Mouse moving can not click anything

[namit]

Hey everyone,

Ever so often my computer just freezes up, but moues still moving can not click on anything but everything in background is still moving checking email scans etc... just that i can not click on anything.

If i click CTRL + ALT + Delete and then Esc it works again very odd?

Anyone recommend what i can do to fix this?

Thanks

[Paul Komski]

It sounds like something "invisible" is grabbing the mouse focus and by activating/deactivating the task manager the focus is grabbed back.

Try holding down the ALT key and then toggle through through all active programs by repeatedly hitting the TAB key; release on the program you want to be active. This can also be a good trick at other times when you cant see what may be going on in a pop up or currently invisible dialog box or when a program has taken over the full screen; (F11 will often toggle a full screen display BTW though it depends on the actual application; OK with IE and firefox but not with chrome for example).

PS
The flying windows key + D is another very useful key combination which allows you to toggle to and from your desktop. ALT + F4 is another that will close down the currently active program window as per hitting its X button. There are loads of good shortcut key combos but try to just learn a couple at a time - viewing all the possibilities can often not be all that productive because unless you have a photographic memory cannot be learned all at once.

... and welcome to these forums!

[namit]

Thanks for that, but it also happens some time when nothing is open on the screen, I have found that can replicate it by restarting the computer and opening take manager when computer start and then computer hangs but can i see all the processes running and there Memory uses change, I can not click on anything in there or any desktop icons etc..

But when i press ALT + Backspace it does allow me to go through programs.
Or if i press ALT + CTL + Delete and then Esc it bring be out of it.

Its just very annoying because it sometimes happens and sometimes does not.

p.s. Its a sony vaio laptop

[Paul Komski]

Its just very annoying because it sometimes happens and sometimes does not.Very true and that is why it would be nice to pin the culprit down. The ALT key all on its own may activate what should be the current active window.

I would, for starters, try running msconfig and stop all autostartup programs from running at each boot. If that solves the problem then start adding them back one at a time or in batches till you catch the culprit. Not all programs run with a visible window. Services usually don't and there are TSR programs and other programs that just run from the system tray.

Of course it could be other things that cause these "mini freezes". Things like CD/DVD disks waiting to be recognised, malware, bad ram and so on. Running completely in Safe Mode can often sort out hardware from software problems.

[namit]

Very true and that is why it would be nice to pin the culprit down.

I would, for starters, try running msconfig and stop all autostartup programs from running at each boot. If that solves the problem then start adding them back one at a time or in batches till you catch the culprit. Not all programs run with a visible window. Services don't and there are TSR programs and other programs that just run from the system tray.

Of course it could be other things that cause these "mini freezes". Things like CD/DVD disks waiting to be recognised, malware, bad ram and so on. Running completely in Safe Mode can often sort out hardware from software problems.

Tried Msconfig and stopped everthing in startup tab but no joy.

No Cd in disk drives and once it freezes i can leave it there for half and hour and it does not come out of it some times on the ALT + CTRL + Del and then exit does it. Do not think it hardware but might be. Scanned for malware smithfix, combofix, avg and nothing there.

Should have really tried safe mode and see if i can replicate problem there.

Operating system is Windows xp pro Sp3

[namit]

Same problem in safe mode.

[namit]

After A LOT of restarting on computer found it to be the external Microsoft Mouse that was freezing up computer replaced mouse with new logitech one and its working now but not sure exactly why?

does that all make sense?

[Paul Komski]

does that all make sense?Bad hardware is bad hardware I guess.

[Whyzman]

Logitech mice simply rock! ;)