Windows 98 mouse question.

Factual Questions
1

Running Windows 98 with a Microsoft Intellipoint mouse.

This is what happens:

At random times, the mouse pointer “disappears.” No, it doesn’t freeze up. The mouse still works. It, however, is invisible. I can move it around the screen and see objects “activate” when the mouse moves over them. Web links change color when it is moved to the right place. This is difficult, though, as it is invisible.

This is what I have done to fix the problem in vain:

Downloaded the newest driver for the mouse and installed it.
Moved down the Hardware acceleration. I thought that this might fix mouse problems. It didn’t.
I also re-installed Windows 98 (Second Edition).

I have searched the Microsoft Website and have not found any remedy. WTF is going on and how can I fix it? Should I get a new mouse? Is it actually the mouse, or a video problem?

2

I’d give your video drivers and the newest version of DirectX a shot

3

I input your question at: http://www.google.com/

One reply (look for others):

My mouse pointer or cursor sometimes disappears, especially when changing screen resolutions or color depth

Explanation: The mouse pointer or cursor under Windows sometimes disappears from view. This happens either exclusively
or perhaps just more commonly when changing the screen resolution or color depth.

Diagnosis: This problem is most often the result of buggy video drivers.

4

I’ve had this happen also, most often while using Eudora (and then especially when it’s actively checking my mail), and have therefore come to the conclusion that some programs are too busy doing other things to refresh its display. Does this happen with various programs or, as it sounds like it affects your browser, certain sites? Try different combinations (go into the task manager and close things) and see if there’s a certain piece of software mucking up the works.

5

What type of screen saver do you run? If you run one that displays photos and changes the resolution to show them sometimes the cursor won’t refresh. At times the cursor will just disappear in anticipation of the screen saver starting.

6

It occurs when random things are running, primarily Internet Explorer, though. I have tried shutting things down but nothing could isolate it.

After reading the posts, I shall try to update my video driver.

Thanks for all your help.

7

My old Win 3.1 machine used to do that at completely random times, and a reboot would fix it.

8

“It occurs when random things are running, primarily Internet Explorer”

Yeah, that’s written about at Mickeysoft.

9

I know exactly the problem you’re talking about. I’ve seen it on several video cards (ATI mach64 and RagePro, 3dfx Banshee) and primarily with IE > 4.0.

In my experience, the cursor disappears mainly when sending a new “mouseover” or “mouseout” event, such as passing onto or off of a link or a resizeable border, but also sometimes when passing from blank space to text. In other words, at any time when the mouse cursor should change to a different icon.

I’ve tried updating video drivers, directX, mouse drivers, IE, everything, and had no luck. I’ll be following this thread to see if anybody can come up with anything.

10

Some other stuff you can try from Mickeysoft:

Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.

 2.Click the Performance tab, and then click Graphics.

 3.Move the Hardware Accelerator slider to the Most Accelerator Functions position,
   click OK, and then restart your computer. Test to determine if the issue is
   resolved, and if not, continue to step 4.

 4.Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Mouse.

 5.Click the Motion tab, and then click the Show Pointer Trails check box to select
   it.

 6.Move the slider to the Short position, and then click OK.