(Solved) How can I fix my PC mouse?

Thread Starter

rambomhtri

Joined Nov 9, 2015
557
Hi, my mouse yesterday stopped working, suddenly. When I plug it in my PC, the PC detects it, but then it does not, and then it comes back, and so on. I've tried everything I know: different ports, computers... and the same thing in all of them.

1. Is this a hardware problem? I'm pretty sure, but who knows.

2. How can I fix it? I've recently purchased a soldering iron, a multi-meter and I want to start fixing electronic devices.

3. How can I check if an USB is working? I know it has pins, but it's almost impossible to touch one pin of one side and another pin of the other and see if there's low resistance (ohm).
I also have a USB cable that stopped working, and I wanna know what's the problem. I think it must be a defective pin, but I don't know how to test it.

Thanks!

EDIT:
I managed to solve it!
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/solved-how-can-i-fix-my-pc-mouse.117453/page-2#post-922183
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/solved-how-can-i-fix-my-pc-mouse.117453/page-3#post-922637
 
Last edited:

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Hi, my mouse yesterday stopped working, suddenly. When I plug it in my PC, the PC detects it, but then it does not, and then it comes back, and so on. I've tried everything I know: different ports, computers... and the same thing in all of them.



2. How can I fix it? I've recently purchased a soldering iron, a multi-meter and I want to start fixing electronic devices.



Thanks!
You follow this link
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=mouse&clk_rvr_id=929484549352&mfe=search
 

Thread Starter

rambomhtri

Joined Nov 9, 2015
557
I was gonna say the exact same thing, but as you can see, another user actually understood the part where I say "I want to fix it".

I have 5 mouses, but I've bought recently many tools cause want to start repairing devices that get broken. This is a good start, a PC mouse.

Any guide?

If it's a hardware issue, then I don't get how the PC can be recognizing and not recognizing the devices in a loop. Should just don't recognize it anymore if it's broken cause of a hardware fail?
 

ScottWang

Joined Aug 23, 2012
7,397
If the led doesn't light up when you plugged into the usb then you should disassembly the mouse to measure the wires from usb plug to the mouse connector, if the wire is ok then take some clear pictures and then compress to 800x600 before you upload them.
 

Thread Starter

rambomhtri

Joined Nov 9, 2015
557
Sorry. The mouse's leds light up (it has 2), all the time it's connected, it doesn't matter if the mouse is recognized or not, the leds are constantly lighted up.
Does that implies that the ground and 5V cables are working correctly, and could only be a problem related with the other 2 data cables (in case the problem is related with the USB cable)?

I've disassembled the mouse, but I don't how where to start.

That's one problem I have. I don't know how to test the pins. I don't know how to accurately touch only one pin, cause the USB is too small. The first thing I wanted to do is test if the cables are fine from the soldered circuit board end to the USB output pins. I can touch with one lead the end of cable soldered in the circuit, but the other end of that cable, which is one of the four pin, is not accessible.

Should I cut a female USB cable, separate the 4 cables, and then I would had a good way to measure that nothing is wrong from the USB interface to the circuit?
 

Roderick Young

Joined Feb 22, 2015
408
I'm assuming that you tried another mouse, and that one worked fine. That being so, try resoldering any connection that looks loose. The actual IC is probably sealed under a blob of epoxy, and if that's the case, there's nothing further you can do.

To check continuity of the USB cable, you may need to use a paperclip or some other sharp object to reach inside the USB connector. Check each of the 4 contacts in the USB connector against the wires inside the mouse.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
An important thing to learn is one's own limitations. Fixing a mouse - beyond the USB cable attached to it - would be a challenge for a skilled technician. And most of them would know that the most effective path to a solution is to buy a new mouse. Save your efforts for a battle you can win.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
An important thing to learn is one's own limitations. Fixing a mouse - beyond the USB cable attached to it - would be a challenge for a skilled technician. And most of them would know that the most effective path to a solution is to buy a new mouse. Save your efforts for a battle you can win.
As in my advice several posts ago. Some things just aren't worth fixing. Time is better spent with your family, enjoying a sunset, a beer, working one a new project. About a million more things than fixing an old mouse that will more than likely develop mechanical issues soon anyway,
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,219
As in my advice several posts ago. Some things just aren't worth fixing. Time is better spent with your family, enjoying a sunset, a beer, working one a new project. About a million more things than fixing an old mouse that will more than likely develop mechanical issues soon anyway,
Yup... and besides... how much can you actually learn from fixing a USB mouse if you're just beginning to understand electronics? It's either way too basic, or too complicated to understand.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Yup... and besides... how much can you actually learn from fixing a USB mouse if you're just beginning to understand electronics...
  • How to recognize a bad solder connection
  • How to test for continuity
  • How to unsolder
  • How to resolder
  • How to replace a part
  • How to use a temporary part to test
Just a few things that could be learned. IMHO
 

Thread Starter

rambomhtri

Joined Nov 9, 2015
557
OK, I'm back again with this. What I'm gonna do is de-solder a USB female from an old PC I have and use it to test the USB cable, from the pins to the IC. If it's OK, then I'll post here photos of the mouse.

By the way, the mouse is not old, it is just 5 months old, and it's modern and looks cool. I think this is a good start for learning how to de-solder, check connections, and see how I face problems with my devices.

Wish me luck! :D
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,219
  • How to recognize a bad solder connection
  • How to test for continuity
  • How to unsolder
  • How to resolder
  • How to replace a part
  • How to use a temporary part to test
Just a few things that could be learned. IMHO
I was thinking about the theory on the subject of electronics per-se when I said that ... but you're right, one has to start somewhere, and for that matter even the most basic of setups/problems will do.

@rambomhtri, I strongly suggest you buy yourself the cheapest multimeter you can find. I (we) will be happy to help you learn how to use it.
But be warned, intermittent problems like you've described can be a pain in the butt to track and fix.
 

Thread Starter

rambomhtri

Joined Nov 9, 2015
557
OK, thank you!
l already have a multimeter, a friend of mine lent it to me today. It's really cheap though, hahaha, it must cost like $9.

My first problem here. My PC has a USB hub pci card, so that's fine, that saves me a lot of time, cause I don't have to disassemble the whole PC to free the motherboard and take one USB from it. OK, this is the very first time I'm gonna use my soldering iron, that I've recently purchased.

What I pretend to do is set the temperature knob to 200ºC. When the tip starts to get hot, I'm gonna add to it some solder to tin it. Then I'm gonna let the unit to get to 200ºC. Then I need to desolder 4+2 through-hole pins of the USB, but my solder pump has not arrived yet, and I don't know how to remove 5 points at the same time.


Any tips?
Is anything wrong with my steps?
When desoldering components, is it necessary to clean the tip? And tin it?
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I've re-read this thread and it's not clear to me that the problem is clearly hardware and clearly the mouse. You said in #1 you tried other computers. Did the mouse exhibit the same intermittent connection problem when attached to another computer? Did you use the same software driver in the test computer?

It's possible there is a firmware upgrade for your mouse. Check the manufacturer's website. Even reinstalling the same version of firmware could be worth a try.

Your mouse LED lights being on continuously seems to rule out a poor connection of the power leads, although not 100%. A very brief dropout - too fast to see - could be enough to force a reconnect cycle. But anyway it's more likely to be something else.

About the only thing you can do is rewire the cable. Anything else on the board of the mouse will be too small and too complicated to work on. Cleaning the mouse is a good step but it shouldn't be too grimy if it's only a few months old.
 
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