Desktop display becomes "unhinged"

We have a home PC and more recently our desktop moves all over the display (back and forth) when the mouse is moved. When I move the mouse all of a sudden, the entire desktop display screen becomes "unhinged" and starts moving back and forth. I checked the mouse settings and they seem ok . Shut down, unplugged, boot back up. And problem remains. Have you every heard of this?

 

Does you mouse have a "click lock" setting if so is it on?

 

I checked and the "click lock" is not on.

 

:wave Hi! Welcome to Major Geeks! :major

I have seen this type of activity in laptops where the resolution is set higher than the screen is capable of displaying. So Windows accommodates the high settings by extending the desktop out past the physical confines of the actual screen itself. When the mouse is moved past a given point (set by Windows), the entire desktop will move until the edge of the desktop lines with the edge of the screen; this happens in both horizontal and vertical axises. I have a feeling the same type of thing may be taking place on your desktop PC. Right-click a blank area on your desktop and select 'Properties'; then click the 'Settings' tab and lower the resolution. While you're there, see if more than one display is shown; "shot1" below is normal for a single display; "shot2" shows how it looks if it's configured for multiple displays. Maybe (somehow) things got configured for multiple displays. In "shot2", you'll see there's a setting for "extend my desktop...", this may be what's happening in your scenario. Also, check out these two articles, they may help:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/hwandprograms/monitors.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307873
Additionally, most video adapters (or video cards) have their own 'control panels' for setting various display options. I have an NVidia video card and two different programs get installed with the drivers: the NVidia Control Panel, and the nView Desktop Manager which allows virtual desktops to be created. You can use it to set up multiple desktops as if you had multiple monitors, and you can do this if you only have one monitor. ATI and Intel both have similar display control panels....
I hope this helps!

:-D

 

I think that is exactly what is going on - it was a resolution setting. I right-clicked on my desktop and selected "Properties", then clicked the "Settings tab". I then changed the screen resolution (although it reverted back to same), then clicked on "Advanced", then the "Monitor tab" and changed the screen refresh rate from 60 to 70 hertz. I have not had any problems with the "swinging desktop" since I changed the resolution.
Appreciate all the help you "wonderful geeks" have given me!
:celebrate

 

:highfive Glad we helped get things back to normal! :dancer

[dlb]