Mouse cursor opens everything without clicking - just by hovering

[TNorth]

Hello!

I am having an issue with my mouse on my Lenovo X230 running Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit. This laptop is about 4 months old - and the issue started about a month ago.

The problem - at times - usually after using the laptop for 10-15 minutes, the mouse cursor starts to go a bit crazy. It will open and or close anything it is near - programs, webpages, files - resize windows, move windows as I try to move the cursor to the X to close the program, and it will highlight randomly - deleting text that I am typing - all without me clicking or doing anything. When it happens, the laptop is nearly unusable - any mouse cursor motion can cause any number of things to happen nearly at once - once it rested on the open a new window tab in Chrome and about 30 windows opened all at once.

I use a Logictech M215 mouse - not the touchpad, and the same thing has happened with three different mice. But - the same behavior does occur if I try using the touchpad when things get really bad with the mouse.

I am fearful that something will get opened or started that I don't want - it is just very very sensitive and very unpredictable when it happens!

Here is what I have done so far:

1. Had Norton run a deep scan for viruses, along with my normal scan - nothing found.
2. Updated latest MS updates, Norton updates, updated the display drivers, updated .NET (at Norton's suggestion), updated JAVA.
3. Uninstalled and reinstalled all USB controllers.
4. Reinstalled mouse - tried in all USB ports - same behavior. Tried different mice - same thing.
5. Tried to update all mouse drivers - none needed updating.
6. Unchecked "activate window by hovering" in Ease of use settings in Control Panel.
7. Set mouse to double click.
8. Disabled trackpad tapping (thought I don't use the trackpad or accidentally brush against it while typing)
9. Note: all USB controllers, HID settings and Mice settings are set to NOT let the laptop manage power or wake (as I also have had an ongoing sleep issue - another story).

I see that this is a well documented issue with Win 7 on many forums and there is lots of advice - none seems to work. There must be a way to disable this "open just by hovering for a millisecond" behavior in Win 7 - as this seems not to be a specific mouse issue, though that is where it is seen.

I have not called Lenovo as of yet - hoping to get a fix from the forums. I had read of some registry setting that might work - but can't seem to locate something that will prevent this behavior.

As I said - it is not constant - but once it starts, I can't type, can't move the mouse without having things pop open or clsoe, and the laptop is basically unusable till I restart - if I can get to that without setting off a chain reaction of other things opening.

Laptop specs:
Lenovo Thinkpad X230
Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1 and up to date
i5 3230 processor with 2.60 GHz
500 GB HDD
4 GB RAM
Logictech mouse
Norton Internet Security
anything else??

Thanks to anyone who can help - I am about at my wits end!
TN

 

[techhead287]

Hello,

As all the solutions you have tried have not worked, we need to see if this is happening in different operating systems apart from Windows 7. If it happens in them too, it must be a hardware problem, not a software one.

To get into a different operating system, follow these steps:

1. Restart the computer.
2. When the computer is booting up, rapidly press the F8 key.
3. You should then see a screen with options like "Safe Mode" and "Safe Mode with Networking". Using the arrow keys, scroll to the top of them all, and "Repair your Computer" should be highlighted. Press the Enter key.
4. Your computer should then be booting into the Windows 7 Recovery Environment. This is a completley isolated version of Windows 7 that can be used to repair your installed operating system. This itself is a completley different operating system, so if you get the problem in this, you are having a hardware issue.
5. You should see a "Windows is loading files..." page, let it do its thing. It might take a while.
6. You should be greeted by a login screen. Login using your normal username and password.
7. Attempt to move your mouse. If you are having the same problem, it might be a hardware issue.
8. Restart your computer by pressing the small "Restart" button at the bottom of the dialog. Or, if you do not need the computer, press "Shut Down" instead.

If you are not having the problem in the recovery environment, it is a problem with Windows 7. It may be a program running in the background. If you are not having the problem in the recovery environment, then post back and I will tell you how to fix the problem.

If you are having the problem in the recovery environment, then there may have been a hardware change, being BIOS settings or something like that. There might have been a BIOS change that is incompatible with Windows 7, so if you still have the issue in the recovery environment, post back telling me that and I will tell you how to test a Linux operating system, and see if that has the problem.

techhead287

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[lehnerus2000]

System File Checker

Have you tried running sfc?

Open the Command Prompt (Use the "Run as administrator" option in the context menu).
Type:
sfc /scannow

Tutorial
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

Does your mouse have some sort of "mouse gestures" setting?
If yes, have you tried disabling it?

 

[TNorth]

Hello,
....[*]Attempt to move your mouse. If you are having the same problem, it might be a hardware issue.
[*]Restart your computer by pressing the small "Restart" button at the bottom of the dialog. Or, if you do not need the computer, press "Shut Down" instead.
[/LIST]

If you are not having the problem in the recovery environment, it is a problem with Windows 7. It may be a program running in the background. If you are not having the problem in the recovery environment, then post back and I will tell you how to fix the problem.

If you are having the problem in the recovery environment, then there may have been a hardware change, being BIOS settings or something like that. There might have been a BIOS change that is incompatible with Windows 7, so if you still have the issue in the recovery environment, post back telling me that and I will tell you how to test a Linux operating system, and see if that has the problem.

techhead287

Hello and thanks for this troubleshooting idea. Before I do this - I have one question. This behavior is not predicable. It usually happens after I've used the laptop for a little while - 10-15 minutes - but sometimes it happens right away and sometimes I can use it for some time before it appears - like now - it seems to be fine for nearly 1/2 hour - very weird.

So - my question - if I boot into the Recover Environment, can I use the computer for any length of time to be sure if the problem occurs?

Also do you know anything about this idea also: "It's in HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Control Panel / Mouse
Set MouseHoverWidth and MouseHoverHeight to 0" - discussed here: CountrySelector - Sony

I haven't tried that yet - I did also uncheck two "animate" commands in my System Performance settings - that as suggested in this discussion: Disable Hover Feature - Microsoft Community


lehnerus2000: Thanks for your suggestion also! I don't have any gesture commands in my mouse - I've checked all of its settings - nothing that would indicate any hover behavior. Will look more at the sfc after the Recovery attempt and post back.

Thanks!

 

[techhead287]

Hello,

To see if the problem occurs, you will probably have to be moving your mouse around in it for a while. I know there isn't much to do, but it's the only way to see if it is a problem with the OS.

techhead287

 

[TNorth]

Thanks! I will give it a try and post back later on. I am noticing that the problem does seem to be less after disabling the "animate" commands , so it may not occur in the Recovery Environment either.

Haven't tried that idea of setting the hover commands to 0 - would that be something to try also?

Thanks!
TN

 

[techhead287]

Yeah, you could try that too. See if it works and post back later.

 

[TNorth]

I did change that setting yesterday - after the mouse went a bit crazy again. It had been fine for several days - no issues at all, but yesterday afternoon it started again and I made that change in the hover time. Will see how it is today and post back.

I do doubt that it is a hardware issue - haven't tested that as it had been fine for a few days, but I have used three different mice - all with the same result, and last week, Norton did a remote access deep scan of my system and they had the problem remotely - not using the mouse - so it does seem to be Windows related - not the mouse.

Will post back when I have some results - and thanks for keeping track of this tread and your help!,

*****ETA: OK - after about 10 minutes, it has started again - random highlighting, closing or opening windows if the cursor touches them - so I guess the setting to 0 didn't work. I restarted and tried to get into the recovery mode - but it went right to the Windows screen. So - I do need some additional ideas!
Thanks - much appreciated!!

TN

 

[techhead287]

Is there any mice-related software installed on the computer?

 

[margrave]

Sounds like a hardware problem.

 

[MilesAhead]

Is there a setting "disable touchpad when mouse installed?". When you plug in a USB mouse the touchpad is disabled. The main danger is if you reboot with the USB mouse plugged in. The touchpad may not come on even if the mouse is not connected. So make a restore point before changing the setting.

edit: I'm thinking the touchpad might be picking up some vibration or other weird thing.

 

[TNorth]

Hello!

No mouse-related software - and seemingly not a hardware issue. I did call Lenovo and they remotely looked at the computer and did a BIOS update. Too soon to close the book, but things have (knocking wood) been much improved. Will post back after a few days to give an update.

Thanks to all for the help!
TN

 

[TNorth]

Is there a setting "disable touchpad when mouse installed?". When you plug in a USB mouse the touchpad is disabled. The main danger is if you reboot with the USB mouse plugged in. The touchpad may not come on even if the mouse is not connected. So make a restore point before changing the setting.

edit: I'm thinking the touchpad might be picking up some vibration or other weird thing.

And no - I don't see that setting. I agree - that if the touchpad is not ever re-enabled, that could also be an issue. I am reserving judgement for a few more days to see if the BIOS update worked.

Thanks!
TN

 

[RatedX]

OMG you lot should never give out advice
This is what you need to do only, Go to the mouse setting and disable TAPPING ZONES, simple as can be, no safe mode or hardware problems, jus TAPPING ZONE is enables,
PEOPLE IS IF YOU DONT KNOW DONT JUS GIVE OUT RANDOM CRAP ADVICE

 

[GokAy]

I have mixed feelings about this last post Come on people, turn the servers off, everyone to their homes!