cannot disable 'Automatically move pointer...'

by gointime Aug 16, 2007 4:12AM PDT

I'm having a strange issue after my last update of Win XP (I currently have all updates installed).

The mouse is behaving as if the "Automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box" option is enabled in the Mouse Properties Control Panel.

I've never had this option enabled, and it doesn't show that it's enabled (checkbox is unchecked), nevertheless the mouse keeps jumping to the default button in any dialog box.

I've tried checking/restarting, and unchecking/restarting the computer, but the mouse behavior remains the same regardless.

Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

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Clean your registrys and scan for virus's.

by lordsburglegend Aug 16, 2007 4:20AM PDT

Should be the first thing you do when you encounter problems like that.
Pull a virus scan, use Ad-Aware if you don't have one, it's free.
And clean your registry with CCleaner, it's also free, google it.

Hopefully checking on those things will help.

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virus registry cleanup

by gointime Aug 17, 2007 3:47AM PDT

Okay, I downloaded CCleaner, and cleaned out the registry (nice app, btw!); and did an in-depth virus scan (I use NOD32).

Cleaned up some stuff, but still having same issue.

Thanks for the suggestion, tho.

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reply to: cannot.....

by caktus Aug 16, 2007 4:03PM PDT

If this occured right after install of the update(s) then use System Restore to a time/date prior to installing the update(s).

Or go to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and remove the update(s) from there. If more than one update, remove one at a time until you've found the culprit update.

Following this, you may want to redownload/install the update as it's download or installation may simply have been corrupt (it happens.) Worst scenario, you'll just need to remove it again. On occasion and update is simply poorly written. Sometimes a particular update is just not compatable with the software or hardware makup of a particular computer system.

Hope this helps.

Charlie

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uninstall updates

by gointime Aug 17, 2007 3:50AM PDT

I went back and uninstalled the last few updates/hotfixes, and the issue was still there. (reinstalled them again after reboot & testing).

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drivers

by brucev13 Aug 16, 2007 11:03PM PDT

You could also try to uninstall and reinstall the drivers for the mouse. That may clear out any problems it has.

Bruce.

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uninstall/reinstall driver

by gointime Aug 17, 2007 3:58AM PDT

This seemed like a likely culprit after trying the first two suggestions.

Nothing too special about the mouse, just a usb optical, 2-button + scroller; and I'd never installed a special driver for it.

The driver it was using was a kensington driver (odd, since the mouse is a compaq, but driver was also for optical usb 2-button scroller).

Anyway, uninstalled that (mouse stopped working of course), and on reboot the default driver took over so that mouse was working again. OS wanted to install a driver, but canceled that option to test.

The issue was still there, so I went ahead and let the OS choose the driver again (still picked the kensington driver). Also looked for any compaq drivers online, but didn't see any specific to this mouse.

Rebooted again, and issue still exists.

Another good suggestion. Thanks!

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try installing driver from Kensington

by theterran Oct 25, 2008 12:32AM PDT

Just found my way here more than a year after the original thread, but with the same issue. I'm using a Kensington trackball, but had the default driver provided by Windows (a Kensington HID driver). The snap-to-default-button behavior was driving me nuts, and I couldn't get Windows to stop.

For me, installing the latest driver from Kensington solved the problem. I was able to change the setting by unchecking the option checkbox, and Windows followed instructions. You can find drivers for Kensington mice and trackballs sold in the US at Kensington's website:

http://us.kensington.com/html/1461.html

Hope that helps someone.

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registry setting?

by gointime Aug 17, 2007 4:04AM PDT

Anyone know where the OS would store the registry setting for this option? I'm thinking something having to do with the Automatically move pointer option is corrupt so that the disabled state isn't being stored.

I'm working to slipstream an SP2 cd so I can try a repair operation(without going all the way back to SP1), but that just seems like hitting a fly with a sledghammer.

Thanks for your help so far, anyway. Call me OCD, but when I open a dialog, I want my pointer to stay right where it is!

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RE: registry setting for this option

by caktus Aug 17, 2007 7:51AM PDT

First create a bsckup.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse
Change SnapToDefaultButton to 0.

If this doesn't work, pewrhaps try another mouse.

Charlie

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I just solved this same problem

by kegizsftzp Sep 11, 2007 8:22AM PDT

I was experiencing this same problem earlier today. Registry shows 0 for snaptodefaultbutton setting but mouse pointer keeps snapping to the button.

Turns out it was a driver for a Kensington Mouse-in-a-box which I didn't think I had. I used the following command to open the device manager and remove the non-existent mouse drivers:

set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
devmgmt.msc

If you put this in a .bat file or run it from the command line, then click View, Show Hidden Devices and remove any mice and Human Interface Devices that you don't have plugged in, that should fix it. It did for me.

cannot disable 'Automatically move pointer...'

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