Strange mouse behaviour, different applications, different mice

Hi there

Within the last fortnight, I've noticed a strange, intermittent "glitch" occurring with my mouse (a wireless Toshiba model). I first noticed it with my email program (Incredimail) - if i clicked once to display a message, the program behaved as if I had double-clicked (which launches the message in its own window). I assumed I was being clumsy (it didn't happen consistently) and forgot about it.

A few days ago I was using the 3d-modelling package, Lightwave. That began showing aberrant behaviour - rotating a model requires a click-and-drag action: on the "click", the model would instantly leap through a huge and controllable angle, requiring at best an "undo" and at worst a restart.

Then I found the same behaviour occurring in similar program Daz Studio: a click on the mouse was acting as if I had clicked and then instantly dragged the mouse a couple of meters sideways (a physical impossibility). But it doesn't happen all the time - maybe one click in twenty?

Clearly there's a problem, but what with? I tried using two different mice (a Logitech gaming mouse and a Microsoft basic model): same result. All my drivers are up to date - I've reinstalled the mouse drivers to be sure.

I haven't yet tried a system restore but will do if nothing else comes to light. But I wondered if anyone knows what the problem might be.

Thanks for any suggestions

Have you tried going into Control Panel > Mouse settings and lowering the settings there?

Thanks for suggestion - it was the first thing i checked though, and even with sensitivity set to minimum, the problem still occurs.

The annoying thing really is how random the problem is. If it were consistent, it would indicate a setting somewhere, but it only happens "sometimes" -and I'm being really careful to click firmly and consistently.

Thanks again though.

First off, change the battery in the mouse, even if you don't think it needs it, and check it.

If that wasn't it, I'd dig out an old mouse, maybe even a serial (wired) mouse, connect it, and uninstall all the bad mouse software and drivers, reboot, and reinstall the old mouse as if it were new.

If there are still problems, get a new mouse.

Well, if it does the same random behavior with different mice then it could be a larger system problem.

The first thing that comes to mind is the video card or it's driver. You could try playing with the card's settings (if you have been adjusting them) or reinstalling the graphics driver (clean install).

Do you use a mouse pad? Sometimes the tabletop surface can be the problem. I was in a hotel room one time and thought my mouse had broken. Didn't move at all. Then I tried a sheet of paper under it and it was fine. Whatever housecleaning was using to clean/coat the tabletop was messing with the laser.

Hmm, changing the mousemat might be worth a try - I didn't think of that. All the mice I've tried are optical. Thanks.

It isn't the mouse itself: I've tried four different ones now, and two of them were wired: no battery issues. I've tried a clean reinstall of the drivers.

The video card is an idea. I haven't played with any settings recently, but there was an updated AMD driver in December that might be worth checking.

Thanks