Is this mouse toast?

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I have a wired USB optical mouse I use on my Win7 desktop computer. It doesn’t have any information on it so I suppose it could be a generic model as I don’t recall where I got it from.
I was working in a Word document and wanted to paste a jpg into it but all of a sudden everything else was becoming highlighted
— I couldn’t get of “highlighting mode”, couldn’t close the document – couldn’t do anything and had to do a hard shutdown.
— Upon starting back up, left clicking on the desktop resulted in a blue highlighted section as if I was trying to select something and I couldn’t get out of it
— Then I right clicked and that resulted in the desktop menu list showing up all the time
— I lost track of a couple of other selections I tried to make but nothing helped
— I pushed the on/off button once and I was given the option to shut down, pressing Enter did so.
I removed the mouse from my tower and connected it to my XP computer and the same phenomena continued
— At first I used the keyboard that was attached to the XP computer and had the same results
— Then I tried it with the keyboard that was on the Win7 computer and still had the same results
— This made me suspect it was a mouse problem
So then I removed the USB mouse and tried a spare PS2 mouse and it worked fine
— I then used that spare PS2 mouse on my Win7 computer and it still worked fine

So now I’m wondering: is it possible I pressed some key combination that configured that USB mouse to act like it did even on 2 different computers or is the mouse toast?
— I’m not concerned about whether or not the mouse needs to be replaced, what I’m wondering about is if there is a key combination that might unlock whatever mode/configuration(?) the mouse might be in
— If that doesn’t make sense, I’ll just replace the mouse and chalk this up to just not knowing whether or not I caused it or it just decided to retire itself

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Sounds like your mouse has developed a life of it’s own. As they are relatively simple devices there is nothing you can do apart from replace it.

cheers, Paul

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Have you tried going into Mouse settings and swapping the mouse buttons over to see what happens then and/or checking to see if the Clicklock option has been checked ?

It may also be worth opening it up to see if any fluff or dust has gotten in which could be affecting the left click operation.

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You should be able to rule on the mouses’ behavior, either in or out, by simply removing (unplugging) the current mouse and attaching another one.
If the behavior persists it is more likely to be software or driver related, and
not hardware (mouse).

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Thanks everyone: Since my quit on the job mouse had the same effect on 2 different computers but my replacement mouse operated normally on each one of the 2 computers, I’ll just get a new one. BTW, I also have a 2nd spare mouse and that one also works fine on each one of the 2 computers

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Your mouse has definitely gone to silicon heaven.

cheers, Paul

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I would lay odds that it is dust inside on/in the wheel. They are easy to clean. If it’s not dust inside, they are also cheap to replace.

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I would lay odds that it is dust inside on/in the wheel. They are easy to clean. If it’s not dust inside, they are also cheap to replace.

That’s what I was going to say. I’d get a can of air-spray and clean out the inside of the mouse.

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I have a wired USB optical mouse I use on my Win7 desktop computer. It doesn’t have any information on it so I suppose it could be a generic model as I don’t recall where I got it from.
I was working in a Word document and wanted to paste a jpg into it but all of a sudden everything else was becoming highlighted
— I couldn’t get of “highlighting mode”, couldn’t close the document – couldn’t do anything and had to do a hard shutdown.
— Upon starting back up, left clicking on the desktop resulted in a blue highlighted section as if I was trying to select something and I couldn’t get out of it
— Then I right clicked and that resulted in the desktop menu list showing up all the time
— I lost track of a couple of other selections I tried to make but nothing helped
— I pushed the on/off button once and I was given the option to shut down, pressing Enter did so.
I removed the mouse from my tower and connected it to my XP computer and the same phenomena continued
— At first I used the keyboard that was attached to the XP computer and had the same results
— Then I tried it with the keyboard that was on the Win7 computer and still had the same results
— This made me suspect it was a mouse problem
So then I removed the USB mouse and tried a spare PS2 mouse and it worked fine
— I then used that spare PS2 mouse on my Win7 computer and it still worked fine

So now I’m wondering: is it possible I pressed some key combination that configured that USB mouse to act like it did even on 2 different computers or is the mouse toast?
— I’m not concerned about whether or not the mouse needs to be replaced, what I’m wondering about is if there is a key combination that might unlock whatever mode/configuration(?) the mouse might be in
— If that doesn’t make sense, I’ll just replace the mouse and chalk this up to just not knowing whether or not I caused it or it just decided to retire itself

I had the same thing happen to me – this was an optical mouse manufcatured by Dell or HP – I forget which. I had been using it for 5+ years.
For no reason, I started seeing the same kind of symptoms you did.
I too tried the defective mouse n several computers with the same behavior and other mouse (mice ?) that I owned worked just fine on all of them.
I just trashed the mouse. For $20 it is just too much effort to waste to try to figure it out.

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With all wireless hardware, the first thing you should do is try some fresh batteries. Perhaps you or someone else already mentioned this, but I can’t recall seeing this in any of the posts. All the other suggestions are well & good, & should be done regularly, but when the gremlins come a-marching; CHECK THE BATTERY(IES) FIRST! It will often save you a lot of time & grief (even if I was wrong in this case):rolleyes:
Jim
jmknbsc

I have a wired USB optical mouse I use on my Win7 desktop computer. It doesn’t have any information on it so I suppose it could be a generic model as I don’t recall where I got it from.
I was working in a Word document and wanted to paste a jpg into it but all of a sudden everything else was becoming highlighted
— I couldn’t get of “highlighting mode”, couldn’t close the document – couldn’t do anything and had to do a hard shutdown.
— Upon starting back up, left clicking on the desktop resulted in a blue highlighted section as if I was trying to select something and I couldn’t get out of it
— Then I right clicked and that resulted in the desktop menu list showing up all the time
— I lost track of a couple of other selections I tried to make but nothing helped
— I pushed the on/off button once and I was given the option to shut down, pressing Enter did so.
I removed the mouse from my tower and connected it to my XP computer and the same phenomena continued
— At first I used the keyboard that was attached to the XP computer and had the same results
— Then I tried it with the keyboard that was on the Win7 computer and still had the same results
— This made me suspect it was a mouse problem
So then I removed the USB mouse and tried a spare PS2 mouse and it worked fine
— I then used that spare PS2 mouse on my Win7 computer and it still worked fine

So now I’m wondering: is it possible I pressed some key combination that configured that USB mouse to act like it did even on 2 different computers or is the mouse toast?
— I’m not concerned about whether or not the mouse needs to be replaced, what I’m wondering about is if there is a key combination that might unlock whatever mode/configuration(?) the mouse might be in
— If that doesn’t make sense, I’ll just replace the mouse and chalk this up to just not knowing whether or not I caused it or it just decided to retire itself

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Good advice for a wireless mouse, but this one was a wired USB optical mouse (no batteries)

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I’ll add that its an optical mouse – if its going nuts like that, its probably not the scroll wheel.
Typically, such devices are sealed and not very cleanable inside. The wires can also wear out.

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No wonder I didn’t see any references to check your battery. I guess it’s time that I check my glasses!:huh:

Thanks!

I’ll add that its an optical mouse – if its going nuts like that, its probably not the scroll wheel.
Typically, such devices are sealed and not very cleanable inside. The wires can also wear out.

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It’s true, there aren’t any batteries. I also did slightly open the unit and used my can of electronic air spray
As mentioned, once going through the basics, it isn’t worth spending extra effort to try to save a low cost item that’s easily replaceable

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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You probably already tried this, but I have 3 feline PC techs that have caused my optical mice to act up.
I found that a little fur or lint gets in the optical recess. When this happens, the mouse goes insane. Blowing out that recess seems to help.
I did find that it only take one hair to cause problems,
Good luck.

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Totally agree there. I’m surprised nobody suggested cleaning out around the laser light until now. I’ve had my mouse “go crazy” a few times, which always means there is a bit of dust or hair interfering with the light beam.

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The symptoms taken all together make me think both the left-click and right-click functions have failed (i.e., they stick closed when you press and release them), and the odds of two mechanical switches failing like that simultaneously are nil, so that leaves us with a failure in the logic board/chip in the mouse. Not feasible to repair at a reasonable cost, so replace the whole mouse.

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Yeah, I agree with rje49.. You should clean it out and see if it helps.. If not then I guess you have to replace it :/

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cosmlou, nice explanation’ that is exactly what was happening

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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