MS Wireless Laser Mouse 5000 periodically becomes slow, jerky and unreliable

Anonymous
2010-08-30T03:34:12+00:00

Just in the last couple of days, my mouse - a Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 5000 that I've owned for about a year and have until now been very happy with - has developed some strange, intermittent problems. Every so often, for no obvious reason, pointer movement becomes slow and jerky and it starts ignoring the majority of my clicks - I typically have to click the button three or four times to get it to register even a single-click. The one thing that works pretty much as expected at such times is the scroll wheel.

The problem is intermittent and unpredictable. One moment it will be as smooth as I could ask, the next it's an exercise in frustration to do the simplest tasks, then eventually the problem vanishes, as suddenly and mysteriously as it appeared. I'd say this happens about once an hour, maybe a little less, for anywhere from about 3 to about 20 minutes at a time.

I changed the batteries, then (several hours later) installed the software from Microsoft's site rather than just using the driver that comes with Win7 (the latter advice was from a similar thread from this site). Neither has helped; the problem still comes and goes as it pleases, not noticeably more or less often than before. At times when this happens, the wireless signal is (according to the aforementioned software) very good, and CPU activity is usually not particularly high, so neither of those things is the problem either.

Any ideas?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-10-21T22:59:21+00:00

    LOL! Isn't that the most frustrating thing? It jerks, stops, and the mouse clicks work only half the time. Good news: I figured it out.

    First let me mention that I have the Wireless 5000 Keyboard and Mouse set both at work and at home, and BOTH mice did the same exact thing, on XP SP2 32-bit and Win 7 64-bit, OS doesn't matter I did all of the suggested things... latest drivers, reset buttons, blah blah blah. Barely worked, and if it did it lasted 30 minutes. Then, out of frustration, I stumbled upon the answer by mistake:

    Open your battery cover and pull out the the battery that's on the left, i.e., farthest from the laser hole. That's it. Just run on one battery, plain and simple. Both mice work and HAVE worked for almost two weeks, so I know it isn't a fluke. FYI, the BlueTooth 6000 mouse only uses one battery, not sure why the 5000 needs two. Try it and see. Make sure you DO have all the latest blah blah blah, but lastly pull that battery and enjoy your mouse.

    I also have my transceiver USB stick in the side of my monitor so it's 2 feet away and in direct line with the mouse.

    BTW, that also means that cost of operating the mouse just got cut in half. ;-)

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-10-21T23:15:18+00:00

    Hi,

    Interesting solution however I think I would contact the free Support to get a better resolution.

    The mouse/sets comes with 90 tech support from day of 1st incident which would start when

    you contact Microsoft at the below number.

    If the mouse is defective check with the seller or Microsoft.

    MS Hardware Support and Warranty Claims

    Tech Support 1-800-936-5700 for MS Hardware.

    Hope this helps.

    Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-11-05T00:04:34+00:00

    A very strange answer Paulie D!!

    I have a Microsoft cordless mouse (the same model), which a few days ago developed a "varied number of clicks required to do anything and move on" fault. I plugged in a USB mouse...same thing. So it's the computer and possibly a virus?!!!! Oh NO!!

    A VERY annoying problem as it has taken hours to surf the net and do things that should have taken at least a quarter of the time. A worrying problem because something is obviously wrong with the computer, and no virus or spyware program has picked it up. 

    ANSWER: Do as has been suggested!! Remove one of the batteries (only one appears to be able to be removed, and not the one furthest from the lens). For the past hour I have one clicked my way around the net without a problem. Can anyone explain? I'm using rechargable batteries? Thanks for the answer...I'm HAPPY!!

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-11-05T00:13:43+00:00

    Hi Richjenkins,

    Use the 1-800 number above to contact Tech Support as there has to be something wrong

    with that mouse and possibly there has been a replacement released, or there might be in

    the near future. I would not be surprised if they just sent you an updated mouse.

    Hope this helps.

    Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-11-05T00:19:28+00:00

    Wow!! That was a quick response.

    I'm in the UK. Are MS as nice over here to send me a replacement? Not so nice with my three year old XBox which been repaired 4 times during it's short life and again packed up.

    Got a number? lol

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