Sick Mouse? I seem to have a sick mouse - Dell, with a wire for a tail. It goes into scroll mode on its own, but I can't engage it by pushing down on the mouse wheel

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I seem to have a sick mouse - Dell, with a wire for a tail. It goes into scroll mode on its own, but I can't engage it by pushing down on the mouse wheel - not that I ever want to. I'll keep using it today, but if it doesn't cure itself, I'll have to send it to that big mouse house in the sky. I've never seen a mouse act like this before. It's been doing it for about two days now.

bamfordr Loc: Campbell CA

Dirt? Dust?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I imagine in the two days you have rebooted the computer.
I've noticed on rare occasion that the operation of the mouse driver gets wonky. A reboot corrected it.
If not, you're right, new mouse.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

Did you know the cordless mouse was used befor the one wired to the computer? The cord was added in the PaloAlto labs because the people were taking them. The cord was used as a tether.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I wonder if an air hose may cure the problem? I'd give a blast and see what happens.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Picture Taker wrote:

Did you know the cordless mouse was used befor the one wired to the computer? The cord was added in the PaloAlto labs because the people were taking them. The cord was used as a tether.

Interesting. Must have been way before PCs were prevalent.
I wonder how they interfaced the wireless mouse as USB was not in existence then.

from below: "Finally, the first commercially-available wireless mouse, the Logitech Mouseman Cordless, came out in 1991,..."
https://www.sacatech.com/2019/08/15/where-did-your-mouse-come-from/

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Picture Taker wrote:

Did you know the cordless mouse was used befor the one wired to the computer? The cord was added in the PaloAlto labs because the people were taking them. The cord was used as a tether.

Funny, but not surprising.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Longshadow wrote:

I imagine in the two days you have rebooted the computer.
I've noticed on rare occasion that the operation of the mouse driver gets wonky. A reboot corrected it.
If not, you're right, new mouse.

Yes, I rebooted and checked for malware. I'll see how this goes.

EDIT: More info. As I am typing, the cursor will jump to a different location, and the letters will be entered there. It .entifferjust placed the period in the word :d See what it did in the previous sentence? That's its new trick - moving the cursor.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

Funny, but not surprising.

Funny, yes, true, doubt it.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

jerryc41 wrote:

I seem to have a sick mouse - Dell, with a wire for a tail. It goes into scroll mode on its own, but I can't engage it by pushing down on the mouse wheel - not that I ever want to. I'll keep using it today, but if it doesn't cure itself, I'll have to send it to that big mouse house in the sky. I've never seen a mouse act like this before. It's been doing it for about two days now.

I use Logitech cordless, I don't like the cords on a rodent (mouse).

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I had heard that Xerox developed the mouse at PARC - Palo Alto Research Center - using kids.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

jerryc41 wrote:

I seem to have a sick mouse - Dell, with a wire for a tail. It goes into scroll mode on its own, but I can't engage it by pushing down on the mouse wheel - not that I ever want to. I'll keep using it today, but if it doesn't cure itself, I'll have to send it to that big mouse house in the sky. I've never seen a mouse act like this before. It's been doing it for about two days now.

Mice are cheap. Get a wireless one next.

charles tabb Loc: Richmond VA.

jerryc41 wrote:

I seem to have a sick mouse - Dell, with a wire for a tail. It goes into scroll mode on its own, but I can't engage it by pushing down on the mouse wheel - not that I ever want to. I'll keep using it today, but if it doesn't cure itself, I'll have to send it to that big mouse house in the sky. I've never seen a mouse act like this before. It's been doing it for about two days now.

Jerry, I use a Logitech Performance MX Mouse and even have a new backup in case something happens to the one I have in use now. I have the backup because I love this rodent so much.
Look into it and it's features and I feel you might like it too.

Charles

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

jerryc41 wrote:

Yes, I rebooted and checked for malware. I'll see how this goes.

EDIT: More info. As I am typing, the cursor will jump to a different location, and the letters will be entered there. It .entifferjust placed the period in the word :d See what it did in the previous sentence? That's its new trick - moving the cursor.

Obviously your mouse is very talented; just not fully trained.

Red6

Since it is corded, is it optical or mechanical? If it is an older mechanical mouse, then it has a rolling ball that tracks its movement. Open up the little compartment and clean the sensors inside. They usually gum up with dust etc. every few months or so. If it is the scrolling wheel part, that is a little more involved and disposal may be the order of the day.

I have not had a corded mouse in many years. The cordless ones, especially the laser ones are so much better and other than a battery once a year, are virtually maintenance-free.