Why the mouse freezes on the computer, what to do

In a modern personal computer, the mouse is one of the most important parts responsible for the interaction between the user and “artificial intelligence”. With its help, a person, controlling the cursor, gives the necessary commands to the computer. However, it often happens that the mouse suddenly refuses to work - it “freezes”, “sticks”, “lags”, “slows down”, “freezes”. This paralyzes the user's entire work, making it impossible to enter any data and issue commands. Let's try to figure out why there are reasons and what to do in case of such behavior.

Reasons for mouse freezing

A mouse is a special technical device that works in conjunction with a computer processor. The essence of the work is to move the cursor across a computer monitor, which occurs when the mouse moves along a certain surface - a table or a special rug. In response to the movements of the gadget, the program embedded in the computer performs actions in accordance with the nature and location of the cursor movement - opens windows, selects and moves objects by clicking and holding the button.
Structurally, the mouse consists of motion sensors located on its lower plane, buttons and a wheel for scrolling the screen image. As additional options, it may include a clock, mobile communications, etc.
All the reasons causing the failure of this computer gadget can be divided into two large groups:

1. Hardware related directly to the technical device.
2. Software. Caused by a failure in the software responsible for the interaction between the processor and the computer mouse.

Hardware reasons for mouse malfunction, or, as advanced users say, “hardware problems,” include the following:

• Damage to the gadget cord if a wired mouse is used.
• Malfunctions of parts inside the mouse itself - loose contacts, burnt out sensors.
• The computer USB port is faulty or disabled.
• For a wireless computer mouse, the cause of periodic freezing may be a weak transmitting sensor.
• Contamination of the working surface of the mouse or the surface of the mat or table.

Software problems that lead to gadget malfunctions occur much less frequently than hardware problems. But, nevertheless, they happen. Software problems that cause temporary freezing or complete “paralysis” of the mouse include:

• Incompatibility of drivers installed on the computer with the gadget. This often happens when you try to connect a new gadget to a PC with outdated drivers.
• A conflict situation that occurred within the system between devices.
• Incorrect computer settings after connecting the mouse.

Let's look at each of the above problems in more detail and offer possible “recipes” for resolving them.

Ways to solve hardware problems

The most common problem that causes a mouse to malfunction is a design problem.

• Damage to the connecting cord. A problem that occurs quite often when actively using a mouse connected to a computer processor using a cord. This cord is the most vulnerable point in the device of the gadget: with constant movement of the mouse, it eventually breaks at the point where it connects to the mouse body. In addition, the connecting wire is quite vulnerable to various mechanical damage.

It can be pinched by the chair on which the user is sitting, or rubbed against his shoes. Often the mouse wire becomes a victim of pets. Kittens and puppies eagerly sharpen their teeth on it, or hunt for a cord moving in the air when the owner is working at his computer. Damage to the integrity of the transmission wire makes it impossible to transmit electronic commands from the mouse to the computer.
You can try to fix the mouse yourself by connecting the broken internal wires according to their color. True, such amateur repairs do not at all guarantee the correct operation of the mouse. The quality of signal transmission to the PC will still deteriorate significantly due to the break being twisted together.

• The next possible reason for the mouse to get stuck is due to problems with internal parts: malfunctions of the optical sensor, microcircuits. In addition, during the operation of the gadget, any connecting contact may come loose. This is not something exclusive for cheap computer mice manufactured in small Chinese enterprises and characterized by poor soldering quality.

In case of such a defect, it is easier to purchase a new mouse than to try to repair the old one. And in terms of cost, such a repair in a specialized workshop will cost no less than a new two-hundred-ruble “Made in China” mouse.Of course, it’s a completely different matter if problems arise with an expensive wireless or gaming mouse costing several thousand rubles. It will be cheaper to repair such a gadget than to throw it in the trash and buy a new one.

• A malfunctioning computer USB port is another very common hardware problem. USB outputs are used to connect the processor with various external devices, including a mouse. Due to heavy use, ports may be subject to mechanical failure. The outputs themselves become loose, resulting in poor contact with the mouse plug. When the gadget is operating, the wire moving with it either opens the plug that is loosely seated in the USB socket, or closes it again.

As a result, the computer mouse either works or suddenly stops functioning. Also, if you handle the PC carelessly, the soldered contacts that connect the USB port to the motherboard may come loose. Most often, its controllers are located on the south bridge, but they can also be located in an individual mini-unit. To fix this problem, you will need to solder the port outputs to its controller in a new way.

Wireless computer mice use either an infrared beam or a radio signal to connect to a PC. IR mice are now almost completely replaced in production by more functional and budget gadgets with a radio signal. The cause of freezing of wireless mice is a weak sensor signal due to weak batteries or accumulator. Often, as soon as you change or charge the batteries, the mouse starts working normally.

Also, the lack of normal contact between a wireless mouse and a PC may be due to some obstacles located between them.This is a stack of books lying on a table, a mug of coffee, a table surface, etc. A similar problem is more common with IR mice that operate on the basis of an infrared signal. For such malfunctions in the functioning of radio mice, the barrier must be more massive - something like a wall or wardrobe. More often, critical interference with the radio signal going to the computer is created by other sources of radio-electronic radiation - microwave ovens and cell phones operating nearby.

An important role in the correct functioning of the mouse is played by the motion sensor located in the lower plane of the device.. It can be optical or laser, and looks like a glowing red or blue dot. It is possible that the lower part of the gadget is simply dirty, resulting in problems with the passage of the laser or optical beam.

In such a situation, it is recommended to clean the bottom surface of the device, especially the area where the video sensor is located. Please note that the mouse will not work on a glass surface that allows optical rays to pass through. The exception is the latest modifications of laser computer mice that can work even on transparent surfaces. Optical mice can also freeze on smooth, polished, or uneven, overly rough table surfaces.
To diagnose hardware problems, you can try connecting the problematic mouse to another computer. If the gadget refuses to work here, then the whole problem lies there. Well, if the mouse works flawlessly on another PC, then the reason is hidden in the computer. This is not necessarily a problem with the hardware component - perhaps the problems are contained in the software.

How to fix mouse sticking when moving on Windows

If, after a thorough inspection of the mouse and USB port, no defects are found, a possible reason for the gadget’s reluctance to work lies in software problems.
Sometimes it happens that a computer, especially laptops, independently turns off the power supply to USB hubs. Artificial intelligence motivates such actions by automatically turning on the energy saving mode. After recharging the device, the ports are reconnected, and the mouse begins to operate. To eliminate such actions on your computer, you will need to delve into its settings.

Go through the “start” menu (the button at the bottom, on the left side of the screen) to the PC control panel. Select the “system” shortcut and click on it. In the window that opens, select “equipment” and go to this subsection. In the next window, select “Computer Device Manager”, and then “USB Controller”. In the “controller”, double-click the “Hub” section, and then click on “power management”. There should be an item “Allow the device to turn off”, usually done to save power when the battery level is low. If there is a checkbox or a tick next to this item, remove it, and the laptop will no longer turn off the power to the mouse to save energy.

Another software problem is the incompatibility of the modern gadget and the drivers available on the PC. Typically, when you connect a mouse to a computer, the drivers are found independently by Windows, and the operation of the gadget is automatically synchronized with the operation of the processor. But this does not always happen: many modern external devices connected to a PC require the installation of their own drivers.They come complete with the device, in the form of special CDs, or you should search for suitable “firewood” yourself on the Internet and install it on your computer.

If the mouse's response speed to moving around the table or clicking a button is low, it may be hidden in the internal Windows settings. To do this, go to the PC control panel through the “Start” button and find the “Mouse” section there. Having entered it, select “Options” and see what mouse reaction speed is set in the settings. If the speed is too low, then it is enough to increase this indicator to make the gadget work faster. A universal way to make a frozen mouse work is to simply restart the computer. Using such a simple operation, you can solve 90% of problems associated with freezing of the operating system.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a great many reasons for problems associated with the correct operation of a computer mouse. If you want to fix them yourself in a few seconds, without involving a qualified specialist, you need to correctly determine the cause of the problem. To do this, you will need to go through all the options, starting from poor contact with the USB output of the computer, and ending with incompatibility with the drivers installed on the PC.