circuit city sold an off-brand one for $10.
posted on August 13, 2001 11:40:38 AM new
Hello All! Solved my Mouse Problem! Got a new one! Frugal me tried everything to keep from having to break a $20 - but before that, I ended up with alot of wasted time, frustration and quite a few "not so nice" words! I cleaned my mouse - I got a new mouse pad - thought that was gonna work - NNNNnnoooooo! So finally broke down this AM, went to WalMart and got me a new fancy one! It's not an optic - but it's a Wheel Mouse and Boy oh Boy! does it work good and smooth! So the lesson here is - don't waste more than a day trying to "fix" it - go ahead and get a new one! I'm happy and content now! !!!
posted on August 13, 2001 11:59:26 AM new
My mouse started going haywire not long after I got a brand new computer. Stuff was highlighting that wasn't supposed to, and when I would click "send" to send an e-mail, it would move the "send" button around ... all kinds of weird things that didn't make sense.
I was about to get annoyed -- after all, it was a brand new computer -- but discovered what the problem was as soon as I rebooted.
The shift key on my keyboard got somehow gotten stuck! I popped it back up, and everything was fine.
It still does it occasionally, but at least now I know what it is, and can fix it right away!
[ edited by thedewey on Aug 13, 2001 12:00 PM ]
[ edited by thedewey on Aug 13, 2001 12:01 PM ]
posted on August 13, 2001 07:12:00 PM new
Last year I got a Logitech Marble Mouse...It became my favorite computer investment! No more of those nasty mouse pads. No having to move the damn thing around the desk. No more getting dirty on the bottom and not working right! PLUS, I'm left handed and, although it works wonderfully for right or left, it is awesome for a lefthanded person. Didn't cost more than any other decent one and I am so pleased with it! Never again with the mousepad!!!
PS...Today is National Left Handers' Day! So happy day to all of us!!!
- but before that, I ended up with alot of wasted time, frustration and quite a few "not so nice" words! I cleaned my mouse - I got a new mouse pad - thought that was gonna work - NNNNnnoooooo! So finally broke down this AM, went to WalMart and got me a new fancy one! It's not an optic - but it's a Wheel Mouse and Boy oh Boy! does it work good and smooth! So the lesson here is - don't waste more than a day trying to "fix" it - go ahead and get a new one! I'm happy and content now! 
!!!