Bizarre behaviour of mouse cursor

Hi folks,

Really after some advice here from the collective.

A few days ago, my Windows 10 desktop started exhibiting some bizarre behaviour of the mouse cursor - jiggling all over the screen making it virtually impossible to click on anything or select items. The cursor movement is random and moves between 1 and 3cm at a time.

I initilally thought that it may be a driver issue and used a restore point some days before this behaviour started - which seemed to fix the problem - until the following day when the problem returned.

I thought it may be a virus, so ran an AVG scan (found nothing), ran an on-line F-secure scan (found nothing), uninstalled AVG and installed Bitdefender (found nothing) whilst Malware bytes reported that it had found 315 objects (!)

So, took out the SSD and swapped it for a backup SSD (same issue - jiggling cursor) and then for an old HDD running Windows 7 (same issue - jiggling cursor).

So, I've come to the conclusion that this is hardware related.

It isn't the mouse as the same thing happens with a Logitech wireless mouse and a USB corded mouse (unless it is a USB issue of course).

I tried loading BIOS defaults and now the pc can't find Fixed Disk 0.

So, is it likely a motherboard issue or a component (such as the graphics card or memory)?

What do I need to select in BIOS to be able to see the fixed disk (I realise that you may need details of the BIOS - which is Phoenix iirc)

UPDATE: Motherboard is Foxconn G33M02 and pc is DELL Vostro 200 desktop. Potentially a DELL-specific BIOS?

I replaced the motherboard a while back (which had a faster processor) so I could (potentially) re-fit that and see what happens, but I thought I'd ask the hive mind first.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and wishing you all the best for the New Year.

As the issue doesn't seem to be OS-specific, I've not included the Windows Version/Build number

Art

@ArthurDent


Here's a similar problem... turned out to be hardware related (one half of a 2 in 1 display).
You may get some ideas from this thread?

Cursor problem/Boot virus?

Catnip said:

Have you tried re-installing your USB and mouse drivers? Have you had any weirdness with any other USB peripherals lately? Like your keyboard, flash drives, etc.?

Thanks for the reply Catnip . . .

There is nothing apart from the wireless Logitech mouse that is plugged into a USB port. The cursor exhibits this 'random jitter' with the mouse unplugged or plugged in - it makes no difference. The other mouse I tried is a wired USB mouse - and I plugged that into a different USB port - still got a jittery mouse. Flash-drives work fine however.

The wireless mouse was plugged into a USB port which was on the motherboard, the wired mouse into a USB socket on the front of the machine (in a multi-card reader).

This leads me to suspect that it is either a USB problem (unlikely given other USB devices [flash drives] seem to work fine), a motherboard problem (capacitor having 'gone south' perhaps) or a BIOS problem (either corrupted or infected).

I ripped out one of the two HID mouse drivers in Device Mangler - turns out it was for the wireless mouse - but jitter reappeared on restart.

Ghot said:

@ArthurDent

Here's a similar problem... turned out to be hardware related (one half of a 2 in 1 display).
You may get some ideas from this thread?

Cursor problem/Boot virus?

Thanks for the reply Ghot . . .

I can't see how it is a Windows/Kernel/Boot problem as the machine exhibited the same problem with THREE different hard disks (one SSD, one 2.25in HDD - both running Win 10 - and one 3.5in HDD running WIndows 7).

Ran FOUR different virus scanners and apart from Malwarebytes shouting that it had found HEAPS, the other three agreed that they couldn't find anything. Malwarebytes detections genuine or is MB overly 'nervous'?

Next thing to try is to remove the graphics card and use the mainboard's on-board graphics to see it that makes a difference followed by a motherboard swap if it doesn't.

I'm not able to do these for a couple of days but any input in the meantime would be welcome.

The constants in the problem are:

Mice (although two different mice tested showing same problem using different USB ports)

Graphics card

Memory

Mainboard (and hence BIOS).

Looking like a hardware/mainboard/BIOS issue to me.

Toughts?

Art

The cursor exhibits this 'random jitter' with the mouse unplugged or plugged in - it makes no difference.

Hi, if you boot to Safe Mode, or to BIOS - do you still see the same?

(Note the graphics driver will then be a basic one, so that changes too of course).

dalchina said:

Hi, if you boot to Safe Mode, or to BIOS - do you still see the same?

(Note the graphics driver will then be a basic one, so that changes too of course).

In SAFE MODE - yes, still get the jitter.

In BIOS - no (but then there isn't a mouse cursor present)

Art

About the only thing left is the monitor.. ?? Oh, and the PSU.

Noted the MBO & graphics card seem to be from around 2014.

dalchina said:

About the only thing left is the monitor.. ?? Oh, and the PSU.

Noted the MBO & graphics card seem to be from around 2014.

Monitor works fine with a second desktop (my main pc links via Display Port, the problem pc links via HDMI to the same monitor).

Graphics card is a GeForce GT730 2MB.

Problem pc is a "family cast-off" (!)

Art

UPDATE

Removed PCI graphics card and that didn't sort the issue - mouse cursor still jiggling about.

Almost impossible to select an item from Device Mangler to remove/reinstall on restart due to the speed and amplitude of the jiggling (very much pot-luck if what you actually manage to click on is the item that you wanted).

Next thing to try (which I am convinced will sort this) is to put the old mobo back in as the problem is quite possibly motherboard/BIOS based.

That won't happen like as not for a few days. I have a leaking toilet to fix by doing some plumbing, build a shed to build for some pets and take the grandchildren to places whilst they are staying with us over the Christmas/New Year break.

I'll do what I can ehen I can and update this thread.

Art

Excellent - sounds like fun! I enjoyed putting vinyl down/reflooring the bathroom and separate toilet earlier this year- and last year re-felted/adapted/fixed my two sheds.. Happy New Year!