Resolved Mouse Troubles

Hello.

About a year ago I purchased an Acer Aspire x1200 computer and I currently use the mouse that came with it. I'm running Vista Home Premium, Service pack 2. Now recently, my mouse has been acting very erratic. I will have to click extra hard for it to open up a program, or it will open it by itself. If I try to highlight text it will highlight it then deselect and I'll have to click and try all over again. Trying to drag items around my desktop is a pain because it will drag them then drop them randomly and not where I intend for them to be. I'm not sure how long mice should last, but it's only been a year. I've tried updating drives, uninstalling and reinstalling. I've taken a piece of paper, placed the mouse on it, and dragged it across it as to clean it. I've wiped it down and blew out dust. I've tried just about every solution. The only thing I can assume is that maybe it's because I never used a mouse pad? And maybe that somehow caused all of this. I'm not sure. But I put a piece of paper under it and it still has the same problem. And I know that the mouse is easy to replace of course, but the same thing has happened to the other mice I've tried to replace this one with. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Hi Supermaine,

Is your mouse: USB? PS2? Wireless?

USB — Try another port
PS2 — You have to take it apart completely and clean the rollers the ball "rides" on
Wireless — Check the connections and replace the battery

I've got a Logitech USB mouse with a PS2 connector and I never have used a mousepad. It's only 8 years old and I've had to take it apart a couple of times to clean it, but that's all. You might consider trying another mouse and if it works, you've got the culprit. If it doesn't work, save your receipt, take it back and try reinstalling the standard mouse drivers.

 

The mouse uses USB ports and I've tried it in every USB port I have. Still, the same problems occur. I've tried other mice on this computer. They will work for a short time and then, they too develop this same odd behavior. So I know I could go buy another one or try to replace it, but the same problems have happened on at least 2 other mice.

 

Then I'd suggest uninstalling and reinstalling the Standard Mouse Drivers.

Go to Control Panel | System | Hardware | Device Manager the click the plus sign in front of Mice and other pointing devices and right click on your mouse (it should say PS/2 Compatible Mouse) and select Uninstall. Close out and reboot. Windows will automatically install the standard mouse drivers.

 

Yeah, I just uninstalled the driver and rebooted the computer and it still does the same thing. You know how when you go to highlight text, you left click, hold and drag across, then when you let go it's supposed to highlight the text you selected in blue? Mine will highlight it after some effort, but then it deselects. And I spend literally minutes trying to highlight something to copy it. But, If I press down extremely hard for the left click button, it works.

 

Try your PS2 ports, if you have not already done so.

 

Is there a way to check without using the ports? I currently do not own any PS2 mice.

 

Do you have another computer you test the fussy mouse on?

 

I just tried it on my other computer. It is still acting the same way, but it doesn't occur as often and it's not as erratic. Still definitely a problem though, so I'm assuming it's the mouse. But I've tried to replace it with other mice, and they will develop this same behavior over time as well. Am I doing something wrong? lol

 

Hi Supermaine,

At least you now know the problem is the mouse and not your computer.

Although it sounds more like the problem is the user of the mouse!

Perhaps your signature name should be Superman. You may be a mouse happy heavy clicker and just plain ware out the left button, quickly. The fact that you state you have to press extra hard on the mouse left button indicates you have been pressing hard on the mouse buttons. This will wear out or damage buttons.

I suggest you keep a stock of mice on hand or learn to be very gentle and light figured when clicking the mouse. There is no need to press the buttons hard.

 

Your mouse should have come with a USB to PS2 adapter; try that, as Hawk suggested.

Also, if your mice work OK for a period of time then start to die out, you're either in a very dusty environment, or as goddez suggested, you may be too heavy handed (or fingered in this case).

 

That must be it!

The right click has always worked just fine, and it's always the left click that goes out after a few months. I'll try to be more gentle in the future when it comes to using my mice .

Thanks everyone for the help. I appreciate it.

 

Hi Supermaine,

Would you please mark this thread as 'Resolved'. Just click on Thread Tools. If you have any other questions\problems, you can always post back.