Mac Mouse Button Problem

Posted by: Tim Danaher on 03 December 2004

This is very much a posting of last resort...

MDD 1.25 GHz DP, 1.5 GB RAM, 80 & 120 GB HDs.

Mouse clicking on my Mac has become a nightmare. The mouse seems to be issuing multiple clicks with only a single press of the button. FE, clicking once on a message in Mail will open the mail in a new window. Clicking the Back button once in Safari will bring up the history drop-down menu. Clicking once on a document in the Finder will open the document/launch the doc's application, clicking on a scroll arrow will scroll past 5-6 pages in InDesign, clicking once on an icon in DragThing or the Dock will bring up a contextual menu, &c, &c, &c. This happens with about 50% of the mouse-button presses.

I use an Wacom Intuos2 tablet and mouse, but have cross-checked on another G4 and it's not the tablet. The problem occurs (albeit to a lesser extent, it seems) with the Apple mouse.

I installed a new system on the 120 GB HD, and the problem seemed to go away. However, after I turned on Sticky Keys, the problem returned. Turning Sticky Keys off didn't cure the problem -- which now seems to be getting progressively worse. The G4 (400 MHz, DVD-Zip model) I'm writing this on has Sticky Keys turned on, and the Wacom tablet attached, and it's exhibiting no problems whatsoever, so the problem seems to be my Mac.

Any suggestions as to what may be going on here? The mouse controller chip? If it means a motherboard swap I'm fcuked. Would a firmware update help? Can't check this at the mo' because I'm away from my Mac.

Any comments/observations most welcome.

Cheers,

Tim
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Posted on: 03 December 2004 by throbnorth
Are you a smoker, by any chance?

throb
Posted on: 03 December 2004 by Tim Danaher
Errrr.....no.

Cheers,

Tim
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Os nid Campagnolo yw hi, dyw hi ddim yn werth ei marcho...
Posted on: 03 December 2004 by throbnorth
Oh well, just a thought . I had almost identical symptoms because of excessive faggage while mousing, - micro switches getting gunged up with nasty tar and repeating all over the place.

I've stopped smoking now, so the problem has disappeared - but it was becoming expensive while it lasted.

Have you tried someone else's mouse? It still looks like a contact problem.

throb
Posted on: 03 December 2004 by Tim Danaher
I seeee.....


Cheers, Throb

It's not the mouse -- I'm using the mouse and graphics tablet at the moment on another G4 and there's no problemsat all -- everything's working exactly as it should. And both the Wacom mouse and Apple mouse display the same problem to a greater or lesser extent.

It's really getting on me tits.

Cheers,

Tim
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Os nid Campagnolo yw hi, dyw hi ddim yn werth ei marcho...