Hi - I have a Compaq desktop that is only about 6 months old. I use Windows XP Home, with 512 Megs of memory.

Starting a couple weeks ago, and happening only occasionally, when I start a program or sometimes while I am using one, my mouse pointer will start flickering, and things grind to a halt it seems. I have discovered that if I hit a/c/d and close out the task manager box, things are all right again. For a while anyway.

I uninstalled the only program I have installed recently, I keep my hard drive defragmented, I have messed around with PC Doctor and found nothing wrong. No viruses or malware are found on my system. I use Ewido, Avast!, and a couple other programs.

Any ideas? I would hate to have to reinstall windows over this.

Is this a wireless or an optical mouse?

A. If it is wireless, have you changed the batteries?
B. Is the mouse transmitter located close to the mouse; not obstructed? Try putting the transmitter closer to where the mouse is located.

Or, if optical:

C. If it is an optical mouse, try putting a clean piece of white paper under the mouse. See if that solves the problem. An Optical mouse seems to work better when used on a white (or at least light colored) surface.

If none of the above apply, try the following diagnotic steps:

1. Do a search for the file: pointer32.exe
Let me know if you find the file. You will need to allow hidden and system files to be included in the search using the 'Advanced" search. (this file may be infected with a trojan worm virus called: W32.Randex.R Symantec Virus Information page If you find the file, I suggest you update your current Anti-virus program and run the scan to see if it can locate and remove any infected files. If none are found, then the pointer file must be clean of infection. And I note that you have already checked for a virus. I mention this only to confirm that the antivirus software has a fresh update before the scan. If so, then try using the virus scan at http://www.pcpitstop.com Using a different scanner may detect a problem that Avast! might have missed (although this is a good antivirus program, in my opinion).

2. In the meantime, do you have an older mouse that you can plug into your computer? If so, you can shut down you computer and then unplug your current mouse and substitute the older one. If not, go to step-3. Restart your computer and see if the problem is still happening. If the problem does not return, I would guess the problem is with the mouse.

3. Go to the Control Panel, Mouse and look at the list of pointers. Choose something different from what you're currently using. See if that pointer does not flicker. If if does not, then I believe the problem may be that mouse pointer driver file. If the problem persists, then I would want to know if you found the file noted in step-1.

4. Reinstall the mouse driver. First, close all running programs, then:

5. Go to the Device Manager and select your mouse. Uninstall it and then restart your computer. During restart, your mouse driver will automatically be reinstalled.

a. Right click My Computer
b. Choose Properties
c. Click Hardware
d. Click Device Manager
e. Click + sign next to Mouse
f. Right-click on mouse entry and choose "uninstall" (See this picture)
g. Restart your computer.

Note: you may not need the following steps, but just in case:

If unistalling the mouse causes it to stop working immediately, the following explains how to use the keyboard keys to:

Close the Device Manager Window
Restart the computer

To close the window, use the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys and the Tab and Arrow keys to select the "Applications" tab. Use the keyboard arrow keys to select any running applications and the Tab key to highlight the "End Task" button. Press Enter to "End Task" on the listed applications.

Close the Windows Task Manager window using the Right-Click menu key (usually located on the keyboard between the right side Ctrl key and the Window Start menu key. You keyboard may have a right side Alt key instead of a Windows Start menu key).

Then press the left side Ctrl key to open your start menu, and your arrow keys to select "Turn Off computer" and the "Restart". Press enter to restart the system.

I hope this helps!

Dwight

Hi Dwight - thanks for the response!

No sign of pointer32.exe.

I have just now plugged in an old mouse and will wait and see if the problem comes back. I'll run that virus scan from PCPitStop, and will post back later whether or not the mouse switching did the trick.

Thanks again.

EDIT: Ran virus scan from PC Pitstop, no virus found. Mouse pointer started flickering again while on p2p program, download stopped, system was extremely sluggish. Hit a/c/d & closed out Task Manager. Uninstalled mouse through device manager as per your instructions, rebooted, Windows told me to reboot again.

Here's hoping.

Maybe I should mention that I can hear my hard drive 'grinding' even when I'm not doing anything on the computer.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GarColga,

quote:

...I can hear my hard drive 'grinding'...

Are there any background tasks assigned? Like checking for software updates, or running a software firewall and being connected to a broadband Internet connection? Or a firewall with dial-up connection that is on? That activity would cause the computer to run.

You can see what kind of background services are on your system by:

1. Click Start

2. Click Run

3. Type in: msconfig

4. Click OK

5. Click the "Services" tab

If you wish, you can select "hide all Microsoft Services" to see all "third-party" background services (See this picture)

When you say "grinding" is this sound different from normal computer hard drive activity sound? If so, there is an excellent hard-drive diagnostic tool available from Steve Gibson called "Spinrite". You can read about it at GRC.com

Have you tried changing the selected mouse pointer in the Control Panel? That may help.

There is also a possibility that this is a display adapter problem. Try running the dxdiag.exe utility to see if any display problems show up.

1. Click Start

2. Click Run

3. Type in: dxdiag

4. Click OK

5. OK the WHQL prompt

6. Check for problem files shows and click the Display tab

7. Run the Display section.

8. If no problems appear, try putting the Acceleration level slight slower and then see if the pointer flutter reoccurs. If so, let me along with the name of the display adapter (found in the System Device Manager...You might find the free PC Wizard tool helpful.

Also, you mentioned that the Compaq PC was about 6-months old. It may still be under warranty and so a call to the HP/Compaq technical support people may help. HP/Compaq Help site. You can find the phone number or use their on-line chat (this is available at no cost even after the warranty period has expired)

I hope something here helps!

Dwight

By Golly, Dwight - my problem seems to be solved. Since last post I have put my computer through it's paces. I downloaded a 700 MB AVI file, spent 1 and a half hours converting it, and burned it to DVD, all without so much as a flicker.

Switching mice (mouses)did the trick!

You're right I do have plenty going on in the background.

For some reason replacing the mouse and installing the drivers for it also seems to have fixed a shutdown problem I'd been having!

Thank you Dwight

Very good news! Thank you for the feedback.
Have a great day!
Dwight

Hi Dwight - Just wanted to make sure you understood how grateful I am for your help!

Replacing the mouse has fixed a bunch of little problems I'd been having, and I was sure that I was going to have to reinstall the OS to fix them. Copy and paste wouldn't always work, things just disappeared from the clipboard sometimes, and now I can shut down without using the power button! All OK now.

It would never have dawned on me that the mouse itself (or the drivers for it)was the problem, I thought the flickering was a symptom of a much greater problem!

Anyway, thanks again!

I'm glad to hear this is working out so well for you. When some basic imput device like a keyboard or mouse is faulting, the whole system suffers.

Dwight

I had this problem with google web accelerator installed.When I disabled it the problem stopped