My Mouse Goes On Strike!

[Ian_Coleman]

Nearly every day, my mouse freezes at least once, and I can't get it going again unless I do a restart. I've tried unplugging, and replugging the mouse (it's a USB mouse), but nothing seems to make any difference! I'm using Windows XP, and TRS2004.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

Ian

 

[whitepass]

Buy a new one or barrow one and see if it works better.

 

[Euphod]

I can't stand to have my mouse on a leash, when mine stops working I just pop in another battery!

 

[Enkidoh]

If you're using a USB mouse, then it's possible that it's a power conservation setting for the USB port that the mouse is connected to causing the problem. I had this exact same issue a few years ago with a USB mouse while playing another (non Trainz) game. While on the desktop in Windows and in any other (non-full screen) program, the mouse ran fine. It was only while playing this game did the mouse shut itself off after a while with only a restart getting it working again.

Try looking in Windows' Control Panel under 'System' and then 'Hardware Profiles' in XP (I haven't used later versions of Windows so I have no idea where it would be in those versions sorry). Then scroll down the list of your system's hardware, and find the mouse, and click on it. Then in the window that appears click on the 'Power Management' tab and make sure 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' isn't ticked (unclick the tick if it is clicked on). Then click Apply and OK.

The other way of overcoming this is to use an old style PS/2 style mouse (the type with the big clunky purple plug), or use a USB mouse with a USB-PS/2 adaptor (which is what I went with - I only discovered the true cause of my mouse's frequent sick days afterwards. .

Either way, your mouse should now work properly after this (from what I understand, this function is meant for laptops using an external mouse to save their batteries, but it's stupid when Windows turns it on for a desktop system which doesn't need it.)

 

[domsarto]

A cat will definitelyget your mouse moving again.

 

[JCitron]

Try a new mouse. The electronics die after some time. I picked up some mice, in bulk, for work that are about $5.00 each. They work perfectly as inexpensive as they are. At $5.00 if they die, who cares.

At home I have one of those Razor Mice. Expensive yes, and dying now too. The buttons are wearing out, so next time I'll get one of the cheap jobs. At least then I won't care if it dies.

John

 

[steamboateng]

Mouses do die, eventually. My Logitech gaming mouse recently died after 7 years. Noble service!
I bought a new one. Somewhat expensive, but the sensitivity controls (great for route building) are right on the grip, and it has a few programmable buttons.

 

[itareus]

Ian,

I agree with the comments posted about mouse lifetime (on average 3 months in the wild -- EEK!!). Worth trying a new one, a basic wired one from Tesco costs only £2.97 (today's price). Personally I prefer cordless - but if you go that route get a mouse and keyboard together and in my opinion it's cheaper to get rechargeable batteries and a charger as well - the mice seem to chew through batteries quicker than cheese.

Cheers

Chris

 

[SD45T-2]

Moar power! Supply 110 volts to the critter, and then it should work, or explode!:hehe:

Seriously, get a new mouse, and a good one too.