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so you guys being the most informative PC folks i know i was hoping you could help me.

I’m having an issue with my mouse and keyboard, they are both USB. The issue that I’m having is that they both tend to stop working for about 1 second intermittently. Sometimes it will happen a lot sometimes a little but its noticeable. On a few rare occasions it locks up completely and I have to reboot the PC. Keep in mind though that the PC is not locking up, just the keyboard and mouse. Everything else continues to work, whether it be a game or music.

I tried the following…
Selective start only enabling Microsoft services.
Chkdsk
Several virus scans.
Different USB ports.
I found a setting in msconfig where it had my PC listed as single core while it is quad. I changed that to quad.
Tried fanspeed to keep an eye on the temperature and the only thing in red is the CPU at 65c. I added an extra fan but it didn’t really change it.
I moved around my ram.

These were all suggestions from mr google and about all that I could find.
I’ll try a new mouse tonight but the PC has been fine for about 2 yrs and I haven’t changed anything. I suppose that the mouse could be going bad but could it effect the keyboard as well?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
UNAA

I'd say replace the keyboard and mouse .

I have this sometimes with one of my laptops when using a USB mouse.

Ensure you have up to date drivers installed and that the USB ports and plugs (and wires) are not damaged - these are the three most common reasons I've ever had for dropout on USB devices.

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
the PC

I have detected the source of your problem.

You need process of elimination. Find a non-USB keyboard and mouse, borrow them from others if you can, and try them out one at a time then both together. This should tell you whether one or the other is causing the problem or even if it's anything to do with USB at all.

The idea of getting proper mouse drivers is a good one. Shouldn't be necessary for the keyboard unless you're running something unusual (like one with added macro buttons, for instance).

Finally, get the name of your motherboard model, the mouse and the keyboard, and do some googling to see if anyone else has come across the same thing...! Tech forums are diamond mines for this kind of problem.

 rubiksnoob wrote:

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
the PC

I have detected the source of your problem.

Rolls up newspaper.

Bad hipster! Bad!

thanks for the help all.
ill try the drivers tonight. it just confuses me since nothing has changed on the PC in 2 years except the programs on it.
is it possible for drivers to start acting up all of a sudden?

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
thanks for the help all.
ill try the drivers tonight. it just confuses me since nothing has changed on the PC in 2 years except the programs on it.
is it possible for drivers to start acting up all of a sudden?

My kindle refused to connect last night when I connected it to the computer, though it still charged and the kindle still said it was connected to the PC. Went through the device manager and found that it was still detecting the kindle but would not class it as a removable storage device - a quick driver update and it was working again.

I think sometimes computers just mess themselves up - some programs change settings, mess with installed components etc, while sometimes "upgrades" do the same or worse

What brand mouse is it?

I had a similar problem awhile back and thought it was a software issue, turns out the cable on my mouse was loose inside the mouse, and it would disconnect it if I basically touched the mouse. It is a known issue on some logitech models.

Some other suggestions to try:
Try different USB ports on the computer.
Hook up a USB hub and plug into that.

Another possible solution I found on a forum:

The mouse freeze problem is most likely to be related to USB SUSPEND MODE kicking in as most mouse nowadays use the USB port to connect.

Go to <Control Panel> select <Power Options>

Depending on which power plan you're in, either 'Balance' or 'Power Saver', select the <Change plan settings> accordingly

Select <Change advanced power settings> and expand <+USB settings> by clicking on the <+> sign

Expand further the <+USB selective suspend setting> by clicking on the <+> sign

Set both <On battery> & <Plugged in> to 'Disabled' and click 'Apply'

Best I can find without knowing more about the computer.

@silver - i know what you mean.... its why i dont like working on PCs anymore.
@sparky - honestly spark i dont even remember. ill check it out tonight when i update the drivers. i do know that i have a logitech Gll gaming keyboard though.
@talizvar - i left the power suspend thing off of my "ive done it" list. but thank you for the very descriptive help.

Only other thing I can think of is:
It does not connect by Blue Tooth does it?
Blue Tooth by default is very low on the system priority list so does hang on occasion is very bad for a gaming system.
I really hated my Logitech keyboard and mouse for that.
Could not find any way to "elevate" the Blue Tooth for faster.

Okay, that's an odd one...

Thoughts:

So, something is preventing communication from occurring from your mouse/keyboard for a brief period of time.

Do you have a lot of other USB devices plugged in? Like 10+? If you have ANYTHING else plugged in, what happens if you unplug it all except for mouse/keyboard.

Are your mouse/keyboard plugged in through a USB hub, or are they plugged directly into the motherboard inside the computer?

When this issue occurs, do you notice the lights on the mouse/keyboard go out, or do they just stop accepting input?

Do you hear the sounds that happen when Windows detects new devices plugged in when it happens?

How often does it happen? Is it often enough you could completely disconnect your mouse and use your keyboard until it happens again, and then with just your mouse plugged in?

Can you download a live cd of some linux distribution, and play around in that until the issue occurs?

It's a long shot, but have you been inside the computer case yet? What's the wattage on the power supply? Do you have any blown capacitors on your motherboard (google blown capacitors).

Intermittent usb disconnects mean either driver problems and/or something with the internal hardware.

I've got a two usb ports on the front of my desktop that disconnect and then reconnect randomly, and assumed it's just wires being silly. Course I don't use those ports much...

@Talizvar - no its direct connect to USB
@juraigamer - ive tried all of the USB ports including the ones on the front of the case.
@daedalus - answers below

Q: Do you have a lot of other USB devices plugged in? Like 10+?
A: nothing plugged in except mouse and keyboard.

Q: Are your mouse/keyboard plugged in through a USB hub, or are they plugged directly into the motherboard inside the computer?
A: directly in to the PC.

Q: When this issue occurs, do you notice the lights on the mouse/keyboard go out, or do they just stop accepting input?
A: actually both... more often than not it just stops accepting input for a second but there have been times when the lights go out on the mouse. usually when this happens i just unplug/plug it and it starts working again.

Q: Do you hear the sounds that happen when Windows detects new devices plugged in when it happens?
A: no, nor do i hear the disk drive spin up. i read somewhere that this might cause it.

Q: How often does it happen? Is it often enough you could completely disconnect your mouse and use your keyboard until it happens again, and then with just your mouse plugged in?
A: its sporadic or maybe sometimes i just dont notice. it can go anywhere from once every 5 - 10 seconds to 10-15 minutes. sometimes it happens 2 or 3 times in a row. its very sporadic.

Q: Can you download a live cd of some linux distribution, and play around in that until the issue occurs?
A: lol... sorry but im not sure what this even means.

Q: It's a long shot, but have you been inside the computer case yet? What's the wattage on the power supply? Do you have any blown capacitors on your motherboard (google blown capacitors).
A: i havent, no. im familiar with blown caps and can give it a looksee tonight.

It may (may) be a fault mobo.

The reason I had to splash out so early my current rig is because my mobo died, and the first warning of its death was my USB mice locking up for about a second every now and then, regardless of the port being used.

After purchasing my new rig, my dad (knowledgeable about IT and who worked in an IT environment) had a look, took it into work for people to have a look at, and got it checked by a proper hardware team, and nobody could find a reason for why it had suddenly given up the ghost. Testing it, the PC would start up (fans a-whirring and lights a-flashing), but nothing would happen save occasionally getting a display on the monitor (about 2 times out of 10).

Now, as far I know and can tell, this issue has only happened to me, but I'm just throwing it out there since I've no other questions that haven't already been asked, really.

If there's another PC you can test your equipment on, then do it, but I can't really suggest anything else.

 n0t_u wrote:

 rubiksnoob wrote:

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
the PC

I have detected the source of your problem.

Rolls up newspaper.

Bad hipster! Bad!

I'm sorry! I can't help it!

I have this problem on my laptops touchpad. Its annoying but i get around it with a USB mouse. It is possible for a software issue to occur due to software decay (basically old age) but this is rare. Personally i would say replace both of them and ensure that the replacements where of a good quality.
It appears that what you have is a hardware issue, plain and simple.

 usernamesareannoying wrote:

Q: When this issue occurs, do you notice the lights on the mouse/keyboard go out, or do they just stop accepting input?
A: actually both... more often than not it just stops accepting input for a second but there have been times when the lights go out on the mouse. usually when this happens i just unplug/plug it and it starts working again.

That tells me your port is likely losing power. That's interesting.

Q: Can you download a live cd of some linux distribution, and play around in that until the issue occurs?
A: lol... sorry but im not sure what this even means.

It's basically a cd you can boot from and run an operating system from without needing to do anything to your harddrive. it's useful for establishing whether an issue is a hardware issue.

Q: It's a long shot, but have you been inside the computer case yet? What's the wattage on the power supply? Do you have any blown capacitors on your motherboard (google blown capacitors).
A: i havent, no. im familiar with blown caps and can give it a looksee tonight.

I'd have a look at this, and maybe swap out the power supply. I'd think you'd be seeing other issues if your power supply was acting up, but PSU issues manifest in strange ways sometimes. If you can borrow one or have a trustworthy shop that would hook it up to a test power supply cheaper than buying a new one, it would probably be better.

I'm on the very cusp of agreeing with Daedalus - it does sound like it's a power problem. But it's still worth trying each without the other on USB to see if one is causing the other to play up - if only because changing out a power supply can be a pain in the backside.

One other possibility could be to "flash" the motherboard - that is, to update the motherboard's firmware in case it's having issues with USB in particular. However, this can prove tricky. Only attempt this if you're secure in your knowledge of PCs and you have explicit instruction on how to flash that you've found from the motherboard's manufacturer or an otherwise reliable source, AND FOLLOW IT RELIGIOUSLY. A screwed-up flashing job can brick the motherboard completely.

success!!!

first, thank you all so much for your help, i really appreciate it.
second, always try the easiest stuff first.

while not totally under my control it seems that the problem was the mouse itself. i replaced it and no more issues.
if only i had a spare mouse sooner!

something that i found out when i went to replace the mouse was that this mouse was from my previous computer and was probably from the computer before that for a grand sum of what must be 10 years. i know at one point i actually replaced the plastic "clicky" parts in it because the buttons stopped working, lol...

Well, I guess that was the "obvious" answer. Given that it affected the keyboard as well though, well, that one threw me off.

It makes sense some

if the mouse was shorting out it could have been pulling more power than the USB port could supply,

thus shutting down a keyboard that was also USB dependant

but good it's sorted

Have you tried turning it off and on again.

 xole wrote:
Have you tried turning it off and on again.

Curse you, xole - I work in tech support and I'm wearing a t-shirt that says *exactly that*

i think the biggest problem that i had was finding the any key. so many things call out for it but i never did find it. i think i may have a defective keyboard after all.

 usernamesareannoying wrote:
i think the biggest problem that i had was finding the any key. so many things call out for it but i never did find it. i think i may have a defective keyboard after all.

I have a rack-mount kvm at work that has an "any" label someone stuck over the top of the enter button.

 xole wrote:
Have you tried turning it off and on again.

Well are you sure it's plugged in?

I'd say replace the keyboard and mouse .

And that was advised by KC I always got the impression he wasnt the most aufait with techie stuff.

KC 1 - 0 Thread

Nossir I am NOT a techy guy at all. Sometimes, its just the obvious