Dealing with Mouse Problems

Next to your keyboard (both metaphorically and physically), your mouse is the part of your system you use most often. Your mouse is constantly in your right hand (unless you're left-handed, of course), rolling along your mouse pad as you point your cursor at one or another part of Windows.

So what do you do if it quits working?

Fortunately, a mouse needs little maintenance, and few things can go wrong with it. But given the right circumstances, things can and will go wrong. Look at this list to determine what problems your mouse might be causing you.

Problem: Your Mouse Doesn't Work at All

First, make sure that your mouse is connected correctly to the back of your system unit. You might have the mouse connected to the wrong port on your machine it's easy to confuse the mouse and keyboard connections as they're physically identical or it might have come loose or become disconnected. Even if it looks like both your mouse and keyboard are plugged in, trace the cables to makes sure they're not mixed up.

If simply replugging your mouse doesn't work, you might have to reboot your computer to recognize the replug. You'll probably have to turn off your system with the main power switch or button; if you can't click or type, you can't exit Windows normally.

Next, check to see whether your PC has the right mouse driver loaded. Open the Device Manager and click the + next to Mouse. Confirm that the mouse driver listed is correct; if there is no driver listed or if the icon has a red X through it, you'll need to reinstall your mouse driver with the Add Hardware Wizard. If there is more than one mouse listed, highlight the one that you're not using and click the Remove button.

Finally, your mouse driver might conflict with some other device on your system, which is not an uncommon occurrence. Your mouse is probably using your system's COM1 port. This is fine and dandy, but if another device in the system (like a modem) is using the COM3 port, conflicts might develop between the two devices. (Don't ask me why, but it all gets pretty technical and has to do with IRQ lines and interrupts and other stuff regular people don't understand.)

You can reconfigure a device's COM port from the Windows Device Manager. For example, to reconfigure your modem's COM port (in Windows XP), go to the Control Panel and open the System Properties utility; then select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button. Right-click the modem listing and select Properties from the pop-up menu. When the Properties dialog box appears, select the Advanced tab and click the Advanced Port Settings button. When the Advanced Settings dialog box appears, pull down the COM Port Number list and select a different COM port. (It's sometimes easier to reconfigure your modem's COM port than the one for your mouse.)

If you can reconfigure your mouse to use port COM2, or your other device to use port COM4, you might solve the problem. Each type of device has its own methods for changing ports, so you'll need to check the instructions for your specific mouse and other devices. (More often than not, you'll have to uninstall the device you want to change, and then reinstall it to a different port. )

If this adjustment is beyond you, call in a technician.

Now, you're probably asking, how do you make all these configuration changes if you can't use your mouse? Simple most mouse operations can actually be performed from the keyboard! See Table 24.1 for a list of these "hidden" keyboard shortcuts.

Table 24.1. Keyboard Shortcuts for Common Mouse Operations

Key(s)	Operation
Ctrl+Esc or Windows logo key	Opens the Start Menu; use arrow keys to navigate items on the menu
Shift+F10 or Application key	Opens a context menu for the selected item (same as right-clicking)
Alt+Tab	Switches between running applications
Alt+F	Switches between multiple windows in the same program
Alt+-(Hyphen)	Lets you restore, move, resize, minimize, or maximize a window
Alt+underlined letter in menu	Opens corresponding menu and runs commands in menu
Alt+F4	Closes the active window
Tab	Move to the next control in an open dialog box
Shift+Tab	Move to the previous control in an open dialog box
Spacebar	Clicks the active button or selects check boxes and option buttons in an open dialog box
Ctrl+Tab	Cycles through property tabs in an open dialog box
Enter	Same as clicking the selected button
F1	Launches Windows Help

Problem: Using Other Peripherals Causes Your Mouse to Act Up

If your mouse quits working after you initiate a print job or use your modem, chances are you have this peripheral on a conflicting interrupt with your mouse. (It's the old COM1/COM3 problem again.) You'll need to change the port assignment of either your mouse or your other peripheral (probably your modem) to resolve this conflict.

Problem: Your Mouse Moves Erratically

If you find your mouse jumping around of its own accord or not holding its position correctly while you're moving it around, chances are you have a bad or incorrect mouse driver installed. Check with your mouse manufacturer (via their Web site, typically) to get the latest version of the mouse driver.

This problem can also be caused by a dirty or broken mouse especially if your mouse is of the old-fashioned rollerball type. Try taking the mouse apart and cleaning it.

In addition, this problem can be caused by the old interrupt conflict (COM1 versus COM3). Make sure that you have your mouse hooked up to a port that doesn't conflict with other accessories in your system.

It's possible, too, that you need to adjust the settings in the Mouse Properties dialog box; select the Mouse icon in the Control Panel and make any necessary changes.

Problem: Your Wireless Mouse Moves Erratically If at All

This problem has a simple solution replace your batteries! Low batteries in a wireless device will cause all sorts of problems. In a mouse, this typically means that the cursor slows down, jerks around, or seems to hit an invisible wall. Fresh batteries should fix things right up.

If new batteries don't fix the problem, you have some sort of wireless interference. Try moving the wireless receiver to a new position preferably away from other wireless devices (wireless network adapters/base stations, cordless phones, baby monitors, and the like). If interference continues, see if you can change transmitting/receiving channels on one of the devices, or consider turning off the interfering device while you're computing.

Problem: You Receive an Error Message About Your Mouse

If you receive an error message saying that the mouse driver could not find the mouse, the mouse was not connected correctly when you booted your computer. Reconnect your mouse and reboot. If you still receive this message, you could have a dead mouse. Buy a new one.

Problem: You Spilled Something on Your Mouse

Mice don't like water or other liquids. Don't spill stuff on your mouse!

If you have a wet mouse, all hope is not lost. First, if possible, take your mouse apart and remove the roller ball. Carefully wash the ball with soap and water (don't use rubbing alcohol or anything similar!), and use a soft cloth to soak up any excess liquid on the outside and inside of the mouse. Dry the mouse (and all mouse parts) overnight, and then reassemble your mouse. If you plug it in and all works fine, good job! If not… well, fortunately a new mouse isn't that expensive. Just remember to use the Device Manager to delete your old mouse driver (if you can) before you add the new mouse to your system.

tip

You might want to try swapping your (apparently) dead mouse with a friend's still living rodent. If your friend's mouse works and yours doesn't, that means you really do have a dead mouse. If your friend's mouse doesn't work, that means you have problems inside your system unit or with some system settings!