Alien Mouse Syndrome

Scott Hardie | January 21, 2005
Over the weekend I finally got around to installing Windows Service Pack 2. I had seen two friends frag their systems with it (their computers wouldn't boot afterwards), so I put it off intending to find a time when I could back up all of my files, just in case the same happened to me. My auto-installer downloaded it for me and I sat on it for a few months, but this weekend it decided that I MUST install the files and it would not take no (or alt-ctrl-del) for an answer. So on it went.

Considering that I expected my computer to begin emitting sparks and shouting "ERROR! ERROR!" it's a big relief that nothing went wrong. I'm actually enjoying the pop-up blocker more than I thought I would. However, there's been an odd glitch since the install: Every once in a while, my mouse cursor will start drifting in one direction, usually upwards. It's just a slow, steady creep. I do have an infared mouse, but for two years it has never done this, and since Saturday it has happened about once per day, so I figure it's something about SP2. Once I shake the mouse or otherwise seize control of the cursor, the drifting stops. Any ideas? It's not a priority fix; I'm just curious.

Amy Austin | January 21, 2005
I'd suggest ad-ware/virus scans, since this was one of the symptoms I was experiencing before all my shit hit the fan.

Dave Stoppenhagen | January 21, 2005
One of my co-workers just uninstalled SP2 since she was having all sorts of problems with it. She kept receiving windows errors and she received a worm notification not long after installing it (virus scan is up to date). As soon as she uninstalled it the worm disappeared.

Think I'll wait until they have fixed it before I install it.

Scott Horowitz | January 21, 2005
I have not had any SP2 issues, been running it since the day it came out. The problem is that if you have inherent spyware already on your computer, it may affect the way SP2 is installed/configured.

David Mitzman | January 21, 2005
I had that with optical mice before and it wasn't a spyware problem or virus problem. I haven't had it in a while and I can't honestly say what caused it except maybe the surface you're using the mouse on. I never had that problem with a standard roller ball mouse or trackball.

Amy Austin | January 21, 2005
Mine is a trackball, BTW.

Scott Horowitz | January 21, 2005
Then you're just evil. :)

I remember when I worked at Circuit City, people would steal the balls from the mice. They'll take anything that isn't nailed down.

Anna Gregoline | January 21, 2005
That's not too surprising to me - those feel pretty neat to play with.

And yes, people will take the darndest things.

Amy Austin | January 21, 2005
Actually, I hate it and would prefer an optical -- E bought it. Mouse balls *are* fun to play with, though. (So gross, but reminds me of the old "mouse balls memo" joke...)

(link)

Supposedly, the memo is real, made just a touch more plausible by the versions that claim the last line was an add-on to make it even funnier:
"Please keep in mind that a customer without properly working balls is an unhappy customer."

Apparently, it's actually a pretty old joke ('91), but I only read it a few years ago myself.

E. M. | January 22, 2005
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