Cursor freezing in Firefox with W7.

[G-CPTN]

I've bought a new laptop on behalf of my daughter. I'm using it to 'shake it down' and find the cursor freezes (frequently) when I use the touchpad left button together with 'slewing' to expand/contract windows when using Firefox (3.6.3). Sometimes the freezing only lasts a few seconds, sometimes it's 'terminal' - though Ctrl Alt Del and Cancel restores the cursor movement, however, repeating the manoeuvre freezes the cursor again.

I have the same model of laptop running under Vista which has never frozen like this, so I am blaming W7. I've not had freezing of the cursor in IE8, though I don't use it much.

Any ideas?

I've searched the interweb, but haven't found exactly the same problem defined, so the solutions aren't relevant IMO.

The laptop is a Medion Akoya MD38340.

MEDIONŽ AKOYAŽ E6212 (MD 98340)

MEDION AKOYA E6212 (MD 98340) Reviews | 16″ Multimedia Notebook w/ Intel T4500 | laptop |it-echo.Com::Product Review and Tech

[green granite]

Sounds like a touch pad driver problem to me, try talking to their customer support.

[G-CPTN]

It's happening with other cursor actions too - though I haven't isolated exactly what.
The cursor is still free to move, but isn't active - ie it won't close the window or change its function.

Doesn't seem to happen in IE8 as I've already stated - this could result in abandoning my beloved Firefox.

[srobarts]

I have seen reports of the same problem with HP laptops and some Dells. the recommended fix seems to be update drivers for touchpad.

[rgbrock1]

If you can obtain and install a USB mouse try to replicate the problem.
If you can't, its more than likely the touchpad driver. If you can, it's some other issue.

[G-CPTN]

Good thinking - there is an external mouse in the box, so I'll try that!

[G-CPTN]

Situation identical with the USB mouse - with the touchpad disabled.
Problem with stretching Firefox windows but OK with IE8 . . .

I don't know what that proves, though.
Same driver used for both devices?

[green granite]

Try disabling all the FF add-ons and see if it does it then, if not enable them one at a time until you find the one causing it. I'm running FF 3.6.4 and W7 with no problems, and it's unlikely to be a W7 problem anyway.

[rgbrock1]

No, the same driver is not used for both devices: the touchpad has its own whereas the USB mouse either has its own or uses the Windows default mouse driver.

As mentioned above, try disabling all of your Firefox add-ons, see if you can replicate the issue after doing so and then re-enable the add-ons, one by one, until you find the culprit. (If one of the add-ons is indeed the culprit.)

I run FF 3.6.x on Win 7 and do not have that problem.

[G-CPTN]

The Medion website has the possibility of downloading drivers. The laptop has all the drivers replicated on the D:Recover partition.

Opening C: doesn't have any identifiable folders where the drivers would be kept (not even selecting show hidden folders).

I'm looking for a folder such as C:Medion (where the Medion website prompts the driver download to reside) but there is no such folder.

Bearing in mind that, even without Windows there must be hardware drivers - where are they stored?

(am I in danger of screwing things up?)

[G-CPTN]

Just to report that I have disabled all my Firefox add-ons and the problem seems to have 'gone away'.

Further research under way . . .

Thanks for the advice.

[G-CPTN]

Well that's strange!

I've re-activated all the add-ons that I had active before, and the problem hasn't (so far) returned . . .

Anyway, as long as it is fixed . . .

Thanks for the help.

(I was about to get onto Medion.)

[rgbrock1]

I wouldn't bother with any drivers. The drivers you need have already been installed and are probably happily plying their trade.

Hopefully the problem you've been experiencing stays away.

[G-CPTN]

No, I won't bother with the drivers - but I'm still puzzled as to where they live . . .

Now I've got the dreaded Windows Live sign-in Assistant back (having managed to subdue it yesterday, I've now forgotten what I did to 'remove' it.

I don't want to remove it altogether - merely stop it popping up after booting.


Just remembered - it was through running msconfig . . .

Edited to say that when I checked msconfig there was a fresh entry for Live Messenger sign-in Assistant!!

I do hate it when Microshaft insist on installing things that I don't want (and then re-install them when your back is turned).

[cats_five]

The drivers have been installed. The stuff to re-install will be in the D: \Recover file system. If you download drivers from Medion, either create C: \Medion first or download to some other location - personally I would create D: \drivers and put them there, as if you reinstall the OS then I imagine everything on C: will get erased...

Blasted smiles. Of course there shouldn't be a space between : and \ above, but without it you get the red 'wibble' smiley.

[G-CPTN]

Buggrit - the freezing is back!

Disabled one (random) add-on, restarted Firefox and the problem is 'cured' again - but for how long?

[rgbrock1]

Aside from MS Internet Exploder have you tried using some other browser to see if that replicates the issue? (Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, etc.)

You could also try removing Firefox from your system and then reinstall it.

[G-CPTN]

Thanks - I'll see whether the problem returns (so far so good).

I really want Firefox to work (I already use it) as I want my daughter to use it too. I don't want to hand over a computer with 'problems'.