Tech help- mouse/usb

sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
every 5 minutes or so my computer freezes for about 5 seconds, i hear the "dee-dum!" sound windows plays when it knows hardware has been disconnected, the lights on my copperhead mouse go out, then the "dum-dee!" sound plays as the mouse is reconnected.

as it freezes- i havent checked but i reckon i'd see cpu usage go to 100% when this happens- the whole system hangs for a bit, so it's a tad frustrating.

on windows xp sp2.

any help appreciated!

Comments

  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi! Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    Has it only started happening since you've started using the mouse? Or installing some other new hardware/software?
  • locallyunscenelocallyunscene Feeder of Trolls Join Date: 2002-12-25 Member: 11528Members, Constellation
    Sounds like your mouse is dying. This happened to me and I solved the problem by getting a new mouse.

    When it goes *dee dum* that's your mouse shutting off and you computer saying hardware is disconnected. The *dum dee* is the mouse turning back on and being re-connected. Could be the mouse driver I suppose.
  • sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
    randomly started happening a few weeks back.

    only seems to happen when i play ns! (don't really play any other games so not sure if it's just NS, or HL1 mods, or Steam etc... >_< )
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    have you tried all the standards?

    Different mice
    Different usb ports
    mouse on other computers
    etc etc etc
  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    Sounds like drivers to me if it's not recognising it momentarily.
  • SkulkBaitSkulkBait Join Date: 2003-02-11 Member: 13423Members
    Might be a break in the wire. It explains intermittency, since usually theres enough contact for the mouse to work, and why it goes out while playing NS (moves more than normal).
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    razer mice are notorious for doing this. mine did exactly the same thing. nothing fixed it.
  • CrispyCrispy Jaded GD Join Date: 2004-08-22 Member: 30793Members, Constellation
    edited November 2007
    It's either the USB port or a loose connection in the mouse somewhere (most likely the wire) or possibly a power issue.

    I have a Diamondback now but when I had an Intellimouse it was easy enough to take apart and move the wire around. As I say I'm not sure whether it's true of Razers since I can't see how to take them apart, but the Intelli has a horrible kink in the mouse cord that doubles back on itself and stresses the wire at a certain point. Moving the kink to a 'fresh' part of the wire solved the problem with that model. However, one of the reasons I got a Razer in the first place is because they have a reinforced stub where the wire comes in that means they don't have to use a luddite kink to keep the wire in place, so I can't see how it could be a problem with the wire.

    Check your USB port, make sure the USB connector isn't slipping about in the port. Check all other ports to see if it happens in all of them (i.e. if you're using a handy port on the top or front of the machine, try using all of the ones on the back as well as the other one on the front to eliminate suspicion). If you can get a friend to lend you a mouse for the day, play NS as you usually do and see if it happens with a different mouse. If you suspect it's a problem with the USB port and not the mouse, you can probably buy a new PCI USB port card and use those instead. Out of 4 USB ports on my motherboard 3 of them don't work properly and it's a 6 month-old ASUS motherboard. It can happen with even the best of mobo manufacturers.

    Just don't jump to the conclusion it's the mouse until you've ruled everything else out, Razers in my experience are very reliable. If it does happen to be the mouse, Razer will probably give you a replacement free of charge depending on how long you've had it.

    Another thing, Razers use up a lot of power, much more than normal mice. Therefore if they aren't getting a steady supply of power because of a faulty or substandard USB port, at a guess it might cut out as you describe. On a related note, have you installed any new hardware that consumes a lot of power or have you changed to a different PSU? Do you have an old PSU? It might be worth checking your PSU isn't -overheating -underpowered -broken.
  • sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
    thanks for the help. i switched USB ports but still had the same problem. after some experimenting i've found that quick, harsh movement across the mouse pad or fiddling with the wire where it joins the mouse causes disconnects.

    i guess that's a broken wire, then. i've fired an e-mail off to Razer support but i doubt they're entitled to replace it as i can't remember where i bought the mouse from.

    if they aren't helpful i'll probably replace it with that £18 Intellimouse 3.0 from play.com.
  • CrispyCrispy Jaded GD Join Date: 2004-08-22 Member: 30793Members, Constellation
    edited November 2007
    If you don't get a positive response from Razer you'll be losing nothing from taking a look inside and seeing if you can fix the problem manually. It'd be a shame to lose a Razer to an Intellimouse.

    If you find a way in please post pics, I'm interested to see whether and how you might take a Razer apart for maintenance. It's something I've done with every single mouse I've owned, being about 3 in 10 years. On my first trackball mouse the button connects wore away from HLDM, TFC and CS so I folded some small squares of paper and it worked again until I build my first PC. Then the Intellimouse wire got fooked and a bit of fiddling inside brought it back to life until it died finally earlier this year.

    As I say if I could perform rodent surgery on my Diamondback I probably won't need a new mouse for 5 years or so.
  • DrfuzzyDrfuzzy FEW... MORE.... INCHES... Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21094Members
    Try another port or buy a cheap $5 mouse and see which is causing the problem. Hopefully its just a bad mouse and not your motherboard. If it turns out to be your motherboard, you can get a usb expansion for your pci slots (or whatever you have).
  • RadixRadix Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34654Members, Constellation
    edited December 2007
    <!--quoteo(post=1659784:date=Nov 7 2007, 04:35 PM:name=sherpa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sherpa @ Nov 7 2007, 04:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1659784"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->randomly started happening a few weeks back.

    only seems to happen when i play ns! (don't really play any other games so not sure if it's just NS, or HL1 mods, or Steam etc... >_< )<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Just adding for anyone who sees this later, this is probably because NS is the most demanding thing you do with your mouse, so any mechanical flukes are amplified during it. The freezes are likely windows trying to detect a faulty piece of hardware very hard.
  • OrganoXOrganoX Join Date: 2004-03-21 Member: 27473Members
    I had the same problem.
    My Intelli Mouse explorer 3.0 got disconnected time to time and i got the windows USB sound.
    I found out the problem is the wire of the mouse.
    It's extremely annoying when that happened, so i throw the mouse on a wall.
    The mouse is now in many many...many pieces.
  • sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
    yea it's the cable where it goes into the mouse. moved the position of the mouse so it rarely happens now.
  • Sub_zer0Sub_zer0 Join Date: 2004-05-09 Member: 28569Members
    I had this problem my mouse would stop working and i would have to end up unpluging and reconnecting the usb I finally got sick of it and ordered a new razor mouse as playing a game then having your mouse stop so you can watch your self get shot to bits is no fun.
  • DrfuzzyDrfuzzy FEW... MORE.... INCHES... Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21094Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1664615:date=Dec 19 2007, 01:21 PM:name=sherpa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sherpa @ Dec 19 2007, 01:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1664615"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->yea it's the cable where it goes into the mouse. moved the position of the mouse so it rarely happens now.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    if you have a soldering iron, take the mouse apart and re-solder the connection to the wire. I bet its a bad solder joint.
  • sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
    hmm might give it a go- although a quick look at the mouse and it seems it's plastic molding, no screws holding it together.
  • sherpasherpa stopcommandermode Join Date: 2006-11-04 Member: 58338Members
    i've gone for a £15 mouse that has the logo of the local electrical store i bought it from.

    i thought screw it- my NS rages have gone through a £30 logitech mouse, a £10 labtech mic and a £50 razer mouse, yet my 10 year old £5 keyboard is still alive- despite taking the brunt of my fist smashing "WHEN I SAY GO TO SATCOM, YOU GRUNTS GO TO F***ING SATCOM" rages.

    this mouse is heavy, huge, the buttons require a lot of pressure to click, the installation disc never came with the package, but i don't care. if it lasts longer than 2 years i'm happy.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1664878:date=Dec 22 2007, 06:31 AM:name=sherpa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sherpa @ Dec 22 2007, 06:31 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1664878"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->hmm might give it a go- although a quick look at the mouse and it seems it's plastic molding, no screws holding it together.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    rarely are they actually just straight molded

    often you will have to pry off feet to find the screws or snap joints though.
  • SLizerSLizer Join Date: 2003-11-07 Member: 22363Members, Constellation
    I had something similiar with my Mx518.
    Now they have gone away. Fact I am using the worst possible graph options has most certainly something to do with it.
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