mouse pointer hanging up

redletters4redletters4
edited July 2004 in Science & Tech
I recently built a new computer for my parents (ie. it may take time to resolve this problem, since they're 6 hours away). Before leaving this computer with them this week, I put Windows XP on it and downloaded all the updates. Here's the problem that has somehow developed:

There is a tendency for short (5-10 seconds) pauses, where the mouse pointer doesn't do what it should and sometimes turns into the hourglass symbol. It continues to move, but doesn't respond to clicks. If you wait a couple seconds, everything is fine and you can go back to clicking/dragging/etc.

I assume that there must be something running in the background, but how can I pinpoint what it is? Could it also be a mouse setting?

BTW, this machine has Norton Antivirus running, with all the updates, and has been recently scanned. Autoprotect is enabled.

Comments

  • citrixmetacitrixmeta Montreal, Quebec Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    can u disable antivirus for a while, see if it does the same thing.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    How about some machine specs. Could be a lot of things like not enough ram slow processer etc....etc.... Norton anti-virus shouldn't be causing any problems as it's only running on file access. Try turning off all the effects and the other fun things windows xp likes to turn on. Also do you have a huge background picture (filesize wise) or tonnes of icon's on your desktop?
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    Shuttle AN35N-Ultra Motherboard
    Athlon 2100+ (1.7 GHz) Processor
    256MB DDR (PC3200) Memory
    120GB Hard Drive, 8MB Cache
    64MB Radeon 9200 graphics card, 8X AGP

    The mouse is an optical-type scrolling mouse, in case that matters.

    Few icons on the desktop. I only installed things they would use, which included Kodak Easyshare, Juno, and Nero.

    No special background pictures. Just the green field one that comes up on first install of Windows XP.

    To turn off the "effects" that you mentioned, would I do that through msconfig?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Pretty good machine....however to turn off effects.

    On desktop right click choose properties, then apperance tab and effects button. Then play with them in there.

    If it's USB try switching USB ports perhaps.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    Do you think I have enough memory? I've been told that 256MB is the mimimum (ideally) that I should have with WinXP.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    True it is the general recomended practical minimum for XP. But I don't think that would cause your mouse to lag. Unless your optical mouse has some crazy memmory requirements....which actually got me thinking have you ever tried a regular roller mouse on it to trouble shoot the problem?
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    No, but that's a good thought.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    I have some new info for this problem. The periodic hesitation apparently only occurs when the computer is connected to the Internet. Does this shed some light on it?

    Turning off effects didn't help.

    Didn't get to try alternate mouse yet, but the symptoms now appear to be something unrelated to that. Would you agree?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Yeah sounds like some sort of resource conflict with your nic. Do you have an onboard nic by chance? If that's the case it could be robbing just enough resources to run the nic that for whatever reason it's deciding to punish your mouse.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    Nope, there's no NIC. Just a non-networked home computer.

    Do you think it could be modem related? The reason I ask is that when I first installed the modem the connection speeds were low (about 26k). Then, when I obtained/installed a driver update, the connect speeds improved to about 36k or so and I noticed an improvement in download time. But thinking back on it, that may have been the day that this problem started. The driver came right from the manufacturer's site, so I assumed it was OK. Maybe I just have a crappy modem, as my connect speeds are still less than stellar.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    I'd say comport conflict bus if your mouse is PS2 or USB then that's not an issue. Still could be some weird resource conflict though. Umm is this a winmodem or a real modem? Winmodems also will use more resources then a regular modem.

    I'd also recommend uping the ram by another 256 at anyrate. It may solve the problem but I have a feeling it won't. Very weird problem.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    Trendware/Trendnet 56k V.92 PCI Modem, Model TFM-PCIV92
    Bought it from Newegg for only $10, so no big loss if I have to buy another. I'm not sure what a winmodem is, but there's no mention of that on the website.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    ok normal modem has all the programing hardware etc... contained within the modem card it'll work regardless of the OS.

    A winmodem uses resources on the motherboard and typically will only work with windows 95 and up though linux may have support for it now.

    winmodem = bad.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    I have two other thoughts about a possible cause:

    1) Spyware - When we do a Norton virus scan, nothing turns up. But spyware wouldn't be detected by Norton, of course.

    2) The same problem is now also occurring on a laptop computer that has Windows XP. One similarity between these systems is that all the Windows XP updates were recently installed. Could it be that one of these updates is causing some kind of compatibility issue?
  • citrixmetacitrixmeta Montreal, Quebec Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    run ad-aware to scan.

    and then run spy sweeper


    see if that helps.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    I worry about what some of the reviewers on zdnet.com are saying about programs like that. But then, I can always create a system restore point before starting, right?
  • citrixmetacitrixmeta Montreal, Quebec Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    yes,

    ive solved many problems using those apps.

    i usualy install them, clean up, uninstall.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Yeah ad-aware has never failed me or caused any problems.

    It's odd that the same thing is happening on a laptop also if it's a clean install. It sounds like something with the drivers for this mouse. I still say try a different mouse if you have the chance.
  • redletters4redletters4
    edited December 2003
    Will do.

    One other thought, meanwhile: Maybe I should have them run some other program, like a game or something, while connected to the internet. Then we'll see if something other than the mouse pointer (ie. dispay or sound) gets hung.
  • TerabiteTerabite
    edited July 2004
    I have a client's laptop with the same problem. In fact, the keyboard also freezes. Happens for about 10 secs every 30 secs -> 4 mins. I cured it a few weeks ago by uninstalling some MS updates - but I didn't have time to do them one at a time so did batches of 6 to 8. Of course, a while later autoupdate put them all back, as well as a large batch of new ones & the problem has returned. So now guess I'll go back to batch uninstalling patches until it behaves. BTW, it's worse when the WiFi and/or cellphone modem are plugged - so I suspect it's something to do with networking. Also, it's not a CPU use problem - I've looked at that - I believe it's Windows going uninterruptible, in the kernel I presume. I've checked MS to see if they have anything like that in the KB but no luck.
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