Can an Intellimouse Optical eventually wear out?

[Doobu]

I have been using an Intellimouse Optical for a year now that is hooked up to the USB port on an Aopen AX6BC (BX chipset) on a Win2K Pro system. Sometimes when i'm just moving the mouse in normal use without any bandwidth intensive applications running (ie CD burning or games) usually to the left for some reason the mouse cursor hiccups and stops moving to the left for a brief second. And remember I said normal motion not a sudden fast twitch. My friend has encountered essentially a similar problem with his Intellimouse Optical (and we're both using a regular carpet mouse pad or whatever it's called). So I'm wondering does the Intellimouse Optical or all optical mice just wear out eventually over time or what's the deal? Could there be dust on the lens that I might have to clean or is it something wrong with the Intellipoint software? I have version 3.2 installed I believe. I thought that getting an optical mouse would rid me of these kind of issues that come with ball mice. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[nj]

On some of the earlier models, the cord isn't made very well and starts to perform weird. A sure fire sign is if you wiggle the cord at the point that it goes into the mouse. If the little red laser starts to cut in and out, it might be going bad.

I got so fed up with them, I sold my Explorer mouse off when I got my replacement. I'd rather just clean mouse ball junk then have to meddle with crappy optics again. The new ones are supposed to be better though.

EDIT: Or check the drivers, I just used the ones off the cd.

 

[TimeThrash]

This happens a lot. My roomate will just have blackouts for like 20 seconds where the mouse doesn't respond. Apparently there are software fixes, but they never fixed my roomate's mouse. Checkout Microscrotum's website to see if there's a fix that actually works.
Tt

 

[TimeThrash]

Hey Doobu, where in SD are you from? I have some friends in La Jolla and El Cajon. Santee too.
Tt

 

[h0vic]

I problem is definitely with the drivers. Don't install the Intellimouse software unless you really need to customize the buttons. I brought my MS Intellimouse Explorer when it first came out and had it for about 1.5 years now and no problems. Well, except for when I move it erratically and when the cursor occasionally would move randomly with the mouse is still.