Wandering Mouse

Joined
Feb 15, 2007
Messages
40
Reaction score
1
Points
8
Every once in a while, just as I'm about to scroll, my mouse's arrow takes off in a different direction than I want it to, usually ending up on the to or side of the screen. Any ideas?????
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
137
Points
63
Location
NY USA
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 5.1 | iMac 7.1 | iMac 12.1 | iMac 19.1 | iPhone 11 Pro | Watch s5
Is it an optical mouse on a wooden or glass desktop (no pad) ?
 
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
1,409
Reaction score
101
Points
63
Location
arizona desert
Your Mac's Specs
2007 iMac 10.6.8 | 2009 MacBook uni 10.6.8 | 2010 MBA 10.8.5 |
I have an optical mouse (compaq) that does that sometimes. Sorry, I can't tell you why!
 
Joined
Jul 23, 2004
Messages
3,169
Reaction score
164
Points
63
Location
North NJ
Your Mac's Specs
i dont have no mac's
your mousepad is to blame....the optical sensor might hit something on it registering it as a large movement, or if your cord hits something it might lift the mouse slightly also registering it as a few inch movement. make sure that everything is clean and shine-free
-chris
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2007
Messages
80
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
utrecht, netherlands
Your Mac's Specs
i-mac dual-core 2.16Ghz 24inch, Macbook 2.4Ghz alu, 27" iMac Core 2 Duo 3.06Ghz
I have the same phenomenon and do not have a mouse pad this is because, with a 24inch screen the pads are too small. Are there any good large alternatives for a mouse pad?
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2007
Messages
1,917
Reaction score
87
Points
48
Location
Oz.....near the Wizards home
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 24' 7 Snow Leopard + Parallels and Win 7 | 30 Gb iPod | Canon EOS 400D
I have changed mouse pads today for the same reason. I thought it was flattening batteries at first. But changed the mouse pad, which was new a week ago, and the problem has magically gone.
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
137
Points
63
Location
NY USA
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 5.1 | iMac 7.1 | iMac 12.1 | iMac 19.1 | iPhone 11 Pro | Watch s5
An optical mouse uses sight, not movement. It takes a snapshot of the surface below hundreds of times a second. It compares each image with the previous image, and from the difference it knows how far the mouse moved.

I found that wood grain tends to confuse the optical mouses a lot. I think there is too much going on in the image for it to pick a good place marker. So it'll confuse some grains of the wood with others.

One would think that an image with lots of character gives the optics lots of placemarkers to pick and therefore get better results. But I found that a blank piece of paper, or a flat black mouse pad gives the best, actually perfect, results.
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2007
Messages
80
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
utrecht, netherlands
Your Mac's Specs
i-mac dual-core 2.16Ghz 24inch, Macbook 2.4Ghz alu, 27" iMac Core 2 Duo 3.06Ghz
Thanks opus az for the information
 
OP
G
Joined
Feb 15, 2007
Messages
40
Reaction score
1
Points
8
Thanks for all of the input. I have been using the mouse on my wood desk. I'll try a mousepad and hope this solves the problem. Glad to know I wasn't the only one to experience this. Thanks.
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
137
Points
63
Location
NY USA
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 5.1 | iMac 7.1 | iMac 12.1 | iMac 19.1 | iPhone 11 Pro | Watch s5
I guessed right about the wood desk!! =)
Can I get a' arep!
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top