Mouse Scroll Wheel

[John Naylor]

Using an Asus GX950 mouse which is about 3.5 years old ... works perty well, quite satisfied with perfoirmance and feel but I have noticed of late that the wheel used for scrolling pages is behaving intermittently. To scroll down th page...1st spin does nothing, 2nd one works fine ... sometimes the 3rd works .. sometimes it doesn't. Been building PCs for 25 yearys and never encountered this before. Just wondering if it's something that's been encountered before and hat fixes might be tried before giving up the ghost.

 

[Bill_Bright]

You need to try a different mouse and see if the problem occurs with it. Other wise, you are just spinning your wheels (pun intended! ) because you don't know if the problem is with your computer, or the mouse.

 

[eidairaman1]

Sensor/switch might be wearing out

 

[silentbogo]

GX950 has a regular mechanical encoder, so it's most likely(99% chance) just a typical wear and tear.
You can try the following:
1) disassemble your mouse
2) clean it
3) gently squeeze both sides of the encoder with pliers

In most cases it helps. If not - you need to replace the encoder. If you can't replace it or too lazy - then get a new mouse, preferably with an optical encoder (those almost never break)

Been building PCs for 25 yearys and never encountered this before.

That's probably because of a dozen rabbit feet on your keychain and a backpack full of horseshoes =)
I see dead scrollwheels and broken buttons almost on a daily basis. Even managed to screw up an optical scroll once (Logitech G9).

 

[eidairaman1]

GX950 has a regular mechanical encoder, so it's most likely(99% chance) just a typical wear and tear.
You can try the following:
1) disassemble your mouse
2) clean it
3) gently squeeze both sides of the encoder with pliers

In most cases it helps. If not - you need to replace the encoder. If you can't replace it or too lazy - then get a new mouse, preferably with an optical encoder (those almost never break)


That's probably because of a dozen rabbit feet on your keychain and a backpack full of horseshoes =)
I see dead scrollwheels and broken buttons almost on a daily basis. Even managed to screw up an optical scroll once (Logitech G9).

Logitech aint what it used to be

 

[John Naylor]

You need to try a different mouse and see if the problem occurs with it. Other wise, you are just spinning your wheels (pun intended! ) because you don't know if the problem is with your computer, or the mouse.

Yeah it's not like I could sit here all day and work or do anything productive with that condition. Im using my travel mouse and if I wasn't certainly would have done tnhat before posting. That being said, I can't imagine any way possible that any other piece of hardware could cause this effect.

I see dead scrollwheels and broken buttons almost on a daily basis. Even managed to screw up an optical scroll once (Logitech G9).

I do routinely see dead mice and dead buttons but this is my 1st scroll wheel. I usually get new mice because the pads wear down and I will buy a new mouse rather than change the pads .

 

[jboydgolfer]

the way a scroll wheel usually works, is that the wheel has an axel running through the middle (like on a wheelbarrow) , that "axel" rests on a mount, or brace on one side, and on the other side, it inserts into a receptacle that counts spins, and somewhere in there is generally a downward switch for pressing the scroll wheel down too.

Usually, if the sensor that counts the turns, or the wheels Axel wears or breaks, you start to get funky readings/output, or none at all.

below, on the right you can see the housing that counts the spins of the scroll wheel, and on the left, is the brace or mounting bracket i mentioned earlier.

 

[INSTG8R]

Actually Logitech use a notched wheel like spokes(last one I pulled apart was a G5) so the sensor reads the “spokes” so a hair or piece of dust can easily mess that up.
Edit:

 

[John Naylor]

The feel is such that I think rotationally it's fine ... seemes to me the sensor is not reading for 240 degrees of the rotation.... you can feel the force feedback or "teeth" if you will at the same feeedback level all around.

Came up rather unexpectedly and I haven't bought any mice in a while ... seems features I consider important have been replaced by RGB. As a replacement is just $50, considering how well it's done for 3.5 years, I might just replace it... quick look around and everything in its price range is just "less". I don't feel like investing much in a mouse when everything is all "look at me ... look at me" glowy.

 

[fullinfusion]

Using an Asus GX950 mouse which is about 3.5 years old ... works perty well, quite satisfied with perfoirmance and feel but I have noticed of late that the wheel used for scrolling pages is behaving intermittently. To scroll down th page...1st spin does nothing, 2nd one works fine ... sometimes the 3rd works .. sometimes it doesn't. Been building PCs for 25 yearys and never encountered this before. Just wondering if it's something that's been encountered before and hat fixes might be tried before giving up the ghost.

My mionix naos 7000 is doing the same thing, if you apply a tad of sideways pressure to the wheel when scrolling does it seem better?

 

[eidairaman1]

The feel is such that I think rotationally it's fine ... seemes to me the sensor is not reading for 240 degrees of the rotation.... you can feel the force feedback or "teeth" if you will at the same feeedback level all around.

Came up rather unexpectedly and I haven't bought any mice in a while ... seems features I consider important have been replaced by RGB. As a replacement is just $50, considering how well it's done for 3.5 years, I might just replace it... quick look around and everything in its price range is just "less". I don't feel like investing much in a mouse when everything is all "look at me ... look at me" glowy.

I use a Kone XTD, it has lighting effects before it was cool like RGB lol. Its all good, pretty sturdy, lighting can be turned off too. Theu have an optical version, mine is laser.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I always think it funny, in a sad sort of way, when posters seeking help assume everyone can read their minds, automatically know their levels and areas of expertise and should automatically assume they have already tried this and tried that.

That being said, I can't imagine any way possible that any other piece of hardware could cause this effect.

Didn't suggest it was any other piece of hardware. But it is not uncommon for corrupt drivers or operating systems, or individual programs for that matter to intermittently fail to pickup input from various I/O ports, or HIDs (human interface devices). So swapping devices and ports is the easiest and quickest way to isolate the problem to either the device, or computer.

Usually, if the sensor that counts the turns, or the wheels Axel wears or breaks, you start to get funky readings/output, or none at all.

I agree. And there is really no "economically feasible" way to permanently fix this either. You may be able to temporarily restore functionally with a blast of compressed air if the problem is due to dust and grime. Or better yet, a quick squirt of electrical contact cleaner.

 

[Sasqui]

Here's a thread about a similar problem with a GX800 mouse and a possible fix https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?32670-Asus-ROG-GX800-mouse-wheel-problem

 

[INSTG8R]

Another example of scroll wheel internals. Again simple dust and hair could easily foul it up.