Flaky mouse questions?

[Nocandu]

Hi

I have some long time mouse issues.

I always blamed it on my old computer but I get the same thing on my new one.

I have 3 USB mice, a Razer DeathAdder (my favorite Mouse), a Logited G3 and a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 4.0.

I have switched back and forth trying to get this solved with no luck.

After a period of time using the computer the mouse just slows down and get flaky. The cursor jumps around or won't respond.

I have to exit what ever I'm doing and open the mouse software, change any setting, click apply and then it will go back to normal.

As I said I had this for years on my old Dell XPS and I have it on my new Falcon Northwest computer which is powerful enough to run anything.

Any one have any idea why this is happening.
Is there some configuration option that I'm missing.

Mike

 

[tf1]

I take it you have installed the respective mouse software such as Intellipoint for the MS Intellimouse Explorer?

Have you tried different surfaces?

Is it always with the same or similar software (energy sapping game or application, for example)?

My initial thought it is the application or game slowly leaking resources. Pausing or closing them whilst switching to the mouse settings is restoring the resources: that is giving you a false diagnosis (i.e. it isn't the mouse, its the game/application).

I suggest running a Resource monitor in the background and when you detect the mouse is slowing, check the resources being used.

I really don't seeing this being a mouse problem. If you need more help, please let us know the OS and graphics card you are using and if they are fully up to date.



Regards: Terry

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

I have noticed this with both XP and Windows 7 which I'm using now and on two different computers.

I do run resource intensive software i.e. right now I'm playing Age of Conan, Tomb Raider Underworld, and Dragon Age Online.

But I also see this sometimes when running Photoshop CS3, Indesign CS 4 and Illustrator CS 3.

I assume that is is a resource thing but is seems like I would notice the lack of performance in the games or programs before the mouse.

This happens when the application seems to be running along fine.

I do install the correct software when I change mice, and have all the drivers up to date.

As I said this isn't something new.
I have noticed this for years on two different computers.

My new FNW is running Windows 7 HP and has an I7 3 ghx processor and 8 gigs of ram with an ATI 5870 video card.

It doesn't seem like I should run out of resources for the mouse. I just wondered if I'm missing some way to make more of something available for the mouse?

Mike

 

[Nocandu]

PS: This does happen on different surfaces as well.
I have used a mouse pad in the past but now I'm just using the mouse on the top of my desk.

 

[Nocandu]

PS: Again

When I open the mouse window in control panel it always says that I'm using a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer.

And I have a tab for Setpoint the Logitech mouse settings.

There seems to be no way to get windows to see that I'm using a Razor mouse even though I have installed the drivers and software for it.

I have to access the settings for it through it's own software program.

 

[BadBigBen]

kinda sounds like interference from some external electromagnetic source...

it is strange that it is happening with all three mice... if it was just one, I would say that it is going bad, but since it is happening with all three, look for external problems...

TV & Monitors (CRT), electronic devices such as motors, Microwaves, CB Radio, etc. can be the source of such interference...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[Nocandu]

Hi Ben

My computer is next to my 42" Flat Screen TV.
I'll try and see if it makes a difference if it is turned on or off.

Otherwise I don't know what it could be, like I said it has done this for a least a couple of years, on different operating systems and computers with different mice.

I had it do it today with nothing running except my browser.
If I unplug the mouse and plug it back in it solves it, as does changing any of the settings.

The reason that I have 3 mice is because I kept getting new ones to see if I could find one that didn't do this.

It isn't really that big a deal, it only happens a couple of times a day but it is annoying because I can't figure out why it does it.

Mike

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

Can some one suggest a program that will run in the background and give my some kind of graph showing how resources are being used on a time line?

I will try opening Task Manager next time and see what is happening there.

Mike

 

[BadBigBen]

another thing that pops into mind, is the power save setting of the USB ports that the mouse is attached to...

the OS may be cutting back power on the USB ports or trying to turn them off...

to check (or better said uncheck) the setting, go into the Device Manager, look for the USB-ROOT HUB's and there under the POWER SAVING tab is the setting...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[goombawaho]

I'd try uninstalling all the software associated with all the mice and then go into Device Manager and delete all the mice (choose to view hidden/unattached devices) and then reboot with the most basic mouse attached.

Run with it for a while and see what happens. Could be a case of mouse software pollution.

 

[G0AOZ]

Further to Ben's suggestion re interference, are these corded or cordless mice?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[goombawaho]

^^^^ Excellent post in terms of troubleshooting, but also: You can't beat a CORDED mouse for reliability. I tried a wireless mouse, but I couldn't stand when the batteries needed replacing and I had to interrupt something that was almost always important.

 

[Nocandu]

Hi again.

These are all mice with cords.

Here are a few things I have found.

When I go into Device Manager and look under Mice and other pointing devices I see only "HID-compliant mouse".

Under Human Interface Devices I find...

DeathAdder Mouse. Deathadder.sys plus standard HID drivers.
HID-compliant mouse. No drivers loaded for this device.
Usb Input Device. Standard HID drivers.
Usb Input Device. Standard HID drivers.

I found two entries for USB Root Hub.
I turned off the option for allowing the computer to turn off the device to save power.

We'll see what happens.

Mike

 

[goombawaho]

You could try deleting the entire "USB Root Hub" device and allow everything to be re-detected.

 

[tf1]

If you Google deathadder.sys, there's seems to have been a plethora of problems with it - too many to search through to see if any match your problem!

I suggest maybe completely uninstalling the Razor drivers to ensure that that isn't the problem. I'm more inclined to believe that you have a memory leak rather than it being an extra-PC problem.


Regards: Terry

 

[goombawaho]

Or you could simply disable the driver file (deathadder.sys) using Autoruns and see if it makes a difference. That way, you don't have to uninstall everything, though that would be my recommendation - all mouse software removal followed by a registry clean and then a reboot.

 

[kjv1611]

Since you've had it with different PCs, different versions of Windows, different mice, all with corded mice, I'd be suspect, as Ben mentioned, of interference from another electrical device as one possibility.

Another possibility, I'd think, would be your security software. Are you using the same antivirus/firewall/whatever, security-wise on your software?

Another possible, long-shot, type of thought would be - electrical issues from the wiring in your home... somehow only affecting the mice. Have you noticed any mild fluctuations, home electrical wiring-wise? I think it's a long shot, but I'd never count it out.

Also, for electrical interference, besides devices, do you have any unshielded wiring anywhere close to this computer? Do you happen to live next to one of those huge power grid towers... can't think of the name of those at the moment...



--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[kjv1611]

Another thought: as far as possible applications causing the issues.. Do you a have any backup/imaging software running on a regular basis in the background? Any system monitoring type software of any sort?

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[tf1]

If these were wireless mice, I'd support interference: but they are wired mice which leans me towards a driver leakage. The mouse drivers are one of the links with the previous system.

And surely, interference would problems would manifest itself in other ways than just the mouse slowing.




Regards: Terry

 

[kjv1611]

Electrical interference or electromagnetic interference can be a difficult thing to narrow down for sure. The interference being referred to by Ben, and myself... and possibly one other, could occur regardless of the mouse being wired or wireless. For instance, the mouse wire itself COULD pick up some interference... just like a TV antenna or even a coax cable wire can pick up interference..

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me