Erratic Mouse Button Problems Specifically In 3D Graphics Online Applications

Question

Hello, everyone! I'm trying to help out a friend who's experienced a rather befuddling technical problem. I'll try to provide as much information as I can:

Symptoms:

• Mouse buttons behaving erratically, reproduced consistently (albeit sporadically) in multiplayer 3D applications when interacting specifically with online opponents (Battlefield 6, Apex Legends).
• All mice behave normally in single-player games and on a mouse tester.
• Reproducible whether wired, wireless, or Bluetooth paired without a 2.4Ghz receiver.
• MOUSE C: Changing "Aim Down Sights" to toggle, and "Fire" to a keyboard button (spacebar), produces no observable symptoms. However, if an unbound Mouse1 is pressed while "Fire"ing with a keyboard bind it produces the symptoms.

Tested Peripherals:

Mouse A - Logitech G603 (Mouse2 stops responding when scope aiming at enemies, long range.)

Mouse B - Razer Death Adder V2 (Mouse1 stops responding when projectiles connect with enemies, close range.)

Mouse C - Glorious Model D2 (Mouse2 stops responding when projectiles connect with enemies, close range.)

PC Specs:

• Motherboard, MSI Pro B650-A WiFi ATX
• GPU, MSI VANGUARD GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
• CPU, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• RAM, G.Skill Trident Z5 neo RGB 32GB (2x16)
• PSU, Corsair RM850x
• OS, Windows 11

Timeline:

Dec. 20th, a small amount of water dripped into the front of the PC case. Computer shut itself down. Potentially affected parts include motherboard, front fans, and the case's utilities.

Same day, ran a fan pointed at the PC's internals for 30+ hours and afterwards successfully boots.

Dec. 22nd, mouse problems manifest starting with Mouse A. Mouse A is tested on all USB ports with no change in outcome.

Mouse B is purchased, erratic mouse behavior continues with slightly different symptoms.

Mouse C is purchased, symptoms slightly different.

Windows is clean installed. Works without symptoms for about 10 minutes.

Disabled Computer Power Saving on USB hubs.

Answer 1

It sounds like your friend's mouse issues in 3D graphics online applications could be related to several factors, especially considering the timeline of events and the symptoms described. Here are some potential troubleshooting steps and considerations:

1. Check for High-DPI Scaling Issues: Since the problem occurs in multiplayer 3D applications, it might be related to how mouse input is scaled in high-DPI settings. Windows has known issues with mouse input scaling in full-screen and raw input scenarios, which can cause erratic behavior in games. You might want to check if the games are running in full-screen mode and if any scaling options are enabled in the game settings or Windows display settings.
2. Driver Issues: Ensure that all mouse drivers are up to date. Sometimes, erratic behavior can be caused by outdated or corrupted drivers. You can check the device manager for any issues with the mouse drivers.
3. USB Power Management: Since you mentioned disabling power saving on USB hubs, verify that all USB ports are functioning correctly. Sometimes, power management settings can cause devices to behave erratically.
4. Check for Hardware Damage: Given the incident with water exposure, there could be underlying hardware damage to the motherboard or USB ports. Testing the mice on another computer could help isolate whether the issue lies with the mice or the PC itself.
5. Game Settings: Since the issue seems to be specific to online multiplayer games, check the in-game settings for any mouse-related configurations. Some games have specific settings for mouse input that could affect performance.
6. Clean Install: You mentioned that a clean install of Windows resolved the issue temporarily. If the problem reappeared, it may be worth investigating if any third-party software or background applications are interfering with mouse performance.
7. Testing Different Scenarios: Since Mouse C worked without symptoms for a short time, try testing it in different scenarios, such as different games or applications, to see if the issue persists across all software or is limited to specific titles.

If the problem continues after these steps, it may be beneficial to consult with a professional technician to assess any potential hardware issues more thoroughly.

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References:

• Mouse input in some games is incorrectly scaled on high-DPI devices
• Developing keyboard and mouse HID client drivers
• No mouse is present
• No mouse wheel is present
• Microsoft Security Advisory 3152550