Mouse hits an invisible wall at random

[Thrackan]

Heya TPU, I'm back with another mouse problem!

Since this thread happened (which turns out to be something Win 7 specific, so I believe the HID drivers may cause it) my GF has won herself a Razer Starcraft II set with a keyboard, mouse and headset.

Woo! Glowy goodness!

Yeah, that set rocks. But since she got it, at random times, which is VERY annoying when you're mid-game, the cursor seems to hit an invisible wall and you can't move it further to the left (or right, depending where the "wall" is) but you can move it in the other three directions. Usually this stops halfway a tantrum, so about 5 seconds I guess.

Tried different USB ports, and the sensor is clean as a baby's bum.

Symptoms:

• Occurs with 3 different mice
• Happens in-game and on desktop
• Happens at random times, but regularly enough to not be able to play a game of LoL (30-50 minutes) without bugging.
• Happens since around the time she got the set (sep. 10th)
• It's really like you're on the edge of your screen, but you're not.

This is what I'm going to try when I get home:

• Remove all Windows Updates up to Sep 10th
• Check if the HID driver was updated
• Boot into clean/safe modes
• Clean/revert Geforce drivers to older versions
• Check motherboard USB drivers
• Update AMD USB drivers
• Try resetting resolutions to see if that helps
• Check if the problems happen on monitor 2 as well
• Check if the problems happen with only 1 monitor

And of course, some relevant system specs:

• Phenom II X4 925
• I *think* a GA-MA790FXT-UD5P (but I *know* it's Gigabyte, AM3, 790 chipset and SB750)
• Win 7 UK x64 Home Premium
• 8 giggles of ram-jam
• Geforce GTX 260 (forgot the brand, but it looks reference)
• Tried with the Razer Spectre, Roccat Pyra and a wireless Logitech mouse thingy we use on the Media Center.

Anyone who can give me more ideas?

 

[the54thvoid]

You've said it's not the sensor but i get the same problem occasionally. I just blow into the sensor recess and hey presto, it scrolls properly.

 

[Thrackan]

You've said it's not the sensor but i get the same problem occasionally. I just blow into the sensor recess and hey presto, it scrolls properly.

It happens with 3 cleaned mice, so I sincerely doubt the sensor is the culprit.

 

[AsRock]

So it's like running some games in a window and stops the mouse going any further than the 3D box ?.

You tried updating Direct X ?. All so may want to try uninstalling and reinstalling the video card drivers too.

Tried setting the resetting the resolution of the screen like change it to lower than back to the native res of the display your using and make sure the game is as well.

Does it only do it once you been playing a game ?.

 

[Thrackan]

So it's like running some games in a window and stops the mouse going any further than the 3D box ?.

Not in a box, just a one-sided wall. Sometimes it's on the left side, sometimes on the right, and they're not on a specific spot on the screen.

You tried updating Direct X ?. All so may want to try uninstalling and reinstalling the video card drivers too.

DirectX is up to date, will try graphics drivers tonight.

Tried setting the resetting the resolution of the screen like change it to lower than back to the native res of the display your using and make sure the game is as well.

Hmm, strange possible solution, but worth testing

Does it only do it once you been playing a game ?.

Good question. Gonna have to investigate that.

 

[Peter1986C]

It seems it is the same problem I have once in a while (and only in Windows, never in Linux now I come to think of it, but last year I have used Win 7 much more than Linux, and also less intensive in Linux, so the comparison is not that good maybe).
Though giving a wipe with my hand over the mouse mat and letting the mouse "dance" over the mat a couple of seconds (or let a finger make circular movements over the lens) seems to help.

BTW, it seems like I have this issue less frequently (same for the occasional non-response) since a firmware and driver update (but that could also be an explanation for the non-occurence of the problem in Linux (which is a matter of the built-in generic drivers instead of the Razer drivers)).
FYI, I have a Razer Imperator.

Edit: I have this issue but occasionally while you are describing it as regularly occurring. Weird.

 

[micropage7]

is that usb?or p/s?
if usb, have you tried to plug on the other port?

 

[Thrackan]

is that usb?or p/s?
if usb, have you tried to plug on the other port?

Tried different USB ports, and the sensor is clean as a baby's bum.

 

[m4gicfour]

It seems it is the same problem I have once in a while (and only in Windows, never in Linux now I come to think of it, but last year I have used Win 7 much more than Linux, and also less intensive in Linux, so the comparison is not that good maybe).
Though giving a wipe with my hand over the mouse mat and letting the mouse "dance" over the mat a couple of seconds (or let a finger make circular movements over the lens) seems to help.

BTW, it seems like I have this issue less frequently (same for the occasional non-response) since a firmware and driver update (but that could also be an explanation for the non-occurence of the problem in Linux (which is a matter of the built-in generic drivers instead of the Razer drivers)).
FYI, I have a Razer Imperator.

Edit: I have this issue but occasionally while you are describing it as regularly occurring. Weird.

It happens to me in BFBC2, I don't really play any other FPS games often enough to notice. Razer Mamba.

My computer's in pieces atm so no troubleshooting for me

EDIT: I notice that both Intel and AMD processors are represented in the group of three people complaining of the problem, but all three have ATi graphics on Win7 x64... hmm.

 

[Thrackan]

It happens to me in BFBC2, I don't really play any other FPS games often enough to notice. Razer Mamba.

My computer's in pieces atm so no troubleshooting for me

EDIT: I notice that both Intel and AMD processors are represented in the group of three people complaining of the problem, but all three have ATi graphics on Win7 x64... hmm.

Hate to break the combo, but it's on nVidia gfx. Specs are in first post

 

[m4gicfour]

Hate to break the combo, but it's on nVidia gfx. Specs are in first post

lol. Yeah I just checked your sig specs... anyway, we've now got both Intel and AMD platforms (assuming it's happening on Chevalr1c's sig machine), and both Nvidia and ATi graphics involved with the issue... Win7 still a commonality?

 

[mad1394]

Are you using more than 1 monitor?

 

[H82LUZ73]

its a corrupt AMD usb driver ,try downloading them here

http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/Catalyst-Hotfixes.aspx

Try the 11.10 ver 3 drivers ,Just uncheck everything except the usb driver.The mouse is laser right ,I find with mine if I take a microfiber cloth to the laser output under it, I don`t get the wall effect.Could be the output hole lens is scratched too .

 

[FordGT90Concept]

When in doubt, uninstall Razer's mouse driver and use Microsoft's generic mouse driver.

You could additionally try reseting the resolution (reduce to something like 800x600 and put it back) just to make sure Windows isn't goofing up (showing one resolution but using another for interfacing). Virtually zero chance of this making a difference though because it would be a rather common problem if it were.

If I were in your shoes, I'd KillDisk and install Windows.

 

[Thrackan]

I didn't get to try some magic yesterday night due to some urgent couch-hanging time watching Fringe, but nonetheless...

lol. Yeah I just checked your sig specs... anyway, we've now got both Intel and AMD platforms (assuming it's happening on Chevalr1c's sig machine), and both Nvidia and ATi graphics involved with the issue... Win7 still a commonality?

It is Win 7 alright, which is why I highly suspect Windows' HID driver.

Are you using more than 1 monitor?

Yes. But as it happens both in-game and out-game, and the resolution never changes, and she's been using 2 monitors for a lot longer than this problem is happening, I didn't suspect that to be a problem.

its a corrupt AMD usb driver ,try downloading them here

http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/Catalyst-Hotfixes.aspx

Try the 11.10 ver 3 drivers ,Just uncheck everything except the usb driver.The mouse is laser right ,I find with mine if I take a microfiber cloth to the laser output under it, I don`t get the wall effect.Could be the output hole lens is scratched too .

Installing Catalyst on a system with an nVidia card is not something I had considered. The USB driver might be a good idea though.

When in doubt, uninstall Razer's mouse driver and use Microsoft's generic mouse driver.

You could additionally try reseting the resolution (reduce to something like 800x600 and put it back) just to make sure Windows isn't goofing up (showing one resolution but using another for interfacing). Virtually zero chance of this making a difference though because it would be a rather common problem if it were.

If I were in your shoes, I'd KillDisk and install Windows.

I am using the generic driver, the Razer software has never touched this PC.

And I will try the resolution change fix, but since it's a temporary thing, and since games are running the same res as Windows (native monitor res 1680x1050) I suspect it will not do anything.

Reinstalling is always a last resort option here. I want to find and fix the cause, not combat symptoms. I'm just OCD like that

 

[Jetster]

Sorry have to ask

Sure its not something to do with your desk. Wood grain plays tricks on the mice.

 

[Thrackan]

Sorry have to ask

Sure its not something to do with your desk. Wood grain plays tricks on the mice.

No probs mate, the more I get to know the better

Tried this on 2 completely different mousepads, one is matte black (steelpad 4s, smooth side) and one is a generic pad with some pic in it.

 

[Derek12]

I read the wall sometimes is in the right and sometimes in the left but:

Is the wall X position fixed or varies randomly when the wall appears on a side? I believe is something about multimonitor has became mad.

 

[Thrackan]

It varies, unfortunately :/

 

[Derek12]

I think you've tried everything could be related according to the OP. I would try an Linux LiveCD and if it's fine, then, nope do a clean installation or restorig system.

 

[Thrackan]

I think you've tried everything could be related according to the OP. I would try an Linux LiveCD and if it's fine, then, nope do a clean installation or restorig system.

I still have to try the stuff mentioned in the OP Didn't get to do it yesterday.

 

[Derek12]

I still have to try the stuff mentioned in the OP Didn't get to do it yesterday.

Ah OK I though that you have tried already today I think video driver and multi-monitor are more likely so i would do them first! .

 

[Thrackan]

its a corrupt AMD usb driver ,try downloading them here

http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/Catalyst-Hotfixes.aspx

Try the 11.10 ver 3 drivers ,Just uncheck everything except the usb driver.The mouse is laser right ,I find with mine if I take a microfiber cloth to the laser output under it, I don`t get the wall effect.Could be the output hole lens is scratched too .

Ok, so here's what I just did:
- uninstalled ALL windows updates from october and september
- installed southbridge (and northbridge for the hell of it) drivers you linked
- swapped back her own mousepad cause mine is not really much of a flat surface anymore :shadedshu

And now it seems the problems are gone
Thanks for the driver tip mate, never would have guessed that AMD puts that in the Catalyst package too... Somehow it just feels unnatural installing Catalyst on a nVidia machine

After this, I let Windows reupdate itself and all seems well. So it must have been the drivers.

 

[Derek12]

Somehow it just feels unnatural installing Catalyst on a nVidia machine

It's totally right when you have a AMD chipset+Nvidia card

 

[Peter1986C]

Derek12 speaks the truth, I know that when installing chipset/onboard video drivers from a motherboard cd belonging to an AMD board Catalyst Installer (or what's-its-name) is being started.