[CoffeeLover]

Hi I have a Toshiba Satellite Laptop which is now a couple of years old. The left integrated mouse key keeps sticking. I know that I could reverse left and right key usage but this would confuse my husband still further as indeed would adding a separate mouse. Where does one source a new spring (which is what I assume is beneath the key)? Is it an impossible job for old athritic hands?
Any help gratefully received

[Stig]

It could be dirt under the button; give it a blow of air or slide a piece of paper underneath to dislodge muck. If you can put a drop of isopropyl alcohol (tape head cleaner) in it that might fix it.

It won't be a spring as such, and therefore not replaceable.

[CoffeeLover]

Originally Posted by Stig

It could be dirt under the button; give it a blow of air or slide a piece of paper underneath to dislodge muck. If you can put a drop of isopropyl alcohol (tape head cleaner) in it that might fix it.

It won't be a spring as such, and therefore not replaceable.

Shows how old I am!!

Thanks Stig. Whole button is just flopping about (he is a bit heavy handed and obviously plays far too much solitaire!) but still makes contact sometimes. I'll give your advice a go. If they don't solve it, guess it will have to be an external mouse.

Thanks again

[DSWNSM]

I couldn't be bothered to make another thread so i thought i would bump this one.

Does anyone know where i can get a cheap mouse that actually lasts longer than a few months ?

In the last year i have had 4 different ones but i have the same problem each time.............the left mouse button buggering up. If i try and click once is clicks twice, it's really annoying

[lovedoctor1978]

a 3rd problem on 1 thread now! My problem is the f'ing scroll wheel. after a few months it just buggers up! it can be scrolling fine then all of a sudden it jumps down 3/4 of a page. any ideas?

to the person above have you tried altering your sensitivety settings as a (temp) fix?

[Stig]

I have a Microsoft mouse and some Dell mice that have lasted for years. I can only assume that some people are 'heavy fingered' or don't keep the mouse clean.

[radioanorak]

I must be very lucky.
Still using a corded mouse I found in a rubbish bin about 6 years ago

[s2k]

Originally Posted by CoffeeLover

Shows how old I am!!

Thanks Stig. Whole button is just flopping about (he is a bit heavy handed and obviously plays far too much solitaire!) but still makes contact sometimes. I'll give your advice a go. If they don't solve it, guess it will have to be an external mouse.

Thanks again

This is a common problem on the entry level Toshiba Satelites. Basically where the mouse buttons are there is only a very thin piece of plastic acting as a spring mechanism underneath each of the mouse buttons. If you are anything more than gentle it will snap causing the button to basically drop.

The bad news is that, while it can be repaired, the touchpad is actually part of the whole palmrest (the piece of plastic that goes right around the perimiter of the keyboard and over the top of the speakers) so that needs to be removed and replaced. Speaking as someone who had to do 18 of them in one go I can tell you its not something I would recommend to the less confident with computers as it required the removal of basically every screw in the outer casing and then some more under the keyboard (in the region of 30 total i'd say).

IIRC the palmrests were about £30 +VAT but are probably cheaper on fleabay or similar if you know someone whos up to the job. As I mentioned earlier though it is basically a design flaw so wont stop the same thing from happening again if you are too rough with it.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by CoffeeLover

Hi I have a Toshiba Satellite Laptop which is now a couple of years old. The left integrated mouse key keeps sticking. I know that I could reverse left and right key usage but this would confuse my husband still further as indeed would adding a separate mouse. Where does one source a new spring (which is what I assume is beneath the key)? Is it an impossible job for old athritic hands?
Any help gratefully received

You can often get around this by setting the trackpad to register taps as clicks, and not bother with the left button.

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by Stig

I have a Microsoft mouse and some Dell mice that have lasted for years. I can only assume that some people are 'heavy fingered' or don't keep the mouse clean.

Ugh that reminds me of my friend's old Windows 98 computer. Their mouse was filthy and it wouldn't work properly. I went to their house one day and when I went on the computer I had to keep banging the mouse to get it to work. My dad had to clean the mouse ball and the amount of dirt that came out of that mouse was disgusting. It wouldn't have looked out of place on A Life of Grime

[John_Patrick]

For those after a decent mouse, I have a Sony Bluetooth mouse and have had for some time now. I use it while out and about, has been dropped goodness knows how many times and still works perfect. It doesnt need a seperate reciever, uses the laptops built in BT.

I then have a Logitech mouse that has a separate receiver, that is perfect too

[Bungitin]

Optical mice, the ones that glow red underneath are a vast improvement on the ball types.

I have had scrolling issues using firefox recently.