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MichaelBird
4 Posts
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December 26th, 2004 23:00
Erratic optical mouse movement on new Dimension 3000
I set up a new Dimension 3000 desktop PC last Saturday (12/18) and ever since then it has had very erratic mouse movement. The problem is not consistent, as I have been able to use the system for an hour or more with no unusual activity at all, and then the mouse cursor will jump randomly across the screen repeatedly, and then it will start working normally again for a short time before happening again. It has even happened sometimes when I am not touching the mouse at all and the cursor will jump around although the mouse is physically not being moved.
I am using the standard Dell 2 button USB optical wheel mouse that comes with this system and the problem has been happening ever since the system was first assembled out of the box. I have tried several different mouse pads including the one that came with the computer and two plain-colored, non-reflective mouse pads with no change. Windows XP SP2 is using the default HID-compliant mouse driver. I have plugged the mouse into all six USB ports and have also used a USB to PS/2 mouse adapter to connect the mouse to the standard PS/2 port. I unfortunately do not have a spare mouse that I can try right now but I will do so as soon as I can get my hands on one.
I have disabled HyperThreading support in the BIOS and have disabled all non-critical system services and start-up applications, have completely disconnected the computer from the 'network' (Cable modem connected via a broadband router). I have run full system scans with McAfee and Norton Anti-Virus, as well as Ad-Aware and Spybot, all of which found no malicious software on the system.
This does not appear to be a USB issue as I have connected this mouse using a PS/2 adapter, and also does not appear to be caused by HyperThreading, since that has been disabled. It is also not being caused by a reflective/uneven mouse pad since the problem happens when the mouse is sitting on a plain black (and plain blue) non-reflective cloth mouse pad as well as on the reflective "Dell Logo" mouse pad that came with the system. It's possible the problem is due to a defective mouse and I will attempt to eliminate that possibility with a different mouse as soon as I am able to do so. In the meantime, I would really appreciate any help and suggestions you can give me as this is an extremely annoying problem and is frequent enough as to make the PC nearly un-usable at times.
Thanks,
Michael
edit: Fixed a couple of typos
Message Edited by MichaelBird on 12-26-2004 07:36 PM
Astounding
4 Posts
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Posted December 27th, 2004 21:00
An update - I just got off the line with Dell tech support. They are sending us 4 new mice. We don't know if that will fix the problem. I will post another message when we have installed the new mice.LarryGauthier
3 Posts
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Posted December 30th, 2004 14:00
I am happy to hear that others are having this problem. ;-(
I received a new Dell Dimension in early December and have experienced the same problem. The optical mouse causes the cursor to jump erratically around the screen, and often bounces along the edge of the screen. Dell sent me a new mouse - the new mouse exhibited the exact same problem. At first I thought the problem was associated with my dual monitor configuration (and I likely confused Dell Tech Support by coming to that conclusion), but I have now tried both optical mice on 4 Dell systems here - same problem on all four Dimensions (some of them two years old...).
Replacing the Dell optical mouse with a "regular" Dell mouse, a Microsoft optical mouse, or a Microsoft wireless mouse solves the problem. It seems to me that Dell has a product problem and does not really know it yet.
MichaelBird
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Posted December 30th, 2004 18:00
I connected a Logitech optical USB mouse to the system and it worked perfectly as well, so I called Dell support last night and arranged to have them send me a replacement Dell mouse. I'll let you know how the system performs with the replacement. It sounds like Dell had a large shipment of defective mice since so many people have been reporting the same problem.- Just received my Dimension 3000 with Windows XP, and the mouse does the same...it will rest on the screen in one location, and out of nowhere, it jumps to another location...on the screen...is tech support aware of this?? Do I call or email them?? Thank-you in advance...
MichaelBird
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Posted January 2nd, 2005 05:00
From the looks of this, it appears that Dell had a bad batch (or batches) of their branded optical mice. I'd recommend that anyone having this problem test your PC using a non-Dell mouse to verify that the problem is actually with the mouse and not something else within the system, then call Dell and get a replacement mouse.MichaelBird
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Posted January 2nd, 2005 16:00
Yes, that is exactly what has been happening to quite a few of us. Personally I think it's just a defective batch of mice. But whatever the reason, a new mouse should fix the problem.Astounding
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Posted January 2nd, 2005 18:00
Final Update - Dell was very good in promptly sending us 4 new optical mice. We have used them in the office for two days and experienced none of the skipping problems encountered with the old mice. This seems to indicate it was a defective batch of mice, which makes sense as all of the posts here seem to be purchases made during Q4 2004.
I was very pleased with Dell's warranty response. Other than the fact that I had to keep insisting to the support tech in Panama that this was not "usual optical mouse skipping" (yes he really said that), when he finally got the message during the call we had the new mice 24 hours later.
Good luck to everyone else who posted!
Happens on occasion...no pattern to it. I've had an optical mouse before, on my IBM, and it worked for many years without a problem...I just received this computer, less than four weeks old, and the technical assistance knowledge base claims it needs to be cleaned, or to install the driver..but, don't know where I would find the driver for this?..... a bit surprised....right now, it's just annoying.
Thanks for any assistance.............Abadaba13
Astounding
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Posted December 27th, 2004 21:00
We bought 4 new Dimension 4600s a few months ago and have experienced the exact same problem with the optical mice on all 4 machines. I have spent some time on the phone with Dell support and have yet to find a solution. I have also tried most of the same solutions, likewise with no result.
It is annoying, especially since it appears to be a widespread defect which Dell has not resolved. Hopefully, some smart Dell support person will read our postings and get us a solution.