Why does my computer freeze when I move my mouse?

Question

Often when im "Scrolling" down a page or when I grab the corner of a window to drag it to a larger size, the mouse will freeze. It seems that the only thing I can do is push the "Reset" button.

Any ideas?

Answer

This question was answered on July 14, 1999. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

You may be experiencing a video driver problem. Refer to our Tips section and look at this previous question:

Internet Explorer / Outlook express freezing problem

As to the mouse, there are four main causes of this sort of behavior. The first is a dirty mouse, which can cause spurious behavior in a number of ways. The second is a resource conflict with another device. The third is damage to the mouse cord caused by excessive bending of the cord, especially near where it attaches to the mouse. The fourth is a problem with the mouse driver, although this is much less likely.

Recommendation:

Check the mouse to make sure that it is not physically sticking. Clean the mouse.

Try using a mouse pad instead of your desk (or other surface) for rolling the mouse. In many cases the surface the mouse is on is actually the problem. Using a mouse pad allows the mouse to roll smoothly. (I have, however, seen desks that worked better without one.)

There may be a resource conflict, especially with regard to an IRQ channel. This is especially true of serial mice, because of the fact that serial COM port pairs 1 and 3, and 2 and 4, share IRQ lines.

Check the mouse cord to see if it is frayed or becoming loose. If you see cracks in the plastic housing of the cord, this is a sign that this may be your problem. If you have a soldering iron and patience, you can fix the problem, but replacing the mouse is normally the action of choice here.

There may be a bad driver associated with this mouse. It is unlikely that this is the case (since mice are such simple affairs) but is it possible.

Author

Posted by Ken of Data Doctors on July 14, 1999