mouse can't control the curser.

[Parangles]

This is with XP . On boot up the curser/pointer just drifts slowly to the bottom left hand corner of the screen on its own, until it is invisible. The mouse cannot control it. The existing usb one, another ps2 one I tried, and the touch pad are all the same. I ran 3 spyware programs and it seemed Ok for a short while but its started again without any reconnection to the internet .
Has anybody had this problem ? I got a hijackthis log off it when the mouse was half working (its completely dead now) Can I post it here ?
Thanks

[fudtone]

My guess is a failing mouse. Have you tried another?

[Jaggannath]

Fudtone, he's used multiple mice, and it's not working.

First thing I'd check is the drivers... then next step would be to give the case and the ports a good blow out if possible, as this was what caused my mouse to do the exact same thing.

[Parangles]

Thanks- I'll have to get some adapter to connect the laptops hard drive to another PC since with a dead cursor I cant do anything with it.
Yes- drivers could be a possibility. Heres the Hijackit log in case some kind person would look at it.That '09-extra button - research ' seems suspicious-
well ,the name at least.
Chris.

EDIT: I changed the mouse drivers to the Intellipoint 5.2 from Microsoft site. This did not help. If you leave it alone for a while the
cursor is usable for a few minutes but then it becomes uncontrollable again.

2nd EDIT; Blew out the ports, and ran TrendMicro Housecall- no
virus/Trojan/spyware- nothing. Cursor still working erratically.
Any ideas will be appreciated.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 2:59:11 PM, on 10/18/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Atievxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.2\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-G Notebook Adapter\OdHost.exe
C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-G Notebook Adapter\WPC54Cfg.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\WinZip\winzip32.exe
C:\Program Files\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://g.msn.com/0SEENUS/SAOS01
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: ST - {9394EDE7-C8B5-483E-8773-474BF36AF6E4} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\ST\01.03.0000.1005\en-xu\stmain.dll
O2 - BHO: MSNToolBandBHO - {BDBD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.3000.1001\en-us\msntb.dll
O3 - Toolbar: MSN - {BDAD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.3000.1001\en-us\msntb.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 1.1.2.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org1.1.2\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Wireless-G Notebook Adapter Utility.lnk = C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-G Notebook Adapter\Startup.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O23 - Service: NICSer_WPC54G - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Linksys\Wireless-G Notebook Adapter\NICServ.exe

[Parangles]

I found out that this is a known issue on Dell laptops and is known as the drifting cursor problem.
Not easily fixed. Work around- Disable touch pad and pointing stick in BIOS and enable only ps/2 or serial mouse.This issue affected most Inspiron models.