# Why does the mouse pointer disappear? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 22, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808 "2003-02-22T18:04:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/1 "2003-02-22T18:04:32Z")
Has this ever happened to you? The mouse is working, because you can see that things are highlighted as you move it, but there’s no arrow icon. Right-clicking works as usual. This happens regularly. I’m using a Logitech cordless mouse, but it happens with the regular mouse too. When I go to the Control Panel to troubleshoot, the message is that my mouse is working properly. Going through the troubleshooting process doesn’t help either. Most times when I first boot up, there’s no pointer. It usually comes up on the second try, but it’ll disappear eventually and I’ll have to boot again. I’m using a pretty new Compaq Desktop Evo 315, AMD Athlon processor, Windows XP. I asked the IT guy at work and he said he’d never heard of such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/2 "2003-02-22T18:26:50Z")
It happens to me, but not usually on startup. It seems to happen to me mostly when I have a PDF file open in an IE window allong with other IE windows with “normal” (i.e., non PDF) content. I’m using W98SE with a MS optical mouse. I have never tracked down the problem. Although I just found where I can disable mouse wheel support for the mouse. Apparently a number of programs provide their own mouse wheel support and perhaps having the generic support enabled causes conflicts. I hope that is my problem anyway. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/3 "2003-02-22T22:07:50Z")
Upgrade the drivers on your video card. That’s usually the part that’s at fault. To do that, you must find out who made your video card, then visit their website. Usually there is a drivers or support or downloads section that will have what you need. New updated drivers usually are created every few months, so there is almost definitely a more recent version available for you, probably addressing the very problem you have, though if not they will at least save over the old one replacing the possibly corrupted information. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/4 "2003-02-22T22:08:36Z")
My gosh, 56 views and nobody else has had this problem? Dangitall. Guess it’s back to the shop. rsa, thanks for the input. I feel a little bit better that it’s happened to you, even though it isn’t quite the same thing. I’ve had graphics driver problems too, and I’m wondering if it’s somehow related to that. Maybe I’ll do the restore thing, see if that works. ---
**Author:** ![KenP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c0e974/32.png) [@KenP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KenP)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/5 "2003-02-22T22:12:18Z")
It happens to me, too, although not frequently. I came in looking for the answer, not to provide it. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/6 "2003-02-22T22:28:25Z")
Thanks, GuanoLad, I’ll try that again. I’ve had a lot of problems with this PC, especially with games. I’ve reformatted three times since September, and have installed a new graphics card. New problems each time. I’ve installed new drivers from the Compaq support site and also from the Nvidia site. I actually don’t know which driver the unit is trying to use now. Does one driver override another? (I’m sorta clueless.) ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-mouse-pointer-disappear/156808/7 "2003-02-22T22:29:14Z")
This happens to me occasionally when I exit a game called _Jardinains_. I can move the pointer and left-click stuff, but I can’t see the pointer. Right-clicking makes the it appear, though. The game is full-screen with it’s own mouse pointer, if that has anything to do with it.