mouse random freeze, pointer losing focus driving me nuts

  • Thread starter Thread starter rodrigo
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rodrigo

I have an AMD 2200+ 1.8ghz asus A7V8X-X 512MB running under windows XP
Pro.
My box is randomly freezing for 1 to 2 seconds. For example, let's say
I am going to browse to msn.com, I go to www.msn.com then I click on
one link. Later after I click back, I feel like I don't have control
over the mouse temporarily. The same happens if I am using word, and
let's say I start to select a piece of text. Suddenly, I feel like the
mouse is freezing. It is really weird.

I have a Dell Pentium box at work and I have never experienced such a
thing. The machine can have some slow down, become sluggish, but will
never behave in such a way. I am suspicious that this is a CPU problem
and not a motherboard, since I had a Soyo Dragon and I used
experienced the same problem with another AMD 1.7ghz. I am almost
throwing away this box and buying a Pentium. I also know it is not a
mouse problem, because I tested with different ones. I am really
looking to someone who experienced something like and manage to
discover what it is.

Thanks

Rod
 
rodrigo said:
I have an AMD 2200+ 1.8ghz asus A7V8X-X 512MB running under windows XP
Pro.
My box is randomly freezing for 1 to 2 seconds. For example, let's say
I am going to browse to msn.com, I go to www.msn.com then I click on
one link. Later after I click back, I feel like I don't have control
over the mouse temporarily. The same happens if I am using word, and
let's say I start to select a piece of text. Suddenly, I feel like the
mouse is freezing. It is really weird.

I have a Dell Pentium box at work and I have never experienced such a
thing. The machine can have some slow down, become sluggish, but will
never behave in such a way. I am suspicious that this is a CPU problem
and not a motherboard, since I had a Soyo Dragon and I used
experienced the same problem with another AMD 1.7ghz. I am almost
throwing away this box and buying a Pentium. I also know it is not a
mouse problem, because I tested with different ones. I am really
looking to someone who experienced something like and manage to
discover what it is.

Thanks

Rod
Click to expand...

I have seen that behavior before, on a PIII box running NT 4.0. It was
always accompanied by 'ring buffer overflow' errors in the system event log.

I never did find the cause of the problem - it would go away temporarily
after rebooting, but always returned, sometimes within minutes, but
usually not for a day or two. I upgraded and/or downgraded every driver
I could find to no effect. The permanent fix turned out to be SP6a when
it was released.

So in my case the problem was software, not hardware - given the event
logs I suspect a driver disabling interrupts for extended periods thus
blocking mouse interrupt processing.

Not very helpful, I know - but I would assume it's a software problem
and attack it from that angle.

If you'd like to post details of all your system peripherals, I'll let
you know if you have any in common with that NT 4 box - which might help
narrow down the offending driver.

P2B
 
rodrigo wrote in message said:
I have an AMD 2200+ 1.8ghz asus A7V8X-X 512MB running under windows XP
Pro.
My box is randomly freezing for 1 to 2 seconds. For example, let's say
I am going to browse to msn.com, I go to www.msn.com then I click on
one link. Later after I click back, I feel like I don't have control
over the mouse temporarily. The same happens if I am using word, and
let's say I start to select a piece of text. Suddenly, I feel like the
mouse is freezing. It is really weird.
Click to expand...
(...SNIP)
Do you use an OPTICAL mouse ?

This can happen if your 'surface' is not appropriate for it. Use mechanical mouse
to test further. Otherwise it could help to mention the 'mouses' you tried.

I did experience something like this; Logitech mouse over an dark surface, not optical pad.
I had to 'upgrade the desk surface' in order to have the mouse not lose focus like that.

You should know, optical mouses do have this kind of behavior when they lose track
of the 'ground'.. Make sure you test with a mechanical one.
Regards.
 
Things like that happen when there are HDD errors.
Do a scandisk.
Check the event log for disk io errors / any errors.

Check for scumware & virus.

- Tim
 
rodrigo said:
I have an AMD 2200+ 1.8ghz asus A7V8X-X 512MB running under windows XP
Pro.
My box is randomly freezing for 1 to 2 seconds. For example, let's say
I am going to browse to msn.com, I go to www.msn.com then I click on
one link. Later after I click back, I feel like I don't have control
over the mouse temporarily. The same happens if I am using word, and
let's say I start to select a piece of text. Suddenly, I feel like the
mouse is freezing. It is really weird.

I have a Dell Pentium box at work and I have never experienced such a
thing. The machine can have some slow down, become sluggish, but will
never behave in such a way. I am suspicious that this is a CPU problem
and not a motherboard, since I had a Soyo Dragon and I used
experienced the same problem with another AMD 1.7ghz. I am almost
throwing away this box and buying a Pentium. I also know it is not a
mouse problem, because I tested with different ones. I am really
looking to someone who experienced something like and manage to
discover what it is.

Thanks

Rod
Click to expand...

Try a variety of different mice - if yours is USB, try a PS2 one, if yours
is optical, try a mechanical one. Optical are fussy about which surfaces
they're on. Often reflective surfaces are not that good. Also I've had a
suspicion that they are susceptible to RF interference from such things as
mobile phones and other electronic equipment.

Henry
Australia
 
I am using a Loggitech Optical MX500. But I did test it with a
mechanic Dell mouse I use at work. In addition I tested with another
loggitech mouse ball. Why would it be software problem (XP PRo)? I did
install SP2 and still had the same problem. In fact it just got worse.
The mouse would change state from a hourglass to a cross and stay like
that. I had to go to control panel and reconfigure every five minutes.
I was tired and I had to go back to SP1.

1. Could it be a port listening problem? Where to start looking?
2. Could it be hardware conflict? Where to start?
3. Does AMD XP behave like that? I know it is a fast cpu, but since it
handles processing differently compared to Pentium, I tend to think
like that.

Please help me with some plan to troubleshoot the machine.
I will post more info about my configuration later, I am just late to
work now.

Thank you very much for your help

Rod
 
Thanks Tim, I will look at your suggestion and give you a feedback
later. But this is a fresh XP install, so I did not have time yet to
get some viruses. Anyway, I am protected with using Sygate Firewall
and Fprot.

Rod
 
Tim, I changed the hard disk and the problem still persists. The two
previous mouses I tested were PS2. Regarding the RF issue, I already
tested with mechanical mouses, so I guess, I will discard these
options. I've read something about overheating or overclocking. Could
that be the problem? I am telling you this is the worse thing that
could ever happen. I really get to your nerves. I am here to take any
more suggestions.

Thanks
Rod
 
It seems I figured the problem. I switched my 350w power supply to a
400watts one. The problem seems to have disappeared. Now I don't have
any clue, how that could have any relation with making my machine
sluggish freezing my mouse for a few seconds. I assume that whenever
there was too much cpu usage, the motherboard would not send enough
energy to CPU and therefore freeze the machine? I appreciate some
electronic engineers to give some help explaining that.


Thanks
Rod
 
I have an AMD 2200+ 1.8ghz asus A7V8X-X 512MB running under windows XP
Pro.
My box is randomly freezing for 1 to 2 seconds. For example, let's say
I am going to browse to msn.com, I go to www.msn.com then I click on
one link. Later after I click back, I feel like I don't have control
over the mouse temporarily. The same happens if I am using word, and
let's say I start to select a piece of text. Suddenly, I feel like the
mouse is freezing. It is really weird.

I have a Dell Pentium box at work and I have never experienced such a
thing. The machine can have some slow down, become sluggish, but will
never behave in such a way. I am suspicious that this is a CPU problem
and not a motherboard, since I had a Soyo Dragon and I used
experienced the same problem with another AMD 1.7ghz. I am almost
throwing away this box and buying a Pentium. I also know it is not a
mouse problem, because I tested with different ones. I am really
looking to someone who experienced something like and manage to
discover what it is.

Thanks

Rod
Click to expand...

Are you using a wireless mouse/keyboard combo? If so, if the option is
available, try setting the operating frequencies for each of them
again. I had a similar problem with my Logitech MX Duo setup, and the
problem went away when I did what I just suggested. Good luck!


Kevin Miller

"Either way, it is bad for Zathras."
 
Nop, I am using a optical Loggitech MX500.

Rod

Kevin Miller said:
Are you using a wireless mouse/keyboard combo? If so, if the option is
available, try setting the operating frequencies for each of them
again. I had a similar problem with my Logitech MX Duo setup, and the
problem went away when I did what I just suggested. Good luck!


Kevin Miller

"Either way, it is bad for Zathras."
Click to expand...
 
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