Locking mouse

[gemma10]

Win 7, issue concerning the mouse pointer locking up on screen. The whole site just freezes and not even ctrl, alt, del has any effect. Have to remove battery and reboot to get pc working. Driver issue somewhere? Oh and using FF. Any help much appreciated.

[jimtherev]

Yes, sounds like a driver, doesn't it? Try deleting the mouse and re-booting; Windows will re-install a driver - which might not be the same wrong one. Well, it's a start.
As to removing the battery: doesn't the machine shut down if you hold down the power button for (typically 7 but perhaps) 10 seconds or more. Have you tried that one? This has worked for all my various m/cs for 15 years or moren.

[johngreen]

Gemma,

On a couple of Win 7 machines, I have had a similar issue which appears to be due to the USB power settings. As I have never been able to ascertain the exact point of seizure, I have never been absolutely certain that this was really the cause or the following the fix but, assuming your mouse is connected via USB, it does seem to have cured the problem and is anyway surely a fairly harmless adjustment.

From Device Manager, click on the cross next to USB Controllers (at the bottom of the list) and from the list that will appear, select each generic USB hub or USB Root hub, open the Power Management tab and un tick the box' Allow the computer to turn off this device...'
Ideally, you need only do this to the actual item that is connecting the mouse but you will have to determine which one that is.

The logic of this, (which information I originally found online), seems to be that after a certain period of inactivity, the machine ignores the mouse and then will not 'wake up'. This seems like a ridiculous simple failure and error to have been incorporated in such software.
One of many circumstances where Windoesnot might be the more appropriate name...

Do try and report back maybe.

Good luck

jg

[gemma10]

Thanks all,seems that the driver is up to date as would be expected. i went into device manager and unticked four of the usb power management and will just have to suck it and see. Have never seen this problem before and wonder why the power management would actually want to turn off the power during idle moments. A few mA is hardly likely to drain the battery under those circumstances.

[henry_crun]

If the three-fingered salute doesn't work it sounds like FF is locked up.

The remedy is to delete all browser data.

[OFSO]

after a certain period of inactivity, the machine ignores the mouse

NO ! After a certain period of inactivity the machine ignores the USB connector and turns the power to it off. This was originally a *good idea* to save power on portable devices, which was carried over to PCs where it was not such a good idea at all.

I'll have a look at my machine and post the solution.....asap.

[OFSO]

I see you've already mentioned it, but OK, here's where to go:

- Control System
- Hardware
- Device Manager
- Universal Serial Bus Controllers
- Power Management

Finally, fingers worn to the nub, you will see:

ALLOW THE COMPUTER TO TURN OFF THIS DEVICE TO SAVE POWER

Uncheck it !

Incidently: when my PC went the same way - some USB drives working, some not - I did this and it had no effect. I therefore opened up the case and (get ready to laugh) the tiny screw holding the strip of USB connectors to the back plate had come out and allowed the card to motherboard interface connector to slip slightly out, disabling some but not all USB connectors plus others on the motherboard. Put card back into place, used bigger screw, powered up, happy PC again.

[dazdaz1]

Why all the drama? I use a laser (for the past six years) mouse £10.99 no driver needed, plug and play via usb.

[gemma10]

It did it again today, I`m using the m/s 3500 blue track with the usb transciever. Remove transciever blow in the orifice, put it back, all`s well. Now what`s that all about. Guess its time to get a new one. It always has eaten batteries.

[boguing]

I have a few MS 7000 keyboard/mouse sets. Every one of them, on every pc that they're used with, stops working (most frequently the keyboard misses letters out or just stops, but the mouse acts up too).

The cure is to use them through a usb hub, they just don't like being connected directly to the pc.

You could try doing that in case there is shared tech?