Topic: Laptop insanity... (I don't even know what to call this...)

[Miskat]

Alright... forgive the subject line, and here goes!

I'm on my girlfriends laptop, which worked fine, 100%, up until about a month ago when this mysteriously began.

First, the specs!

Toshiba Satellite (something or other)
1.1ghz Intel Celeron
752mb PC133 RAM
  -1x 256mb PC133 SoDIMM
  -1x 512mb PC133 SoDIMM
Radeon gfx Card
Some old PS/2 Microsoft Trackball
OS: Windows XP Home Edition w/SP2

Now that the nitty gritty is out of the way, on to the BEEF!
-----------------------------
First off: This only happens once when the laptop is turned on, once I get it to stop it does not happen again until I restart.  Also, this has happened when using both the trackball AND the touchpad.  She does not have an eraserhead pointer device on this laptop.

When I startup the laptop with the trackball plugged in the lapto is fine UNTIL I move the ball.  When I move the ball, the laptop performs seemingly random operations for a length of time that seems directly proportional to the amount of time I move the ball.  These operations can range from openeing IE to opening My Computer to the Control Panel and various parts thereof.  I've even had MS Word open.  And StarCraft.  Go figure.  A lot of the time it will open something and within the same time period of the incident, close it.  Sometimes it shuts off the computer... by using the same UI we do.  From the Start Menu... which it also opens.  Amazing, ne?

I can usually stop this by unplugging the trackball and using the touchpad... then it's fine.  But in this scenario, I cannot plug the trackball in, if I do... it happens again... usually.

Norton AV detects nothing.

Now... the problem is: it sometimes happens when I start-up the laptop without the trackball plugged in!  Same issue... just worse since I can't stop it.  However, if it starts up fine, I am usually guaranteed a trouble free use.  heh.

For the most part... that's about it.

I really hope you all can help, we would be very greatful... this thing is so annoying.

And if it's a virus... yeesh.  My first interesting one anyway.  XD

Speaking of which, I've checked the processes and the start-up routines via MSConfig and ctrl+alt+dlt... nothing out of the ordinary.

Thanks again for reading!

[Simon]

Hi Miskat,

What a strange problem!  I was going to suggest trying another mouse, but then you said it sometimes does this without the trackball plugged in!

Just a couple of thoughts, before a real techie comes along:-

If the trackball is USB, have you tried it in a different USB port, or of it's PS2, does it have a USB option which you could try?  Sometimes they come with PS2 / USB adapters.

Secondly, have you tried reinstalling the software and drivers for the trackball?  I know it seems an odd solution, given that the problems exists without it being connected, but PCs can be strange!

Hopefully someone will be able to help you better, later.  

[joudi]

Just a little question:

How old is your TrackBall, and what mlodel it is?

I usually use a trackBall, and got recenly some problems with it.    :roll:


Edited:     Have you tried that TrackBall on another PC?

[Sandra]

Are the touchpads left and right mouse buttons sticking a little ?
When a laptop starts it should detect the PS2 trackball and allow that to be used which usually disables the touchpad but if one of the buttons hasnt released fully then that may interfere with it detecting the trackball fully  :?

If the PS2 mouse/trackball isnt plugged in when the laptop starts then it wont detect it but I am not too sure what is suposed to happen if you remove it after its booted up and connect it again later  :?:

[Miskat]

Well... it's a Microsoft IntelliMouse TrackBall... and it's old... I'd say from around 95ish.  That's all I know about it.

I tried the trackball on my desktop and it works fine.

Also, even before this started, plugging in the trackball never disabled the touchpad... you can use them simo.  None of the buttons seem to be sticking.

I know my responces aren't helping all that much... heh.  Thanks for thinking about it though!  =)

I've noticed that recently... in the past few days, the touchpad hasn't been doing it anymore.  Just the trackball.  >.>  Go figure.

=)

Thanks again, all!  =)

-Robert

[joudi]

Unfortunately Robert, I don't have much thing to suggest if you've already tried it on another PC, and there was no problem.

You may have a look on My Thread Here which will give you little more informations.

If you have it since 95 (if I well understood), sorry to mention that it must have no more guarantee.

Just a last suggestion:

You may try to make a "Clean Install of Windows", to see if that will help.

Apart from that, maybe someone else can help better with different thoughts.