Mouse pointer changes only when on Start Menu

Kenny17 · 17 Oct 2017

Hi Folks,

I have run into a curious and frustrating problem that I can't seem to get a handle on or find any solutions from searching here and Google.

My mouse pointer has suddenly changed when it's anywhere on the start menu. Instead of the basic white arrow, it's now the vertical style black pointer with the arrows pointing up and down. Sometimes it changes to the move pointer with the four arrows extending outward.

I have not installed or uninstalled any programs recently. Nor have I installed any updates in the past few days. In addition I have reinstalled the device drivers for my graphics cards and attempted to change the schemes for the mouse pointers, but the issue remains. I have also unplugged my USB Trackball and restarted the computer so it only uses the built-in trackpad, but that didn't help anything either.

If anyone could give me any tips of how I could get the mouse pointer to return to normal, I'd very much appreciate it.

Thanks so much,

Ken

ICIT2LOL · 18 Oct 2017

Hello and welcome Ken mate a screenshot would help t see just what you mean but in any case please run these
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html < if necessary include the /f switch and if this does not make any improvement then just run this switch instead /r in the command line as per Option2
Run these in safe mode and the sfc often best run for two to three runs – you can leave out the /r switch in ckdsk if you feel it not necessary

if no fix then these

http://www.superantispyware.com/
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
ADW download from bleeping computer delete any rubbish found with the malware scans
(NB If you are running Kaspersky as the main AV then it might need disabling it when trying ADW because it does not like it at times)

Kenny17 · 23 Oct 2017

Hello ICIT2LOL,

Thanks for the reply.

I have spent the last few days going through the various steps you listed and wasn't able to find anything wrong with my system.

However, I needed to use my external hard drive on another computer in the meantime and after it was unplugged from the USB port, I noticed the mouse cursor in the Start Menu had returned to normal. When I plugged the drive back in again, the cursor remained normal, but upon restarting the computer, it was back to the different styles that keep showing up. As soon as the drive is unplugged again, then the cursor appears normally. Not sure what an external hard drive has to do with the display of cursors in the Start Menu, but at least I know now what the problem is. I'll just keep the drive unplugged all the time until it's actually necessary.

A couple of screenshots have been attached showing how the cursor was appearing.

Thank you again. I've saved the steps you provided for future reference in case I run into problems again with something else.

Ken