Laptop Mouse Problem

I have a new Dell D630 laptop (refurbished) and all works well, including the USB connected mouse. The problem I'm having is that a small utility program I'm using, WizMouse, has stopped working.

The program is a TSR-style program that enables the mouse wheel to be active whether or not the window is the one enabled (focused). It allows me to scroll using the mouse wheel without having to click on the scroll bar. Its incredibly useful and it works fine on my desktop computer.

I've tried a number of different utilities and none of them allow me to take the focus of the mouse. I thought it was the touchpad driver, so I uninstalled that, but that has had no effect. Its as though 'something' is taking control of the mouse driver, but I can't figure out what it is.

It seems to be a problem with the laptop, similar to other problems I'm having that seem unique to laptops, i.e., I can't save passwords to sites in Firefox; and sites don't remember me when I visit, even when "Remember Me" is checked. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
BearPup

 

First, thank you for replying. To answer your questions,
1. I'm running Windows 7, Service Pack 1.
2. There are no yellow exclamation marks in Device Manager; everything shows normal / OK.
3. Event Viewer has nothing showing for WizMouse, or the mouse itself.
4. I happen to be using a Compaq branded mouse, I'm not sure of the make. But it doesn't matter what mouse I use, I just plugged in a Radio Shack mouse, and Wizmouse doesn't work with that one either (the scroll button lights up and works within a given window, e.g., in my file manager using the scroll wheel moves the window along the horizontal axis, but doesn't have any effect in the vertical axis where WizMouse would normally work).
5. It doesn't matter whether I use Firefox or IE, WizMouse isn't working with either browser, or in any of my other apps for that matter. On my desktop, WizMouse works in all applications, both browsers, etc. . There are no error messages coming from WizMouse - though WizMouse loads (it resides in my System Tray), it simply doesn't work.
6. I can't save Passwords in IE or have forums remember me, whereas on my desktop computer, every site remembers me and my sign-in details, regardless of whether its Firefox or IE.
7. Its why I think its related to the laptop, but I don't understand why it should be a problem - its as though there's an assumption being made that if its a laptop computer it must be insecure, and thus nothing is saved.
8. I've also been to the WizMouse site and saw their note about Logitech mice, and laptops running on battery power, but my laptop is always plugged into the AC charger / cord (the battery icon always shows 100% charge), and the balanced power plan is running on AC power.
9. I use System Mechanic Pro and 360Amigo to check for bad registry items and misbehaving applications. Though I can specify cookies and apps in whitelists, what would I whitelisy and where do you suggest I whitelist whatever? I've used CCleaner before and certainly don't object to using it, but the same questions applies: what would I list and where?

I also posted a support request at the WizMouse site, but never heard back from them, which is why I posted the question here.

Again, my thanks for your response, and if I've left anything out, or you need more information, please feel free to ask.
BearPup

 

Thanks for your reply. I wish I knew what to say. On my desktop computer the settings you reference are readily available, but in the notebook version of FF (18.0.2) I have no settings for cookies under the privacy tab, it only lists Tell sites I don't want to be tracked and History settings.

I've even unchecked the Don't Track Me box and still there is no cookies setting. I've re-checked every tab under Tools | Options and there is nothing. And under the Security tab, the check box for remembering passwords is grayed out - its not an option to check (I know, I've tried).

I'm beginning to wonder if its a BIOS setting that is telling applications This Is A Notebook, Don't Trust or Assume its Connected to a Public Site. When I get off of this, I'm going to check the BIOS settings.

Other than that, I'm at a loss. :cry

 

I've just checked my BIOS, and its hardwired in that this is a Latitude D630 (Notebook), with battery (@100% charge). None of those fields are changeable. In fact very little is changeable in the BIOS. So I'm apparently stuck. At least as far as WizMouse goes.

BUT, I finally got Cookies back along with Passwords. I had set FF to never remember History, and that was taking out Cookies and Passwords as options. Didn't think to change that 'till your post. So a BIG Thank You for that. At least I'll be remembered (aw, shucks). Feeling a little dumb over that one. My paranoia got the beartter of me.

Now if I could only get my WizMouse back....

 

David,
Thanks for your response. I did as you suggested, although I use IOBit Uninstaller as I have a 64 bit system, and Revo isn't freeware for 64 bit systems. But IOBit Uninstaller does a deep scan, so it normally gets things really uninstalled.

I did the reboot and reinstalled WizMouse, even did it as an Administrator, all to no avail. Here's the thing. I also uninstalled the touchpad driver, so in theory my laptop's touchpad should no longer be functioning - but it is.

And I suspect therein lies the problem: whatever is causing the touchpad to still be active is taking control of the "mouse" device and preventing WizMouse from being active.

So my next step is to contact Dell tech support and see if they can tell me how to disable the touchpad at its base level, and maybe that'll free up the mouse for WizMouse to be in control. Short of that, I think I'm stuck. :cry!
BearPup

 

I did it! The problem has been solved. I was finally able to uninstall the touchpad using Device Manager - a deeper level than uninstalling just the driver. The laptop tried several times to reinstall the thing, but I was finally able to delete the files from Program Files (they had been locked), so there were no more files for the system to reinstall. With the touchpad finally disabled, WizMouse is back in all its functioning glory.

One Happy Puppy :-D!

 

Thanks. And thanks again for your help. It was in writing about the problem here that I realized that even though I had uninstalled the driver, the touchpad was still active. That was when I decided that I needed to do 'something' to kill off the touchpad device entirely.

It finally occurred to me when I said "device" to myself that I needed to check for the touchpad in Device Manager. Sure enough, it was still active there.... And though I couldn't uninstall it (it kept reinstalling itself), I could disable it.

After several tries, and deleting files from Program Files, the touchpad finally stopped being active. And that's "all" it took! The troubleshooting here was invaluable in solving the problem. :-D