strange mouse behaviour

christo82

Hi, i have been having some trouble with the mouse on my XP pc. To start with, when it gets to the user account login screen, the mouse can highlight the name but cannot select it. I need to use the keyboard arrows and enter button to log in. Then in normal activity, the left button brings up the small window with 'properties' etc, as if its the right button. Thei right button if doe nothing. Also, double - click doesnt work. I have checked the control panel menu for mouse functions, and everything seems fine. Can anyone suggest a solution please? Should i buy a new mouse?

Thanks.

Sam Vimes

Looks like the left and right buttons have switched. Go to Start->Control panel->Mouse and see if there's an option for "Switch primary and secondary buttons" that's ticked. If so untick it

christo82

Hi sam. Yeah, thats something i checked. Everything was normal in the control panel. I cant figure out whats causing the problem. Thanks anyway.

fionny

Try remove the mouse driver and let it reinstall:

Go to Control Panel,
System
Device Manager (under Hardware tab iirc)
Expand Mice and Other Input Devices.
Right click your mouse and click uninstall
You might need to reboot
Let it reinstall (might need to plug mouse out and back in)

You might need to know some computer keyboard shortcuts while the mouse driver is uninstalled

Sam Vimes

Are you sure that the right mouse button is doing nothing, and not that it's doing the function of the left button? You say that double click doesn't work but what happens if you double-right click?

christo82

Fionny - thanks, i will try that tomorrow when i have the time.

Sam - yes, the right button does nothing, even when double clicked.

Sam Vimes

Is it a USB mouse or ps/2? If it's ps/2 could some of the pins be bent or broken?

It's probably the drivers as fionny said but no harm checking

Overheal

sounds like mechanical error.

christo82

HI, it's a ps/2 mouse and the pins are all okay. I uninstalled the mouse from the computer and restarted, but how do I reinstall it? I unplugged the mouse and put it back in, but nothing's happening.

fionny

Hmm it shouldve reinstalled by itself but that might be because its PS2

So you will have to get busy with the keyboard.

Hit Windows Key, Use arrows to Control Panel hit enter.

Using Tab etc... make your way back to the Device Manger, then the menu Action has a scan for hard changes in it.. It should detect the mouse and reinstall.

christo82

Sorry, I may have jumped the gun, after a second restart it has installed. But sadly, it hasn't solved the problems :-(. A new mouse may be needed, I think.

fionny

christo82 wrote: »

Sorry, I may have jumped the gun, after a second restart it has installed. But sadly, it hasn't solved the problems :-(. A new mouse may be needed, I think.

Sounds like it I suggest a USB one instead.

christo82

Yeah, I'll have a look in town for one today.

Thanks for your help Fionny, Sam and Overheal.

CaSCaDe711

Hi OP. Just to let you know there are nice wireless optical Microsoft mice in Tesco nowadays (this one), €15 (were €7.50 a while back :rolleyes:), using one here on a 32-bit XP based desktop, works like a charm, battery is included too

NB: Microsoft state these won't work with 64-bit XP

Overheal

I don't fancy the battery life on the Microsoft Mice. Logitech is your man.

fionny

I more of a logitech fan myself. But I still go for wired... a dead mouse if very annoying.

christo82

Hi, sorry, bought before i saw your recommendations. Bought a usb mouse in an internet cafe place for €10. Has funky purple and blue light on it(didnt know that in the shop). Works perfectly, so happy days. Thanks all for your help.

Overheal

fionny wrote: »

I more of a logitech fan myself. But I still go for wired... a dead mouse if very annoying.

you realize Logitech doesn't put out a non-gaming model that doesn't have at least 12 months of battery life in it? They also have 18, 24 and 36 month models as well. Meaning you are annoyed by a dead mouse maybe once a year, if that, or by cords on a daily basis.

Stevolende

I've got a Logik mouse that seems to fly through cheap AAA batteries and start moving the cursor of its own volition when the batteries are down.
think I had to change batteries a couple times in last couple weeks. is it cos of cheap batteries?
think mouse was pretty standard low end price €12 or so in PCWorld

fionny

Overheal wrote: »

you realize Logitech doesn't put out a non-gaming model that doesn't have at least 12 months of battery life in it? They also have 18, 24 and 36 month models as well. Meaning you are annoyed by a dead mouse maybe once a year, if that, or by cords on a daily basis.

You still need to charge at least once a day with use and if you forget then your high and dry... I speak from experience my previous mouse was logitech MX300 (irrc) I now have the g19.


Or are you actually saying that the battery in the mouse will last a full 12 months without charge as that would be pretty impressive.

Overheal

fionny wrote: »

You still need to charge at least once a day with use and if you forget then your high and dry... I speak from experience my previous mouse was logitech MX300 (irrc) I now have the g19.


Or are you actually saying that the battery in the mouse will last a full 12 months without charge as that would be pretty impressive.

As I said: In their product line of Non-Gaming Mice, the expected battery life of 2 AAs ranges anywhere from 12 to 36 months, depending on the model. See the M510 (2 years); M305 (1 year); M325 (18 months); I want to say the anywhere MX is 12 months; The M515 "Couch Mouse" is 2 years; the M310 (1 year); M505 (18 months. Have one); The M525 (3 Frickin' Years); M315 (1 year); M185 (12 months); Marathon M705 (as the name implies, 3 years); etc. Though some of the above models skate by on just a single AA cell. Buy a 4 pack with an M305 and you can play for 4 years straight.

Performance mice, like the Performance MX, G series, etc. are of course going to only have battery life of about a day, because they produce silly (and useless) amounts of signal to reduce lag which doesn't exist, except to elite power nerds who flip out over the slightest technical detail, in spite of wireless mice achieving latencies which the human brain can barely comprehend. I certainly don't have problems headshotting people or reaching the top of a server on the M505, versus my G700. In all actuality the only difference between the two mice - wired or otherwise, is their shape and feel. One is just as responsive as the other for shooting things in the face.

Though on the gaming mouse for desktop I'd have to discourage the G700. Mostly because it does in fact have a ****ty wireless lifetime of about half a day. It spends most of its life wired up.. They have this much cheaper option with almost the same buttons (though lacking the thumb buttons, which I found handy for MMOs) and color changing LEDs and I am a big sucker for LEDs.

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/devices/gaming-mouse-g300

fionny

Ya im one of those silly nerds who likes to ensure i dont miss out hence i have an expensive wired mouse, the lead never gets in the way and it doesnt die on me randomly...

A case of each to their own i would say.