Mouse Problems

Follow these steps to troubleshoot problems with your mouse

Keyboard and mouse problems are very frustrating. In addition to complete failures, you may see partial failures or these devices behaving erratically.

The steps below should help you troubleshoot the problem. But keep in mind that if you happen to have a spare keyboard or mouse laying around the house, swapping out one for the other may help clear up the issue.

Note - When troubleshooting keyboard and mouse problems, do not unplug or plug in the device while the computer is running.

Mouse Problems

If the computer was on and the mouse suddenly stopped working, your computer may have frozen up. Rebooting it may solve the problem.

You can try hitting the "windows" key on the keyboard to bring up the start menu and then use the arrow keys to navigate to the shut down (or restart) option.

If you're unable to navigate at all, you can shut down the computer by holding in the power button until the power goes off (usually 5-10 seconds). Then try starting the computer again and see if the problem is fixed.

If the problem still isn't fixed, and it seems to be isolated to the mouse, try following the steps below.

Step 1 - Make sure the Mouse is Plugged In

Even though you may think the mouse is plugged in, it's best to check. Sometimes all you need to do is unplug it and plug it back in again (but make sure computer is off first).

If you're using a wireless mouse, you might have to check the connectivity. You should have a device that sits on the desktop that your mouse (and possibly keyboard) talk to. In most cases, you have to point the device and mouse toward each other and press the "connect button" to establish connectivity.

Step 2 - Check the lights (if optical mouse) or trackball (if old style mouse)

Old style mice had a trackball underneath them which is famous for getting dirty. Taking apart the mouse and cleaning the trackball can fix a lot of problems (but before doing this, you want to make sure the computer is and the mouse is unplugged)

Optical mice have lights associated with them. If the lights are working, you know the mouse is getting power. If there are no lights, the mouse may be dead.

If you're using a wireless mouse, you might want to try replacing the batteries if you think it may not have power. Be sure to establish connectivity if you change the batteries.

Step 3 - Check the Driver

In order for your mouse to work with the computer, it needs a driver. If you have software disc for your mouse, you could try reinstalling the software. Otherwise, you could try downloading a new driver from the manufacturer's web site.

One of the symptoms of a driver problem is that the mouse behaves erratically (but that could also be a symptom of a dirty trackball on the old style mice).

Another option is to go into Device Manager and delete the mouse and then reboot the computer (this will often reinstall the driver).

Step 4 - Replace the Mouse

If none of the steps above can resolve the problem, then you may want to just replace the mouse. They're pretty cheap these days and replacing it may be quicker and easier than more troubleshooting.

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