My mouse if beginning to not work

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Quite frequently, my mouse (computer one, of course) won't function on the up-down axis. Fiddling about with the insides sometimes help to cure it, but not always. Has anyone had this problem and fixed it using blu-tack or something?

When it happens, I can manage reasonably well at browsing using the keyboard. The one thing that annoys me is that I can't move the pointer very well, and I have to use TAB to move between clickable (or pressing enter-able) options on screen. This is a pain on something like the ILE new answers page where there's a million things to choose and if you overshoot by one then you have to start again. Anyone know a better way?

Yeah, I should buy a new mouse, since they're just £10 or something. But it's not a satisfying thing to buy. And I am stingy.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:02 (twenty-three years ago)

get an infra-red mouse! no crappy roller ball!

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:06 (twenty-three years ago)

but u can scroll up and down with the tab

― bob zemko (bob), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:07 (twenty-three years ago)

destroy all ball-type mice

― ron (ron), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:08 (twenty-three years ago)

get an infra-red mouse! no crappy roller ball!

Yes, but I'm stingy. It's not nice to buy something that isn't an addition to your life, that just replaces something you already had (like lightbulbs, or jeans).

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Maybe it just needs cleaning out, to make sure the contacts are clean?

― C J (C J), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Shift-tab should move you back one. It's still icky though, and I can't think of a better solution than buying a new mouse.

― Rebecca (reb), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually maybe you don't use Windows in which case I have no idea and should just shut up (yeah, like that didn't apply already).

― Rebecca (reb), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:13 (twenty-three years ago)

A cheap mouse is only about a fiver.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:16 (twenty-three years ago)

but the cool infra-red light would be an addition!!

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Shift-tab should move you back one

It does. That's grand, thanks.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 20 October 2002 19:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I think you can get a new mouse for 2.99

Whenever mine breaks cleaning scum off of the the bit the ball rolls against with a cotton bud and a safety pin always works. The best part about this is, as I am changing the inards of something called a mouse with manmade tools I feel like I am a surgeon

― Sofa King Alternative (Sofa King Alternative), Monday, 21 October 2002 07:54 (twenty-three years ago)

I tend to pick out mouse bogeys with my fingernails.

― Madchen, Monday, 21 October 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

I think I would be more concerned about my keyboard spitting out an archaic 's'.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 21 October 2002 14:48 (twenty-three years ago)

I like witty typo pedantry.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Monday, 21 October 2002 15:04 (twenty-three years ago)

Yay!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 21 October 2002 17:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I've never ever had a mouse that's worked properly. My only pride in my computer comes from the ergonomic keyboard I found on the street. Currently the right button on my mouse is dead; I miss it!

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 21 October 2002 22:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Nail clippers help.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 21 October 2002 22:07 (twenty-three years ago)

everybody CLEAN YOUR MOUSE.

i. unscrew the little plate around the ball, take the ball out, wash the ball with soap and water, dry it.
ii. any sharp object will help you clean the lines of black gunk off the rollers inside.
iii. put the ball back in, screw on the little plate.

it's possible that this won't solve the problem and i've you've already cleaned it like this, then my apologies for the condescension. but it's very difficult to permanently fuck up a mouse, so give it a shot.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 21 October 2002 22:15 (twenty-three years ago)

I managed to fuck my old one up pretty well by smashing it against the wall a few times.

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 21 October 2002 22:18 (twenty-three years ago)

heh I guess it's not too difficult after all

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 21 October 2002 22:22 (twenty-three years ago)

No, listen, I clean my mouse all the time. It's as addictive as nose-picking (including the regret you get when you do it too soon and there's not enough there to satisfy).

My mouse fucking up isn't about dirtiness. When I have it open, and spin the thing that's supposed to move me up and down, nothing happens. Or sometimes the pointer will move very very slowly in the opposite direction to which it's supposed to be going.

It's been working okay for about fifteen minutes, mind you.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Monday, 21 October 2002 23:59 (twenty-three years ago)

i. unscrew the little plate around the ball, take the ball out, wash the ball with soap and water, dry it.

― Out-Of-Context Theater (ew, a little plate)) (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 22 October 2002 02:25 (twenty-three years ago)

optical mice are the best, i mouse sensually over my body whilst browsing

― boxcubed (boxcubed), Tuesday, 22 October 2002 04:05 (twenty-three years ago)

my mouse does silly things like refuse to move up and down now and then, and i have found that it tends to be when the sunlight has been shining on my mouse pad for a bit.
????

― donna (donna), Tuesday, 22 October 2002 04:07 (twenty-three years ago)

Eyeball, your mouse probably has a dodgy cable connection. Usually just where the cable leaves the mouse.

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 22 October 2002 09:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Infra red mice are cool, because then you can play Jedi Mouse and use them as light sabres. (Not that I, or any of my former collegues would ever waste time doing such a thing, or indeed using crap CDs to make Princess Lea hairdos.)

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 22 October 2002 09:49 (twenty-three years ago)

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