Cursor Frozen

[Guest]

I am trying to sort out a friend's PC and have tried everything that I know
(which isn't a great deal). We are all "mature" users but I do want to learn.
The problem started when she was trying to install an HP Photosuite 330
printer. It wouldn't install properly and ended up with the cursor being
frozen in the middle of the screen. After hours of trial and error I managed
to get to the Control Panel using the keyboard and uninstalled the hardware.
This didn't help. I have also rebooted using the Safe Mode (F8 key) and
Restored to the previous day (when all was working properly). I've tried a
different mouse as well but nothing has worked. The keys on the keyboard work
sometimes and not others.
My questions are,is there anything else I can try before taking the PC to a
shop and is there anywhere on this site that will tell me what keys to use
when the mouse is unavailable. I have the XP for Dummies book but I couldn't
find any answers in there. I would appreciate any help but could you speak in
not too technical terms as I don't always know the words.
Many, many thanks
Margs

 

[POP]

I am trying to sort out a friend's PC and have tried
everything that I know (which isn't a great deal). We are
all "mature" users but I do want to learn. The problem
started when she was trying to install an HP Photosuite 330
printer. It wouldn't install properly and ended up with the
cursor being frozen in the middle of the screen. After
hours of trial and error I managed to get to the Control
Panel using the keyboard and uninstalled the hardware. This
didn't help. I have also rebooted using the Safe Mode (F8
key) and Restored to the previous day (when all was working
properly). I've tried a different mouse as well but nothing
has worked. The keys on the keyboard work sometimes and not
others.
My questions are,is there anything else I can try before
taking the PC to a shop and is there anywhere on this site
that will tell me what keys to use when the mouse is
unavailable. I have the XP for Dummies book but I couldn't
find any answers in there. I would appreciate any help but
could you speak in not too technical terms as I don't
always know the words.
Many, many thanks
Margs

If any exist, you could try restoring to an even earlier date.
It's possible the restore point you chose was created after the
problem started, so one even earlier might help. It's possible
that the "problem" that occurred wasn't all due to the printer
install, but might have been there, hidden, before the install of
the printer.

Do you know how to access "Last Known Good Configuration" at
bootup? I've forgotten how to access that, but perhaps someone
will come along and remind us<g>. In theory it searches for the
last time bootup was successful and uses that point in time if it
still exists.

None of the above will lose any data and might help with getting
rid of the last vestages of the errant install. With defaults
you hopefully have two to three weeks worth of restore points to
try out. The only "damage" going back in time will do is perhaps
mess up something that was installed AFTER that date and it would
require reinstalling it again.

Not to make things more confusing, but do you know for reasonably
certain that you have no viruses or spayware or malware on the
machine? Update all your protection software and run a virus
check and spyware checks. You get these from emails and/or web
sites you visit.
If you're not familiar with those, I'd say that should be yuor
next learning step for the computer.

HTH,
Pop

 

[POP]

PS You might also try re-installing the mouse drivers before
doing anything else. Perhaps it's just a corrupted driver
created by the printer install. That would remain after removing
the printer, so ... it explains Restore not helping.

Pop

 

[Bill Ridgeway]

POP wrote <<Do you know how to access "Last Known Good Configuration" at
bootup? I've forgotten how to access that>>

Same as getting into Safe Mode. Press F8 on booting up and select "Last
...."

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Guest]

Many thanks. I've tried restoring to an even earlier date and also to Last
Good Configuration but with no luck. I didn't know the mouse had a driver,
will have to try and find it. It's very difficult trying to do anything
without the mouse as I don't know which buttons to use on the keyboard. I
must admit I'm getting very despondant. There is Macafee running all the time
and AOL's own spy things and I've also told my friend never to click on any
link in an email. Can you get a virus by just looking at a website?
Maybe it will just have to go to the shop and I'll ask them to explain what
was wrong with it.
Margs