PC locked up. Mouse frozen.

[Dottonedan]

I have a major PC problem. While working in a job at 2am, I got near the end, saved it , noticed the mouse was moving across the screen slow and staggered. I saved, job was done anyways, closed the file to send it and closed photoshop. At this point, the mouse was frozen. Dead in the water. Not able to do anything. I re started. Still the same.!

I restarted an 2nd time and when it rebooted, it said the computer was not shut down completely. Try selecting 1 of 4 options while in safe mode.

Well, that was all Greek to me, so I chose the one that was safe mode with networking. So it started. Mouse still frozen. Can't do anything. It popped up a HELP window, but all Greek to me.
Can anyone assist?

I think the problem is caused from me working off of an old file that was archived in my backup drive. I did an update to the file ( from the backup drive).  Worked fine up until the end.

[ScreenFoo]

When you say you couldn't do anything after restarting, do you mean the keyboard is unresponsive as well? 

[Dottonedan]

No.  While in safe mode, I could type and hit tab and move around to different points in the help menu. All key functions seem to be working. Just not mouse and system.

[ScreenFoo]

Check physical stuff first:
Have you made sure--The plug is in all the way?  Nothings covering the optical sensor?  Good battery (if it's a wireless?) 
Have you tried switching USB ports/hub?  Do you have another known good mouse to swap? 

If it's a software issue--
What I'd try if I were in your shoes would trying a system restore, and if that did not work, uninstalling the mouse driver, and rebooting--it should detect the mouse and reinstall the driver.  If it doesn't, there may be something wrong with the mouse.  Of course, considering you are in your shoes and not I, you may not want to try this--I'm sure I could be missing many possibilities.

[Gilligan]

Foo covered a lot of the basics.  Mouses (that is the correct plural for a computer mouse) die... it happens.

Dust in the optical area can cause issues.  Mother board could be the problem if it's PS2 not much you can do about that.  Try USB.

System restore isn't a bad idea if nothing else is working.

Try that mouse on another PC or laptop (if USB).  Basically start eliminating variables and start with the simplest ones first... things like "is it plugged in" is a lot easier to fiddle with than a system restore only to find out that you never had it plugged in or that the mouse just gave up the ghost.

[Gilligan]

Oh, and BTW... that's not a "major" pc problem. 

When there is no danger of losing data, it's all just bumps in the road.

[Gabe]

It seems that you run in to pc hassles all the time 
maybe it just plays tricks on you since you are a big fan of mac
just kidding

[inkman996]

You should also check the USB it's plugged in to, use something that you know works like a USB flash drive. It's not uncommon for USB hubs to die.

[Frog]

Assuming that it is not something a simple as a bad usb connection, I second System Restore. I have used it already in this, the first week of a new computer, most likely due to a buggy application install and/or a really funky font download. (Orlando)
A restore, a repair installation for Corel, and all is business as usual on the pond (but way quicker).
My first pleasant surprise was to learn that no longer does Mr. Norton stand in the way of these problem solving time travels as he did in the past.
So, a few hiccups, and a restore or two, and I am in business.

With any luck, Dan, you will be as well.

And btw, another pleasant surprise was seeing my trusty old Photoshop7 romping merrily on Windows 7. I do notice one new thing that's a trifle disconcerting;
my mouse won't wake the machine but a key stroke will. Is that a Windows 7 thing?

[Dottonedan]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in. It WAS a mouse issue. So far, everything is fine.
Unbelievable


Optical mouse. must of had some fuzz in the way. Crazy. I was freak'n.  Ever realize how much you reply on your computer or email?  If you're down, all stops.


Frog,
I get the same thing. Mouse won't wake up the PC but hitting any key will.

[inkman996]

I think it's a feature to keep one from accidentally clicking something on screen that can't be seen till the monitor wakes up.

[Frog]

Whatever it is, is apparently a characteristic of the computer itself rather than the OS, as our laptop running 7 accepts any input, mouse, key, or fingerpad.
The little bit that the Windows help files contain seem to bear this out.