Windows Media Player causes Mouse Pointer to freeze on screen (can still move mouse)

[zanthras]

I have ran into a really strange bug and can't figure out how to fix it. When I watch movies in windows media player, quite often the mouse pointer will freeze on the screen. You can still move mouse around just can't tell where it is without hitting the ctrl key. had to turn that find mouse thing on so I could tell where mouse was when this happens. Doesn't seem to happen on same movies or on every one of a particular type that I can tell. Just watch a few movies then suddenly hour glass and pointer is froze on screen. I have up to date norton security suite and have also ran adaware and haven't found anything on the system. I keep windows updates current. It's windows xp. I just downloaded a security update for windows media player so might get lucky and that fix it. I am using a microsoft optical wheel mouse.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled and updated the drivers for the mouse as well. When it first started I couldn't think of anything special that I had done to the system that might have caused it and it's been too long ago now that I can't remember anything I did around that time.

Almost forgot to add when this happens I have to reboot in order to fix it. Logging out and back on doesn't fixing it and reinstalling drivers doesn't, only rebooting.

 

[PotGuy]

my computer crashes if i open windows media player, so i just use winamp/itunes for music and winDVD for movies.

 

[psd99]

unistall media player
and resintall it

if u got wmp10
thats a swine to unsitall!

 

[muckshifter]

Posability your Video card is overheating ... could you give us some more information on the spec of your PC?

 

[zanthras]

I can't see how it would be the video card. The only thing freezing on screen is the pointer, you can still move and click on stuff just can't see where it is Only see the ghost image froze on the screen. It doesn't happen when playing planetside or EQ which would make larger use of the video card. Only happens now and then when watching video files in windows media player for the most part. I have also had it occasionally happen when just looking through them in the windows explorer to pick out one. Forgot to mention that part. I have had it happen when opening a video file from an installation cd for a game as well.

Tried to post dxdiag info getting message too long, will post it in 2nd message.

 

[zanthras]

dxdiag info

Well still too long, I'll just attach dxdiag file.

 

[psd99]

did u try a different player?

same problem?

 

[muckshifter]

... forgot to add when this happens I have to reboot in order to fix it

That bit got my attention and confusion.

So, the PC does not actually freeze, but your left with a ghost image of the mouse on the screen?

I still say you have a video card 'problem' not mouse, however, I would turn on 'native' support for USB mouse in the BIOS, just to be sure ... also, your using a GeForce4 Ti 4600 any reason you're not using the latest drivers? XP can 'roll-back' if they don't suit.

What is the make of the motherboard?

 

[zanthras]

drivers

Actually, didn't know there was a new version out

Was looking through their release notes. See an issue with windows media player listed, though the problem refers to a different video card than mine and the problem is slightly different, but similar enough to my problem.

So perhaps this will fix it I hope. No time at the moment to test it out and see if I get the problem again though, will try and check later to see if it happens again although it's a sporadic thing.

 

[muckshifter]

A lot of people just don't like WMP & will use an alternative ... me, I just don't use Windows.


Drivers are always being updated ... some can cause problems but most are an improvement. Also, don't forget other drivers too, VIA went through a bad patch.

Would still like to know what MB you have.

 

[zanthras]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-detailsInactive.asp?Sku=A455-2110

Boy it's just not a good sign when you go to find the motherboard you got and it's not available anymore. It was one of the first of it's type to be sold. One of the first 64 bit boards, it has connectors for about anything you can connect to it. one of the things that I liked about it.

Think I learned lesson on buying a brand new model motherboard. First one went bad, had to get this to replace it less than a month later. Was back when it first came out. I haven't really had too many problems with this one. Now and then I get a failed to overclock message on bootup, you just go into cmos and save it and it boots fine. Rarely happens.