Strange cursor problem

In the last 3 or 4 weeks, my cursor has started doing strange things. I'll be typing along or just going from tab to tab or opening a file, and suddenly the cursor starts jumping all over the place. When I look, there's now a little box with a resident cursor that is still when I'm not moving the mouse and flickers when I do. The actual cursor that I'm using is in addition to the cursor in the box. Usually it becomes very difficult to do anything, even close a window or continue typing a document, as the "real" cursor jumps wildly from place to place. Sometimes it refuses to move anywhere at all and I end up powering down the computer. The only way I can fix this is to reboot or power down.

This is not a mouse problem. I've removed the wireless mouse and used the touchpad and the result is the same. I've removed any programs and applications I don't use frequently, even removed printers I use at other locations, thinking it could be driver problems. Nothing helps. The only saving grace is that sometimes I can usAttachment 392544e my laptop for an hour before it starts.

I've attached a screenshot, but since the cursor doesn't flicker and move, and the true cursor only shows up when it's moving, it's not a true representation. In addition, the screenshot doesn't show the cursor, only the box (or circle, in this case).

Any help would be appreciated.



Windows 10 Version 22H2 Build 19045.3086

Hello @rosawoodsii,

Are there ANY Yellow Triangles in Device Manager ?

The information produced from the below Script might help with diagnostics. It includes Status and Status Info entries.

Copy & Paste the following [ ALL at once ] into a CMD Prompt and press Enter.

Code:

@echo off
echo.
PowerShell ^
     $Tot=((Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_PointingDevice) ^| Measure-Object).Count; ^
     $List=(Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_PointingDevice  ^| Sort-Object -Property {$_.Description, $_.DeviceID} ^| Format-Table -AutoSize ^
     @{L='Description'               ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Description))              {'-'} else {$_.Description}}}, ^
     @{L='Device ID'                 ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.DeviceID))                 {'-'} else {$_.DeviceID}}}, ^
     @{L='Pointing Type'             ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PointingType))             {'-'} else {$_.PointingType}};A='Right'}, ^
     @{L='Manufacturer'              ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Manufacturer))             {'-'} else {$_.Manufacturer.Trim('()')}}}, ^
     @{L='Driver Filename'           ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.InfFileName))              {'-'} else {$_.InfFileName}};A='Right'}, ^
     @{L='Driver Section'            ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.InfSection))               {'-'} else {$_.InfSection}}}, ^
     @{L='Power Management Supported';E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PowerManagementSupported)) {'-'} else {$_.PowerManagementSupported}}}, ^
     @{L='Status'                    ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Status))                   {'-'} else {$_.Status}};A='Right'} ^| ^
Out-String -Width 1000).Trim("""`r`n"""); ^
     if ($List.Length) {Write-Host """`n--- Mice / Touchpad(s) [$Tot] - Sorted by [Description, DeviceID] ---`n`n `n`n$List"""} else ^
                       {Write-Host """`n--- NO Mice / Touchpad(s) Available ---"""; exit 1; goto :Microphones} >> %Temp%\A.txt
     for /f "delims=" %i in (%Temp%\A.txt) do echo. %i
     del %Temp%\A.txt

PowerShell ^
     $Arr_DeviceInterface=@{1='Other'; 2='Unknown'; 3='Serial'; 4='PS/2'; 5='Infrared'; 6='HP-HIL'; 7='Bus Mouse'; 8='ADB (Apple Desktop Bus)'; 160='Bus Mouse DB-9'; 161='Bus Mouse Micro-DIN'; 162='USB'}; ^
     $Tot=((Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_PointingDevice) ^| Measure-Object).Count; ^
     $List=(Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_PointingDevice  ^| Sort-Object -Property {$_.Description, $_.DeviceID} ^| Select ^
     @{L=' Name'                         ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Name))                        {'-'} else {$_.Name}}}, ^
     @{L=' Description                  ';E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Description))                 {'-'} else {$_.Description}}}, ^
     @{L=' PnP Device ID'                ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PNPDeviceID))                 {'-'} else {$_.PNPDeviceID}}}, ^
     @{L=' Manufacturer'                 ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Manufacturer))                {'-'} else {$_.Manufacturer.Trim('()')}}}, ^
     @{L=' Device ID'                    ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.DeviceID))                    {'-'} else {$_.DeviceID}}}, ^
     @{L=' Install Date'                 ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.InstallDate))                 {'-'} else {$_.InstallDate}}}, ^
     @{L=' Device Interface'             ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.DeviceInterface))             {'-'} else {$Arr_DeviceInterface[[int]$_.DeviceInterface]}}}, ^
     @{L=' Creation Class Name'          ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.CreationClassName))           {'-'} else {$_.CreationClassName}}}, ^
     @{L=' System Creation Class Name'   ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.SystemCreationClassName))     {'-'} else {$_.SystemCreationClassName}}}, ^
     @{L=' Number Of Buttons'            ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.NumberOfButtons))             {'-'} else {$_.NumberOfButtons}}}, ^
     @{L=' Config Manager User Config'   ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.ConfigManagerUserConfig))     {'-'} else {$_.ConfigManagerUserConfig}}}, ^
     @{L=' Config Manager Error Code'    ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.ConfigManagerErrorCode))      {'-'} else {$_.ConfigManagerErrorCode}}}, ^
     @{L=' Power Management Supported'   ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PowerManagementSupported))    {'-'} else {$_.PowerManagementSupported}}}, ^
     @{L=' Power Management Capabilities';E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PowerManagementCapabilities)) {'-'} else {$_.PowerManagementCapabilities}}}, ^
     @{L=' Last Error Code'              ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.LastErrorCode))               {'-'} else {$_.LastErrorCode}}}, ^
     @{L=' Error Description'            ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.ErrorDescription))            {'-'} else {$_.ErrorDescription}}}, ^
     @{L=' Error Cleared'                ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.ErrorCleared))                {'-'} else {$_.ErrorCleared}}}, ^
     @{L=' Driver Filename [.inf]'       ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.InfFileName))                 {'-'} else {$_.InfFileName}}}, ^
     @{L=' Driver Section [.inf]'        ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.InfSection))                  {'-'} else {$_.InfSection}}}, ^
     @{L=' Availability'                 ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Availability))                {'-'} else {$_.Availability}}}, ^
     @{L=' IsLocked'                     ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.IsLocked))                    {'-'} else {$_.IsLocked}}}, ^
     @{L=' Handedness [Menus Direction]' ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Handedness))                  {'-'} else {$_.Handedness}}}, ^
     @{L=' Pointing Type'                ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PointingType))                {'-'} else {$_.PointingType.ToString() + ' [1=Other, 2=Unknown, 3=Mouse, 4=Track Ball, 5=Track Point, 6=Glide Point, 7=Touch Pad, 8=Touch Screen, 9=Mouse - Optical Sensor]'}}}, ^
     @{L=' Resolution'                   ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Resolution))                  {'-'} else {$_.Resolution}}}, ^
     @{L=' Double Speed Threshold'       ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.DoubleSpeedThreshold))        {'-'} else {$_.DoubleSpeedThreshold}}}, ^
     @{L=' Quad Speed Threshold'         ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.QuadSpeedThreshold))          {'-'} else {$_.QuadSpeedThreshold}}}, ^
     @{L=' SampleRate'                   ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.SampleRate))                  {'-'} else {$_.SampleRate}}}, ^
     @{L=' Synch'                        ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Synch))                       {'-'} else {$_.Synch}}}, ^
     @{L=' CIM Class'                    ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.CimClass))                    {'-'} else {$_.CimClass}}}, ^
     @{L=' Status'                       ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Status))                      {'-'} else {$_.Status}}}, ^
     @{L=' Status Info'                  ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.StatusInfo))                  {'-'} else {$_.StatusInfo.ToString() + ' [1=Other, 2=Unknown, 3=Enabled, 4=Disabled, 5=Not Applicable]'}}} ^| ^
Format-List ^| Out-String -Width 1000).Trim("""`r`n"""); ^
     if ($List.Length) {Write-Host """`n --- Mice / Touchpad(s) [$Tot] - Sorted by [Description, DeviceID] ---`n`n$List"""} else {exit 1}

echo. & echo ^>Press ANY key to EXIT . . . & pause >nul & Exit

The above is an extract from my PROJECT: Computer Report - Comprehensive in my signature.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the replies. For some reason, I haven't gotten notified by email. I'm trying the solutions this afternoon.

In answer to questions:
Unlikely to be a bad device. This happens with or without a mouse. IOW, with mouse and with touchpade.
No yellow triangles in Device Manager.

On the off chance a virus could have gotten into my computer through all my protections, I'm going to run a complete scan before I try the solutions.

I ran the diagnostics in the Powershell suggested by joeandmarg0. There were indeed some corrupted files. I ran scannow until it came up clean (two iterations) and now I'm sitting back and waiting to see if anything changed. If the cursor problem remains, I'll run the script that Paul Black posted.

I'll report back in a day or two.

Don't forget to run a disk check

Open a CMD window as administrator and type:
chkdsk c: /f
It will say your disk is in use and ask if you want to schedule to next start = yes
Restart

Paul Black said:

Hello @rosawoodsii
The above is an extract from my PROJECT: Computer Report - Comprehensive in my signature.

I hope this helps.

So, I'm back, with the same problem. The previous commands I ran didn't help anything, as the cursor is still weirding out. I've attached a photo of what it looks like. The cursor in the circle flickers when I move my mouse or use the touchpad and makes it difficult to do much because the real cursor often jumps to different locations on the page, as well as makes it hard to edit anything.

I've entered the entire code in the cmd window, and it just sits there saying "Press any key to exit". If, after a while, I do exit, the window disappears and I don't know where to look for results, if any, or if I should leave it there for much longer.

One other thing...occasionally the circle with the cursor will disappear, and why is as big a mystery as why it appears. I usually don't have the patience to wait for it, though.

Hello @rosawoodsii,

rosawoodsii said:

The previous commands I ran didn't help anything, as the cursor is still weirding out.

I've entered the entire code in the cmd window, and it just sits there saying "Press any key to exit". If, after a while, I do exit, the window disappears and I don't know where to look for results, if any, or if I should leave it there for much longer.

The code I posted does NOT change ANYTHING.

The results produced by the code are in the CMD Window and are for diagnostics to see if anything stands out that could be the problem.

I hope this helps..