Member Avatar for Pitufo

Hi, If I move my mouse fast left or right (but not that fast) the cursor starts moving up or down or some other direction it shouldn't be. It's real frustrating for some games. Is this normal??? It's an optical mouse came with the computer, not USB. I don't remember it doing this before but it's been doing this for a looong time now. I have Win XP SP2, 2 Ghz pentium 4, 1 GB RAM, ATI 9800 128MB, DirectX 9.0c... I hope that's enough info. Thanks.

EDIT: I just had an idea and I'll try it: Could it be that the optical sensor on my mouse might just be dirty? How would I clean it if that's the case? Compressed Air?

Thanks again

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by cunnyfunt2001

Dani AI

Generated

A few focused diagnostic points and practical fixes that go beyond the original suggestions.

A short isolation checklist:

  • Swap devices: connect a known-good mouse to the same PC, then plug the suspect mouse into another machine. Persistent misbehavior on two systems means the mouse is failing; the opposite points to the PC or drivers.
  • Test three simple surfaces (matte white paper, a cloth pad, and a smooth/glossy surface) to see whether tracking changes with texture. Surface-related errors often appear only at higher sweep speeds.
  • Inspect the cable and connector for kinks, breaks or loose pins; intermittent electrical contact can create brief axis errors when the mouse is moved quickly.
  • Check Windows pointer behavior (Control Panel -> Mouse -> Pointer Options) and any game sensitivity/acceleration settings. Pointer acceleration or very high in-game sensitivity can amplify small sensor errors into large apparent direction changes.

If the mouse itself is the culprit:

  • Internal alignment or a loose sensor mount can let the lens move relative to the PCB when the mouse is accelerated. Opening the shell is useful only if the unit is out of warranty and the operator is comfortable with small electronics.
  • A worn or uneven set of feet (the Teflon/glide pads) changes the sensor-to-surface distance and may induce axis crosstalk; replacing pads or adding a thin shim under one side can confirm this.
  • Very cheap/older optical sensors have a maximum reliable tracking speed; when that limit is exceeded the sensor can misreport movement on the wrong axis. If the fault appears only during fast sweeps, the long‑term solution is a mouse with a higher native tracking speed (higher CPI/DPI and better sensor electronics).

References in the thread from and about surface and driver factors are good starting points, but the fastest way to a definitive answer is the swap test (other mouse / other PC) followed by the surface and cable checks. If the unit fails those, replacement is usually the most reliable remedy.

Recommended Answers

All 10 Replies

Member Avatar for jedawe

did u install the cd which is come together with ur mouse if not install it and
click the mouse icon and cheek the setting if u alrady install it try to reinstal again

Member Avatar for Pitufo

No, my mouse didn't come with a CD. It came with the computer.

Member Avatar for jedawe

they shoud give u the cd togather with the computer when u purchase

Member Avatar for belama

Not every mouse comes with a CD. WinXp will just use the default ms drivers...

Member Avatar for Member #36984

i had a similar problem. believe it or not it's because i was using a red mousemat. try changing to a different mousemat. it might work...

Member Avatar for belama

i had a similar problem. believe it or not it's because i was using a red mousemat. try changing to a different mousemat. it might work...

Yeah some red mouse pads dont work. I have one that works though. Also if the surface you use is reflective just a bit, the optical sensor on the mouse wont know how to react. My sister has a white glossy desk that does that.

Member Avatar for Pitufo

Thanks I'll try that... Anyone know why if I've got a thread selected on this board as instant email notification I don't receive any emails???

Member Avatar for palomo

WOW! that solved my problem, I had the same problem, change the mouse pad and it is working just fine!
thanks!

Member Avatar for cunnyfunt2001

same happening to me. Same spec it aint to do with my mouse mat but it is very strange no one seems to know how to fix it. I have lost he cd for my mouse so can re install it. Just seems strange why it would suddenly start. I have just turned it sideways which at least makes it useable. Any help would be great

Member Avatar for cunnyfunt2001

I did buy it from lidls for 7 quid but it has worked fine for about 5 months.

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