Mouse Problems (Clicking) in Windows 7

Question

I am having some problems with mouse clicking in Windows 7 64 bit. Certain programs (e.g. Visual Studio) don't respond to mouse click consistently. It's a very odd problem--certain types of mouse clicks, like switching between open files by clicking on the tabs up top, work perfectly every time. Other types of clicks, like clicking the left-sides tabs in the property page, require multiple clicks to register. Dialog boxes from many programs also seem to have to same problem pretty consistently. Oddly, even when the click fails, the screen seems to indicate visually that the click worked, but the intended action does not occur.

I have updated every driver I can think of to the latest version (both monitors, mouse, graphics card), and nothing has solved the problem.

I did not try different hardware, as (like I said) SOME applications or situations have very consistent click behavior.

Answer 1

If you run into this, try completely turning of themes in Windows 7 (i.e. disabling the Themes service). Seems to have done the job for me.

Answer 2

You might try making sure the keyboard filter is installed. I had two systems exhibiting this behavior, both had USB keyboards and USB mice. Installing the correct keyboard filter fixed both. Usually this is on the original install CD in the location where other mfg specific drivers are. In my case both machines had updated KB filter drivers on mfg web site.

Answer 3

I had a similar problem, with double-clicks when I clicked once, or the wrong button activating, etc. I fixed it by restoring the primary & secondary mouse button locations (I had them reversed in Control Panel, due to a right wrist injury). Windows 7 SP 1, updates applied.

Answer 4

The problem can sometimes be fixed by using Ctrl Alt Del to bring up task manager, and then hitting escape. This worked for me. The other option which does not always work is to unplug the mouse, and plug it back in after 20 seconds. It is very strange how this just starts happening on systems that have worked fine for years (6 year old home built system in my case). Very suspicious that this is only happening with Windows 7.

Answer 5

I found when I hibernate my laptop that sometimes the mouse doesn't work right and (what's the point if have to restart the pc/windows?) looking for some other way to enable, I found that in Process-Tab, killing the process EXPLORER.EXE (closes the whole system taskbar and tray) then in Applications-Tab starting New Task EXPLORER.EXE (restarts the taskbar and tray) that this fixed my mouse problems. (it has also fixed other problems, lockups, etc. in the past is why I tried it, so you can also try it on other problems too) John

Answer 6

So, after being confronted to this problem for a loooong time (only way to activate properly the mouse was to ctrl-alt-sup the TaskManager), and finally blocked by the impossibility to use the mouse buttons on the game Triplea, I found after all a clean solution.

Firstly, no need to change mouse, or to switch usb port, or upgrade driver.

Secondly, don't install Microsoft Intellipoint, or uninstall it if it's already there, and any other program that try to manage the mouse.

Thirdly, install XMouseButtonControl that supports all 32bit (x86) and 64bit (x64) editions of Windows from Windows XP to 10 : http://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm (checked on different websites about security, and with my Comodo security suite, 0 malware found !)

Fourthly, choose "disable" option on "Layer 1" for all the buttons and wheel options you don't (want to) use, and then close the program.

Finally, shut down your computer and at the next start the mouse will work normally.

What I understand is that maybe the signals of one or more buttons (even a windows button ?) of the mouse are not properly interpretated, and that would overwhelm the capacity of Windows to interpret with enough accuracy what sends the mouse, and what the OS would send back to the programs. And the only way to rebalance that is to have a mouse program that says "stop the functions of those buttons", and suddenly Windows is able to interpret clearly the signals of the mouse.

Answer 7

Go into Start, then Control Panel. At the top right type in MOUSE and it will pull up Mouse Settings. Click on "Change mouse click settings" After you click this you will see "Double Click Speed" in the middle of page also
SPEED SLOW |||||||||| FAST Move the arrow between SLOW and FAST back toward SLOW. Mine is set on the 3rd ||| from SLOW. Be sure to click APPLY then OK.

You may have to play around with yours to find out where to put the arrow.

Good luck, this is how I fixed mine.

Answer 8

Sometimes mouse misbehaves due to mouse hardware problem. One of it is the clicking switch itself. If you click and drag an object, but the object drops half way, or the mouse jumps, definitely this is the hardware switch problem. Open mouse shell, clean all dust, clean and scrape clean the click switch metals / carbons contacts. Put back the mouse and test. If the problem goes away, be happy, if not, donate the mouse to a thrift store so that someone else may deal with it. (only if you cannot throw it away).