Mouse Has a Mind of Its Own!

[Paul Engel]

I have Windows XP Pro w/ latest updates applied. About a week ago, I noticed
that sometimes my mouse will just take off and slide either to the upper
right or lower left of my screen. (Almost as if it were subject to a
magnetic pull.) If I click my start button a few times and cursor around w/
my arrow keys, I can get control of the mouse again. But until I do that,
neither my USB mouse, my laptop mouse pad or the mouse "eraser" control
work.

I am running a Dell Inspiron 8200...and have been for a year w/ no such
problem.

Anyone have any experience along these lines?

 

[FrankV]

Have you tried to clean the ball under the mouse?

Frank

 

[Microsoft News]

It's an optical mouse. Plus, the first time it happened, I didn't have
the optical mouse connected. I was using the laptop w/ just the touch pad
active.

 

[Tom Schlak]

Mine does the exact same thing; specifically, using the
laptop in a 'desktop' configuration with external
monitor/mouse/keyboard, docking station. This means the
laptop lid is closed.

This happened to me a while back and a colleague suggested
removing the rubber tip to the mouse 'stem' that's in the
keyboard and that worked for a while but it's happening
again now suddenly.

The problem I believe is from the touchpad 'reacting' to
the fact that it's closed because it doesn't do it when
used in standard laptop config, i.e. opened up. I have
this occuring right now and the degree to which it moves
is extremely variable. Prob need to disable the touchpad
to stop this happening.

 

[Guest]

My syaptics touchpad often does the same erratic behavior. Not docked. Not closed. Just in normal operations. I have spyware removed, virus software up to date, etc.

 

[Paul Engel]

In case anyone else has had this problem...here's the solution.

It had nothing to do w/ XP. I have a laptop w/ a pointing device on th
keyboard and a touch pad. I travel a lot. Apparently, the pointer device
gets a lot of action w/ the laptop in a briefcase. It gets bent slightly and
intermittent cursor thievery occurs. I got my keyboard on my Dell replaced
and the problem is GONE.

Paul