rfdjr1 said:
I'm running Windows 7 Professional 64bit on a three year old machine.
It's custom built so it has no brand name.
Are we to assume "custom built" means this is a desktop PC (since
customizing hardware within a model for laptops is not something I've
seen offered other than simple stuff, like hard drive and memory size)?
When I had the computer built, I bought a Logitech MX5000 mouse and
keyboard combination. I have used Logitech exclusively for over
twenty years and never had problems.
I, too, like most Logitech mice. Not all but all the ones that I've
used. I don't use wireless mice since low battery before dead is such a
nuisance in bad behavior before the mouse finally does go completely
dead. Also, battery life is NEVER what the mouse makers claim. They
say the batteries will last for months. I'm lucky on any Logitech or
Microsoft wireless mouse to get them to last longer than 17-23 days.
I'm on my computer nearly all day long for work, home, and play and my
mouse never gets a chance to go into low-power mode. When I am idle
long enough for the mouse to go into low-power mode, I found many mice
take just too long to wake up (I'm waving the mouse around waiting for
it to wake up) and it can do this even while playing a game (the game's
video is moving but I don't need to move the mouse for awhile).
Then there is the added weight of the batteries which faster fatigues my
fingers, especially my pinkie. So I always get wired mice. Note that
some wired mice add a dead weight inside the case to give it more heft.
The marketing ploy is that good mice must weight more than crap quality
mice of lesser weight. I took apart a Logitech one time to remove some
fluff that accumulated inside that partially blocked the sensors. I saw
this blob of metal inside the top half of the case. Took it out and
tossed it. Now I had a much lighter mouse that was less fatiguing on my
fingers.
But this mouse is driving me mad. It jumps all over the screen.
There's no smooth or precise movement to it. I can't recall the
number of times I've been on the phone with Logitech about it, and
they can't come up with a solution. They've replaced the keyboard and
mouse set twice and the problem continues. I've made sure all drivers
and Set point software are current and moved the receiver as far away
from my wireless router as I can (it's plugged into my monitor, so
it's about four feet farther from the router than it was.)
Since brand new and supposedly clean mice still exhibit the erratic
response, the problem isn't due to lint, hair, or dust accumulating in
front of the optical sensor (which sometimes you have to open the mouse
to get it out if a duster can and tweezer don't work). So it sounds
like you have a software conflict with the mouse driver/software and
other software, like other pointing device software.
Do you have only one pointing device connected to your PC? Or are the
multiple devices, like a mouse, touchpad, pen, or other pointing type of
device? Each could be sending signals separately of the other pointing
devices, like one wants to sleep because it has been idle.
Did you install the Mouseware or Setpoint software for the Logitech
mouse? Unless you demand the programmability feature for other than the
3 main buttons (left, right, middle), you don't need that software.
Back when I had a Logitech mouse for which I could use either Mouseware
or Setpoint, I found Mouseware gave be better control. The mouse was
more responsive and smoother. See what happens when you uninstall
Logitech's mouse software. To the level that I like their hardware is
the same level but negative that I dislike their software. Good
hardware, so-so software. If you don't need their software, don't
install it. See how the mouse response without their software.
But I still have to deal with this. Sorry to ramble, but my whole
point is, can anyone recommend a good, reliable, wireless mouse, with
seven or eight buttons that works well with Windows 7? There are
times I won't even sit at the computer this problem is so annoying.
What processes do you have running in the background? For example, an
anti-virus scan, copying a huge file, defragmenting, or update installs
(if you permit them automatically download and install) can make the PC
so busy on its bus with huge block transfers or high priority tasks that
interrupts for the mouse get stalled.
Also consider whether you want to use a USB or PS/2 mouse. USB devices
are polled so it is possible an event shows up right at the current poll
so it gets missed and has to wait until the next poll. I've seen more
stuttering with USB mice than with PS/2 mice (which are interrupt
driven). USB devices sharing the same controller will compete for
bandwidth. A pair of ports share the same controller, so you might have
the mouse on one port and one its mate port have a printer printing a
long job or a USB modem to the Internet transferring lots of data (e.g.,
online gaming). You're consuming not just some of the bandwidth for
that controller but also conflicting on priority (which device gets
handled during a poll). Gamers prefer PCs that still have PS/2 ports.
They don't want any delays in handling their keystrokes or mouse
movements. Because USB is polled is why events can be missed. They
don't get buffered up to suddenly commit multiple events on a single
poll. I have a very high peak typing speed and have found lost
keystrokes on every USB keyboard that I've used but even cheap PS/2
keyboards can keep up.
I appreciate any information or suggestions as to a new mouse or even
if someone has had a similar problem and found a solution. Thanks.
Some mice simply go to sleep (low-power mode) too fast. Then there's a
jerk in responsiveness when you move the mouse before the onscreen
cursor will move. Nothing you can do about that since it a hardcoded
delay in the firmware of the mouse. I ran into some Microsoft mice that
went to sleep too often and another reason that I switched to Logitch;
however, I can't say that all Logitech have the same sleep and ease in
waking up as the mice that I've used. Remember that I only use wired
mice to reduce weight of the mouse, eliminate reception problems, reduce
avoid interferrence from nearby electrical sources or from other
wireless devices, and wireless mice go to sleep a lot quicker than wired
mice (which really don't need to sleep because they draw so little power
but being "green" has been a marketing fad for awhile).
Uninstall Logitech's software (mouseware, setpoint, or whatever),
reboot, and see if the jerkiness disappears. If not, reboot into
Windows' safe mode to avoid loading all those startup programs to see if
the PC being less busy makes the mouse more responsive. If all the
problematic mice you've tried are wireless then see what happens when
you go wired. If you have a PS/2 port for a mouse, stow the USB mouse
(whether for a wired USB mouse or the USB transceiver for a wireless
mouse) and use a wired mouse to the PS/2 port to see if response
improves.
