Mouse freezes, need help.

[Marksels]

I have a Intellimouse w/IntelliEye. It has been doing this periodic freeze, normaly when something is being done in the background. Now, ive had other troubles like the drivers getting uninstalled while in windows, but that doesnt happen much and easy to fix. Now one thing i have been thinking, can it be the USB port that i have connected to? Like should i try the other one on my MB and see if this happens? Im using a Abit BH6. Thanks.

 

[SocrPlyr]

ok it is freezing because usb uses system resources when you move your mouse so to stop it use the ps2 adapter and connect it to the ps2 port. believe me it will help.
then if you want to get your mouse's refresh rate closer to that as running it on the usb port search for something called ps2rate and just overclock your mouse settings

Josh

 

[Marksels]

Been thinking of doing that and probably will soon. Also were do i get ps2rate? Had it long time ago but cant remember were i got it. Also will a new mb, maybe with more resources, help this type of problem? I am gona upgrade later this fall and just curious. Thanks.

 

[okydoky]

Resources are, generally speaking, memory and cpu usage. For example, the more calculations a cpu must make the higher the amount of resources used....

 

[Marksels]

Ok, so if lot of resources being used and things like my mouse freezing up then would a more powerful cpu help? (bare with me, ive never realy knew what resources are and were they came from. I just knew they were there.) Im jsut trying to get a understanding about what would give more resources if possible.

PS: I did switch to using the ps2 adapter on my mouse and using ps2rate and seems so far to not freeze up.

 

[Slikkster]

I'd have to take issue with the suggestion that you have to avoid the USB port for your mouse and hook it up to the PS/2 port. The whole idea of having a USB-capable mouse is to be able to use it, right?

Do you have the latest Intellimouse drivers installed? I use the exact same mouse as you with NO problems on an Abit board. Here's the latest drivers:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/intellimouseex/install/3.1a/win98/en-us/eng.exe

It's my philosophy to repair problems rather than to avoid/bypass them. Of course, your solution is up to you.

 

[SocrPlyr]

slikkster i have an intellimouse explorer and my machine is a p2 350 and it is just not powerful enough to use it as a usb.
i do have the latest drivers but they didn't help me at all so really they don't fix too much of the problem.

Josh

 

[phlashphire]

SocrPlyr,
so are you saying that slower systems won't be able to fully use the intellimouse in USB port? Just wondering since I'll be getting a intellimouse explorer soon.

 

[Slikkster]

I have a Celeron 366...I don't know what you mean by not powerful enough to drive a USB device. Just as with Marksels' problem, there are apparently other issues to deal with vs. a system not being powerful enough for USB devices. My point is that if it were me, I'd want to know why it wasn't working as it should, because if there's problems there, there could be unforseen problems elsewhere down the road.

Here's a quick blurb from a provider of USB webcam services as to what type of minimum system you need:

USB Equipped PC
Pentium 100MHZ CPU or higher
CD ROM Drive
16MB of RAM Minimum
10MB Hard Disk Space available
256 color VGA display or higher
28.8 Kbps modem or above, Microphone and sound blaster or compatible, if you plan to do video conferencing
Windows 98

As you can see, a Pentium 100 is the minimum for this particular webcam. Here's Microsoft's blurb about system requirements for the Intellieye USB:

PC System Requirements
? IntelliPoint version 3.0 software (included)
? One of the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows® 95, Windows 98, Windows NT® Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 3 or later
? 30 MB of available hard disk space
? Round mouse port (PS/2-compatible) or USB port
? CD-ROM

As you can see, no mention of any particular CPU. Your 350mhz P2 is more than powerful enough to handle USB devices. Again, you must have some other issue going on with your system if you're having problems.

Read this Usenet thread about people's problems with the Intellieye mouse. It may be the mouse itself:

http://x72.deja.com/viewthread.xp?AN=642504490&search=thread&svcclass=dncurrent&ST=PS&CONTEXT=963938926.295895128&HIT_CONTEXT=963938926.295895128&HIT_NUM=0&recnum=%3cOpy85.918$I43.4625@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au%3e%231/1&group=microsoft.public.mshardware.product&frpage=viewthread.xp&back=clarinet

Be sure to click "Next in Thread" to keep reading posts...

 

[SocrPlyr]

no i didn't mean they can't use it but for me anyways and marksels had the same problem w/ when it is used in the usb port and you are running very cpu intensive apps etc (games, or for me playing mp3s while surfing will do it) the mouse will lock up for a little bit. i also had the same problem w/ my keyboard it would be really far behind when i was typing etc. it isn't that it won't work it just pauses and locks up for a lil bit. my suggestion is that you just use the ps2 port that way you know u will not have a problem etc.

Josh

 

[Marksels]

Yes i have been using the newest drivers, but another thing i didnt mention was, only two times this happened, that the mouse drivers would unistall it self on the fly. For awhile i had a serial hooked up for just incase that happen. Right now im content using it on the ps2 till i find a answer and solution, as long as it doesnt do all this freezing im happy. I have a cel366@550 wich i cant beleive be the problem. Ive also trien putting the windows hardware acceleration down one or two, and no difference. So right now the best solution has been using it in the ps2 slot.

 

[Slikkster]

Well, if you really want an answer to the problem, I'd suggest reading the thread on Usenet from the link I posted in my previous post. Apparently some people are having cable-breakage (sometimes inside the mouse housing, so it can't be seen) on these mice.
I'm not sure why that would affect only the USB signal path vs. the PS/2 signal path, but they called MS and went through some troubleshooting, and then received new versions of the mice and apparently the problem disappeared.

So, my point is that sometimes it pays to look a little further than the obvious when trying to troubleshoot a problem such as this. In other words, it could be a bad mouse that just happens to work ok on the PS/2 port. I have a friend who's using one of the MS optical mice with Windows 2000 and he, too, is having intermittent freezing on the mouse pointer. So far, all the problems I've read about have been with Abit boards of one type or another, too, but again, that's just anecdotal.

I don't mean to tell you what to do with your mouse, and I hope that's not the way it's coming off. The bottom line is you want a mouse that works, I know. But if you bought a USB mouse to use specifically because of the advantages of USB, then it bears further investigation. It's under warranty. You're entitled to support for it. It should work the way it's intended. Good luck...