wireless mouse goes comatose

Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April. About
December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key is clicked, wheel
rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is given a good whack.

I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New batteries,
re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed to a defective mouse. Dell
finally replaced entire wireless kit February 10, with new mouse, keyboard and base,
under warranty. It worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is now doing the
same old "coma" trip:

Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word, MusicMatch Jukebox,
or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in place (or disappears altogether in
Word or Outlook Express, and the LED goes into a rapid flicker -- again, until
clicked or whacked on desktop.

Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here? I'm out of my
depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos for the replacement, but
something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

PS: "Model HID-compliant mouse" is Model No: M-RAC67B, with a prominent "Dell" and
an odd "C C- 00560 (!)" the largest "number" on it. ("C-" equals a large "E" with a
curved upright. "(!)" is a circle with an exclamation point in the middle.)

my system:
"Dell Dimension 4600" 4-14-04 :

Pentium 4-2.8GHz
512MB 333Mhz RAM
Dell box and board, 8 USB, 3PCI, 1AGP
Two 40GB hard drives
CD/DVD-ROM (HL-DT-ST-DVDROM GDR8162B)
CD/DVD-RW (_NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD)
3.5 floppy drive
nVidia 128MB GeForce FX 5200 add-on graphics card
(disabled: "Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2")
56K PCI fax/modem
Ethernet 10/100 network card
Integrated SoundMAX digital audio
17-inch flat panel LCD monitor E172FP
wireless keyboard/mouse

Windows XP, home edition, SP2 (8/04), DirectX9, various Dell software pre-installed

"Travis" travis_at_charbeneau_dot_net wrote in message
...
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April.
About December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key is
clicked, wheel rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is given a good
whack.

I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New batteries,
re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed to a defective
mouse. Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit February 10, with new
mouse, keyboard and base, under warranty. It worked great from February 11
until March 3. It is now doing the same old "coma" trip:

Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word, MusicMatch
Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in place (or
disappears altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and the LED goes into a
rapid flicker -- again, until clicked or whacked on desktop.

Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here? I'm out
of my depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos for the
replacement, but something is very weird.)


Sure. It goes into "sleep" mode to conserver it's batteries. A little
movement should be all it takes to wake it up again.

Thanks, Ricky,

I'm afraid if it were that simple, Dell would never have agreed to replace my
by-then 10-month's old wireless mouse, keyboard and base. They never so much as
mentioned "sleep mode."

You're right. "A little movement" is all it should take. But in this instance the
cursor will often go suficiently dead (or missing altogether) that clicking and
wheeling won't bring it back and it needs either a mouse-to-station reset, or ...
the sharp smack on the mousepad. I'm not the violent type, and it doesn't require
much of a "smack." But "a little movement" is all it should take.

Clicking to wake it up (the wheel is less effective) can produce some unpleasant
results should the now-invisible cursor be parked over a command.

Anyone?

Travis



"Ricky Hunt" wrote in message
news:FtAVd.86519$4q6.29432@attbi_s01...
"Travis" travis_at_charbeneau_dot_net wrote in message
...
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April. About
December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key is clicked, wheel
rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is given a good whack.

I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New batteries,
re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed to a defective mouse.
Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit February 10, with new mouse, keyboard
and base, under warranty. It worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is
now doing the same old "coma" trip:

Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word, MusicMatch
Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in place (or disappears
altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and the LED goes into a rapid flicker --
again, until clicked or whacked on desktop.

Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here? I'm out of my
depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos for the replacement, but
something is very weird.)


Sure. It goes into "sleep" mode to conserver it's batteries. A little movement
should be all it takes to wake it up again.

Travis wrote:
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April. About
December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key is clicked, wheel
rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is given a good whack.

I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New batteries,
re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed to a defective mouse. Dell
finally replaced entire wireless kit February 10, with new mouse, keyboard and base,
under warranty. It worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is now doing the
same old "coma" trip:

Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word, MusicMatch Jukebox,
or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in place (or disappears altogether in
Word or Outlook Express, and the LED goes into a rapid flicker -- again, until
clicked or whacked on desktop.

Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here? I'm out of my
depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos for the replacement, but
something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

PS: "Model HID-compliant mouse" is Model No: M-RAC67B, with a prominent "Dell" and
an odd "C C- 00560 (!)" the largest "number" on it. ("C-" equals a large "E" with a
curved upright. "(!)" is a circle with an exclamation point in the middle.)

my system:
"Dell Dimension 4600" 4-14-04 :

Pentium 4-2.8GHz
512MB 333Mhz RAM
Dell box and board, 8 USB, 3PCI, 1AGP
Two 40GB hard drives
CD/DVD-ROM (HL-DT-ST-DVDROM GDR8162B)
CD/DVD-RW (_NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD)
3.5 floppy drive
nVidia 128MB GeForce FX 5200 add-on graphics card
(disabled: "Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2")
56K PCI fax/modem
Ethernet 10/100 network card
Integrated SoundMAX digital audio
17-inch flat panel LCD monitor E172FP
wireless keyboard/mouse

Windows XP, home edition, SP2 (8/04), DirectX9, various Dell software pre-installed



I've noticed the same thing in my Logitech laser mouse. I don't think
it's a "sleep mode" thing, as I can be using it and the cursor refuses
to move. Sometimes turning it off and back on helps. There's a littel
button on the underside to do so. There's also a reset button there too.

Dim. 8400
3.4 ghz
512 megs 533 ram
XP MCE 2005


Tom S.
Houston, TX

Travis wrote:
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April.
About December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key
is clicked, wheel rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is
given a good whack.
I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New
batteries, re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed
to a defective mouse. Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit
February 10, with new mouse, keyboard and base, under warranty. It
worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is now doing the same
old "coma" trip:
Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word,
MusicMatch Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in
place (or disappears altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and the
LED goes into a rapid flicker -- again, until clicked or whacked on
desktop.
Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here?
I'm out of my depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos
for the replacement, but something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

PS: "Model HID-compliant mouse" is Model No: M-RAC67B, with a
prominent "Dell" and an odd "C C- 00560 (!)" the largest "number" on
it. ("C-" equals a large "E" with a curved upright. "(!)" is a circle
with an exclamation point in the middle.)
my system:
"Dell Dimension 4600" 4-14-04 :

Pentium 4-2.8GHz
512MB 333Mhz RAM
Dell box and board, 8 USB, 3PCI, 1AGP
Two 40GB hard drives
CD/DVD-ROM (HL-DT-ST-DVDROM GDR8162B)
CD/DVD-RW (_NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD)
3.5 floppy drive
nVidia 128MB GeForce FX 5200 add-on graphics card
(disabled: "Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2")
56K PCI fax/modem
Ethernet 10/100 network card
Integrated SoundMAX digital audio
17-inch flat panel LCD monitor E172FP
wireless keyboard/mouse

Windows XP, home edition, SP2 (8/04), DirectX9, various Dell software
pre-installed

The transmitter is USB? Open the USB root hub and check the Power
Management tab, uncheck Allow the system to turn off to save power.

Q

Thanks for the suggestion, but merely right or left clicking will usually get it
going again, so actually picking it up and "re-teaching" the base is more of a
hassle and only a last resort. I have no "on/off" or "reset" button. Just the green
button for teaching the base.



"Tom Simchak" wrote in message
om...

Travis wrote:
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April. About
December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key is clicked, wheel
rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is given a good whack.

I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New batteries,
re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed to a defective mouse.
Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit February 10, with new mouse, keyboard
and base, under warranty. It worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is
now doing the same old "coma" trip:

Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word, MusicMatch
Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in place (or disappears
altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and the LED goes into a rapid flicker --
again, until clicked or whacked on desktop.

Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here? I'm out of my
depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos for the replacement, but
something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

PS: "Model HID-compliant mouse" is Model No: M-RAC67B, with a prominent "Dell"
and an odd "C C- 00560 (!)" the largest "number" on it. ("C-" equals a large "E"
with a curved upright. "(!)" is a circle with an exclamation point in the
middle.)

my system:
"Dell Dimension 4600" 4-14-04 :

Pentium 4-2.8GHz
512MB 333Mhz RAM
Dell box and board, 8 USB, 3PCI, 1AGP
Two 40GB hard drives
CD/DVD-ROM (HL-DT-ST-DVDROM GDR8162B)
CD/DVD-RW (_NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD)
3.5 floppy drive
nVidia 128MB GeForce FX 5200 add-on graphics card
(disabled: "Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2")
56K PCI fax/modem
Ethernet 10/100 network card
Integrated SoundMAX digital audio
17-inch flat panel LCD monitor E172FP
wireless keyboard/mouse

Windows XP, home edition, SP2 (8/04), DirectX9, various Dell software
pre-installed



I've noticed the same thing in my Logitech laser mouse. I don't think it's a
"sleep mode" thing, as I can be using it and the cursor refuses to move.
Sometimes turning it off and back on helps. There's a littel button on the
underside to do so. There's also a reset button there too.

Dim. 8400
3.4 ghz
512 megs 533 ram
XP MCE 2005


Tom S.
Houston, TX

Hey, Quaoar,

Thanks for the input! In Device Manager the "HID Compliant" mouse and keyboard have
"Allow the system to turn off to save power" -- but it's grayed out. No Power
Management option available there.

As for the USB Root Hub, Device Manager lists five (there are 8 USB ports on the
4600) . I'd be happy to uncheck all of them, but the USB-connected base is not the
problem. While the mouse is in coma, frozen, disappeared and/or not responding until
clicked or (in tough cases) smacked, the keyboard is still happily talking to the
very same base. That seems unlikely if the base, the only USB wire connecting to the
computer, were being shut down by Power Management.

I'm dubious as to the first mouse running 10 months without interference from Power
Management, then failing suddenly at intermittent time periods (Power Management is
at least regular.) Likewise the replacement mouse, which, although it only lasted a
whopping three weeks, also never began misbehaving until the other day (and has yet
to lock up all day today).

Power management would be an excellent suspect if the base were shutting down,
affecting both mouse _and_ keyboard every 20 seconds or two hours or whatever, but
just one or the other and intermittently to the extent of 10 months? Is that even
possible? Let me know by email if I'm missing something here.

Travis




"Quaoar" wrote in message
...
Travis wrote:
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last April.
About December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key
is clicked, wheel rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is
given a good whack.
I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New
batteries, re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed
to a defective mouse. Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit
February 10, with new mouse, keyboard and base, under warranty. It
worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is now doing the same
old "coma" trip:
Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word,
MusicMatch Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes in
place (or disappears altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and the
LED goes into a rapid flicker -- again, until clicked or whacked on
desktop.
Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here?
I'm out of my depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos
for the replacement, but something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

PS: "Model HID-compliant mouse" is Model No: M-RAC67B, with a
prominent "Dell" and an odd "C C- 00560 (!)" the largest "number" on
it. ("C-" equals a large "E" with a curved upright. "(!)" is a circle
with an exclamation point in the middle.)
my system:
"Dell Dimension 4600" 4-14-04 :

Pentium 4-2.8GHz
512MB 333Mhz RAM
Dell box and board, 8 USB, 3PCI, 1AGP
Two 40GB hard drives
CD/DVD-ROM (HL-DT-ST-DVDROM GDR8162B)
CD/DVD-RW (_NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD)
3.5 floppy drive
nVidia 128MB GeForce FX 5200 add-on graphics card
(disabled: "Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2")
56K PCI fax/modem
Ethernet 10/100 network card
Integrated SoundMAX digital audio
17-inch flat panel LCD monitor E172FP
wireless keyboard/mouse

Windows XP, home edition, SP2 (8/04), DirectX9, various Dell software
pre-installed

The transmitter is USB? Open the USB root hub and check the Power Management tab,
uncheck Allow the system to turn off to save power.

Q

Travis wrote:
Hey, Quaoar,

Thanks for the input! In Device Manager the "HID Compliant" mouse and
keyboard have "Allow the system to turn off to save power" -- but
it's grayed out. No Power Management option available there.

As for the USB Root Hub, Device Manager lists five (there are 8 USB
ports on the 4600) . I'd be happy to uncheck all of them, but the
USB-connected base is not the problem. While the mouse is in coma,
frozen, disappeared and/or not responding until clicked or (in tough
cases) smacked, the keyboard is still happily talking to the very
same base. That seems unlikely if the base, the only USB wire
connecting to the computer, were being shut down by Power Management.
I'm dubious as to the first mouse running 10 months without
interference from Power Management, then failing suddenly at
intermittent time periods (Power Management is at least regular.)
Likewise the replacement mouse, which, although it only lasted a
whopping three weeks, also never began misbehaving until the other
day (and has yet to lock up all day today).
Power management would be an excellent suspect if the base were
shutting down, affecting both mouse _and_ keyboard every 20 seconds
or two hours or whatever, but just one or the other and
intermittently to the extent of 10 months? Is that even possible? Let
me know by email if I'm missing something here.
Travis




"Quaoar" wrote in message
...
Travis wrote:
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last
April. About December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen
until key is clicked, wheel rotated, or -- when those fail -- the
mouse is given a good whack.
I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New
batteries, re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed
to a defective mouse. Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit
February 10, with new mouse, keyboard and base, under warranty. It
worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is now doing the
same old "coma" trip:
Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word,
MusicMatch Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes
in place (or disappears altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and
the LED goes into a rapid flicker -- again, until clicked or
whacked on desktop.
Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here?
I'm out of my depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos
for the replacement, but something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

PS: "Model HID-compliant mouse" is Model No: M-RAC67B, with a
prominent "Dell" and an odd "C C- 00560 (!)" the largest "number" on
it. ("C-" equals a large "E" with a curved upright. "(!)" is a
circle with an exclamation point in the middle.)
my system:
"Dell Dimension 4600" 4-14-04 :

Pentium 4-2.8GHz
512MB 333Mhz RAM
Dell box and board, 8 USB, 3PCI, 1AGP
Two 40GB hard drives
CD/DVD-ROM (HL-DT-ST-DVDROM GDR8162B)
CD/DVD-RW (_NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD)
3.5 floppy drive
nVidia 128MB GeForce FX 5200 add-on graphics card
(disabled: "Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2")
56K PCI fax/modem
Ethernet 10/100 network card
Integrated SoundMAX digital audio
17-inch flat panel LCD monitor E172FP
wireless keyboard/mouse

Windows XP, home edition, SP2 (8/04), DirectX9, various Dell
software pre-installed

The transmitter is USB? Open the USB root hub and check the Power
Management tab, uncheck Allow the system to turn off to save power.

Q

On further reflection, you experience does point to the mouse as the
problem, although is there something in the transmitter that needs to be
reset? The button to find the devices?

Q

"Travis" travis_at_charbeneau_dot_net wrote in message
...
Thanks, Ricky,

I'm afraid if it were that simple, Dell would never have agreed to replace
my by-then 10-month's old wireless mouse, keyboard and base. They never so
much as mentioned "sleep mode."

From the dealings I've had with Dell's Tech Support this wouldn't surprise
me in the least.

Travis wrote:
Hi Gang,

I got a Dimension 4600 with a wireless mouse and keyboard last
April.
About December, the mouse began going dead, cursor frozen until key
is clicked, wheel rotated, or -- when those fail -- the mouse is
given a good whack.
I tried everything. Much back and forth with Dell support. New
batteries, re-installs, different USB port, etc. All fingers pointed
to a defective mouse. Dell finally replaced entire wireless kit
February 10, with new mouse, keyboard and base, under warranty. It
worked great from February 11 until March 3. It is now doing the
same
old "coma" trip:
Left untouched for a few minutes while working in email, Word,
MusicMatch Jukebox, or just sitting on Desktop, the cursor freezes
in
place (or disappears altogether in Word or Outlook Express, and the
LED goes into a rapid flicker -- again, until clicked or whacked on
desktop.
Anyone else experience this or have any idea what's going on here?
I'm out of my depth, and, so apparently, is Dell. (They do get kudos
for the replacement, but something is very weird.)

Thanks

Travis

I've never had such a problem, but perhaps the mouse doesn't like the
location of base. Maybe if you move closer / higher - there will be
less trouble.
--
Cynthia
I don't read Hotmail - To mail me: cynthiag at canadiensfan dot com