Mouse pointer freezes -- Radeon 5450

[johnsallen_1]

The computer is a Powerspec G160, Intel I5, DP67BG motherboard, ATI Radeon HD5450 graphics card. Full specs are here:

http://powerspec.com/systems/system_specs.phtml?selection=G160.

The computer is running Windows Home Premium SR 1.

No overclocking or other hacks.

Added: two internal SATA hard drives and an LG Blu-ray drive HL-DT-ST-BD--RE WH12LS39.

Two monitors, one connected at the DVI port, the other at the HDMI port.

I have a printer and external hard drives connected over USB and I'm using both eSATA ports for external drives, but the problem occurs even when they are all powered off.

The problem: Often, the mouse pointer momentarily hangs when being moved into a clickable area. Occasionally the mouse pointer freezes and at the same time the mouse laser and num lock light on the keyboard turn off; computer becomes unresponsive to keyboard and mouse. Most often, this happens when moving the mouse pointer into a clickable area or when a new window or dialog box appears. Sometimes plugging mouse and keyboard into different USB ports restores function. The computer is otherwise still running normally: pressing the on/off button shuts down the computer normally, or brings up the "this program is preventing the computer from shutting down" dialog.

I have updated all drivers and the BIOS. The Device Manager reports that everything is operating normally.

I did notice that there are two drivers for audio -- AMD high definition audio device and Realtek High Definition Audio. The AMD driver was probably installed when I updated the chipset driver. There was a Microsoft driver before I installed the Realtek driver; I had disabled that. I've just, while writing this, disabled the AMD driver and will see whether that fixes the problem. Stay tuned...

 

[Rustyy117]

I would also be interested in the solution of this problem. I've experienced a similar issue when using a HD5450 with two monitors on Windows 7 home Premium 64Bit. No issue with one monitor connected.

 

[johnsallen_1]

I would also be interested in the solution of this problem. I've experienced a similar issue when using a HD5450 with two monitors on Windows 7 home Premium 64Bit. No issue with one monitor connected.

This is very helpful. It tends to point to the graphics adapter as source of the problem.

I had the freeze also happen when one monitor was turned off -- though the system still thought it was there, as I could tell because, when I opened a program that had displayed on that monitor, only the taskbar indication showed up on the other one.

I note that the computer ran flawlessly for a year, then problems started to happen, beginning with a blue screen and a C:\drive that died -- it squealed, the 100 MB reserved partition was inaccessible. But that is now over a month in the past. The OS has been completely reinstalled since then. I suspect either a driver issue with the new installation, or a hardware issue.

Also I am noticing that in addition to the devices listed under sound, video and game controllers, there are two high-definition audio controllers listed as system devices, both with the same Microsoft driver, version 6.1.7601.17514. I don't know whether the Microsoft drivers support the Realtek audio, are superfluous or fight with it. I might try reinstalling Realtek and see whether it removes the Microsoft controllers.

 

[Rustyy117]

Well in my experience of the problem (and bear in mind that our problem, although similar may be caused by different factors) may be caused by the graphics card as I don't experience the same issue with other graphics cards.

I personally noticed alot of mouse "Lag" when trying to watch youtube video's, or when quickly moving windows from one monitor to another (both monitors are the same make and model).
Also I couldn't get AMD's catalyst control centre to open at all, my computer would slow to a halt and I would have to end the task via task manager.
I tried various different drivers, new install of windows, different monitor cables.

If I still had it installed I would try disabling Windows Aero to see if that makes a difference.

Sorry I can't be of much help, just sharing my experience.

 

[johnsallen_1]

You are very helpful.

I disabled Aero -- no difference. I disabled one monitor. The computer has been stable for hours, and no mouse lag.

Catalyst Control Center does work on my computer.

One issue is that the monitor which Windows identifies as #2 is the one I had the desktop on. I might disconnect the monitors and install the other one first, to see if that improves matters. If that doesn't work, I get another graphics card. I *need* two monitors, because I edit video. I need one monitor for the app and the other to display the work in progress at full HD resolution.

 

[johnsallen_1]

Nope -- now I had he problem again, and with only one monitor -- this time connected by VGA analog. For months, I had no problems with one monitor connected VGA and the other DVI. Then, no problem with one DVI and the other HDMI. I'm looking into getting a new graphics adapter. I don't need the fanciest kind. The HD5450 was fine for my pruposes as long as it worked.

The problem might on the other hand be on the motherboard, but it has been repeatedly tested, and as I said, when the mouse freezes, Windows is still running properly.

 

[johnsallen_1]

Also note other comments on mouse freezing with the Intel DP67BG motherboard on the Intel community forum. I can't post a URL here without its being munged, but if you so a Web search on "Intel DP67BG mouse pointer freezes" you will see comments about this. One issue may be that USB ports are set by default in some Windows power management plan (without warning --) so they can be turned off automatically to save power -- an idiotic setting when those ports connect the mouse and keyboard. I've changed that setting (in Device Manager, separately for each port) and will see what happens.

 

[johnsallen_1]

Very evidently by now it is a motherboard problem. It is heat-related: when the computer has been allowed to cool, mouse lag takes a half-hour or so to appear, then become permanent mouse freeze. Then if the computer is restarted right away, the freeze occurs much sooner, sometimes within a few seconds. This happens even with Windows in safe mode; my installing a fan to cool the graphics card has made no difference.