Really, REALLY weird Mouse pointer moves by itself

[nick_h]

OK. This is bizarre.

My pc is in the loft. In the Summer it gets pretty warm but with the window open and the fan on the ambient temp is around 80'F.

The current MB temp is reporting as between 36 to 39'C.

After the PC has been on a while the mouse pointer begins to move all by its lonesome.

It's not an erratic movement but the pointer will move to the bottom of the screen by itself from wherever you put it. As you can imagine with the pointer moving you cant select anything.

Opening the case or allowing the pc too cool down seems to return everything back to normal for a while.

In the winter or when it's cold their is no problem.

The really odd thing is this has happened to me with the last 3 Mother Boards !!! currently an Asus P5KC.

The last 3 boards were also Asus. Has anyone experience this ?

I'm using a Microsoft Wireless Optical mouse but I've also tried a standard usb mouse with exactly the same results.

It means when the PC gets to a certain temp I cant use it which is nuts.

It must be the Motherboard. I cant think of anything else that would cause the problem but if it is their are people who live in much hotter climates than the UK so why cant I find anyone else with the problem ?

[MSIC]

This issue has happened to me with trackpads, but never mice.
With mice i've had erratic movements that almost always turns out to be a hair (or similar) lodged by the LED.
Sorry buddy, but i'll give it some thought

[Mossy]

Mine did it its a Razor updated the firmware now its sorted.

Obviously not your problem sorry.

[shaithis]

[nick_h]

MSIC : It's not erratic which is the real head scratcher.

Move your mouse pointer to the very top of the screen then slowly move it vertically straight down the screen to the bottom in a dead straight line.

Thats whats happening. Their is no deviation left or right. Occasionally it speeds up a little but always it wants to move down to the bottom of the screen. It's relentless !

Remember this has happened on 3 different motherboards over as many years.

It's either :

1) A Motherboard problem that no one else on the planet seems to have affecting only Asus boards
2) Some kind of software nasty that know what temperature it is in my room and when I'm doing particulary well on Crysis ...... Oh and one that Symantec Internet Security 2008 cant find.....

[nick_h]

PaulM : Have latest firmware for MB

[nick_h]

shaithis : Class 3 free roaming Mouse Pointer

[Rosaline]

It's almost certainly a fault with the mouse, not with the motherboard. If it's an optical mouse, clean the lens and perhaps try changing the surface used. If it's a roller mouse, then there could be an issue with the sensors inside, try opening it up to have a look.

if you've not tried swapping the mouse , then try that also, it really should have been your first test.

[nick_h]

It's almost certainly a fault with the mouse, not with the motherboard. If it's an optical mouse, clean the lens and perhaps try changing the surface used. If it's a roller mouse, then there could be an issue with the sensors inside, try opening it up to have a look.

if you've not tried swapping the mouse , then try that also, it really should have been your first test.

Pasted from first post :

'I'm using a Microsoft Wireless Optical mouse but I've also tried a standard usb mouse with exactly the same results.'

[nick_h]

Rosaline : Have to say also that I've worked in IT for the past 10 years for a large corporate 1st and 2nd line support. I've seen a few dodgy mice over the years. It's not a mouse problem of that I'm 100% certain.

[MSIC]

But you've changed different motherboards and different mice, so it's not a motherboard or a mouse problem.
So we need to consider the constants...
Peripherals, Operating System, the room environment.... what else?

Is your mouse connected directly to the motherboard, or via a USB hub?
You don't have one of those keyboards which has a scroll on or something do you? If maybe the keyboard was sending a dodgy mouse-like signal, then you could change the mice all you like...

[peterb]

It happens to me with a trackball (logitech marble maouse) - but that is caused by sunlight falling on the sensor. Does the sun fall on the optical mouse?

[shaithis]

Whats the desk surface?

[Rosaline]

nick_h, I haven't got ten years experience, but that's been my line of work for the last three years too, and electrical systems engineering is what I'm trained in. Given how PS2 or USB HIDs work, it was never realistically going to be the motherboard at all, and a mechanical or electrical fault with the mouse itself is by far the most plausible explanation. I apologise for not reading your initial post closely enough to notice the checks you had already performed.

If you change the motherboards, and the mouse, the only common factor left must be the surface you're using.

If there is still problems, it then can only be a software issue.

[nick_h]

ok :-) Update then.

Temp of MB has reached 38'C and mouse pointer has STOPPED moving ....

Mmmm..

MSIC : Is your mouse connected directly to the motherboard, or via a USB hub?

Currently HUB but tried directly to MB also tried old roller USB no different.

Other constants :

Did same with XP so OS can be rules out. Does same with all external periphs out.

No scroll device on keyboard.

Only seems to happen when room is hot and this applies to 3 previous MB's

peterb : No direct or even bright light near mouse

shaithis : Matt mouse mat

Rosaline : wasnt having a dig rosaline. Sorry if it sounded that way ....

UPDATE : Just started moving again !!!!

Unplug every thing from the pc apart from the monitor .... Still moves.

[Lucio]

Perhaps it's really simple. Your case might be improperly grounded, but only makes direct contact when it's heated up & expands. When it does make contact it causes a slight current that's inteprepted by Windows as a "move mouse down" command.

Might be worth trying to reseat your motherboard or loosen the screws slightly.