Ive got this pretty little blue and silver Microsoft Optical mouse. When the batteries get low it starts acting funny.

New batteries always seems to fix the problem.

I did have the big crash and D&D wiped my machine clean and I started all over.

Things went well for about a month and my mousie started acting up. [I just change the batteries - right ?]

Wrong! It didn't work. Some of the tricks it did was:On a left click it would ask 'what's this?' - On a right click [menu opens] clk on open in a new window and it would go backwards to two previous windows before. [Another set of batteries and clean the contacts - nothing].

Is it possible that somehow I've lost the driver and need to reinstall the hardware that came with the Optical Mouse.

I thought with Optical I was set for life - no contacts to wear out - just keep buying those batteries.

Does anyone have an idea of what has happened to me.

I did have another mouse with a cord on it - it works good.

Thanx

Have you looked beneath the mouse for any debris stuck to the plastic grease ?(give your mouse mat a wipe too)
Also if you have a ball take that out and give it a clean ,Lay a strip of sellotape and roll the ball on it (you'd be surprised what sticks )
finally get a cotton bud wet it and wipe the rollers in the mouse housing Guarantee you'll get some hair /fluff tangled casing thre rollers to slip hence the "jerks" are seen on the screen! with the pointer
Do this job every other week to keep it running a top performance Take you 2 mins
I agree with you the Microsoft Mouse eats batteries .Buy a pack from the cheap "everything for a $1" store or whatever they call it in your area? to keep you going
I too am using a cordless mouse but it is an A4Tech model IRW-5 Battery consumption is very good only change every 3 weeks and This computer is used perhaps at least 4 hours per day? With occasional useage possibly squeeze 3 months or more out of the batteries

BTW This model is out of production, but here is the identical IRW-25 model which is colored 2-tone as to mine which is off-white.
www.a4tech.com/en/product2.asp?CID=1&SCID=7&MNO=IRW-25
I found that the retail price is $25-$30 US
But I found a company with some at $12.99 US
Ergoshops Online Storein California .There might also be some on Ebay? so check that out?