Mouse pointer disappears, random mouse clicks at high rate

[stevecomputer]

Try to clean out the keyboard, sometimes a sticky key can cause strange issues. Do you have a touchscreen monitor? If so, try cleaning it.  You could try updating the software from HP support site or logitech, though it is strange that they both have an issue but windows updates can cause strange things to happen also.  Try a regular wired mouse to see if it happens to that.

[GReisz]

Thanks for the suggestions. The keyboard and mice were clean as is the touch screen. I connected a track ball wired mouse. It made no difference. The same behavior. I had to start the computer five times today before I got normal behavior. I am 99% convinced the problem is not in the mice or keyboards (I have tried several of them also). Something seems to be going wrong when the system starts. The HP Support Assistant says I have everything up to date.

BTW, what I did on the fifth start was shut the computer down and then remove power for several minutes. A computer support expert told me once that a PC is not truly shut down until you remove power for at least a minute. Maybe that made a difference.

[stevecomputer]

Yes, if you have hibernation and fast boot enabled then your computer may not be fully shut down.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCayi9wObW0

Leaving something unplugged for a while is good advice.

Using a trackball was a great idea, it rules out the surface.

I'm running out of ideas, perhaps can you remember when it started an if you installed any software around then?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m0nGVk6JkM&t=2s

Microsoft always advise performing a clean boot to troubleshoot. You could give it a go.

[praveenbv]

@, Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Have you tried the suggested troubleshooting steps?

https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c06162205

[GReisz]

The article on fast boot was fascinating. I never realized this is what Windows 10 does by default. I guess that explains how the log in prompt can appear in literally a few seconds. I have now turned off fast boot. The startup takes a little longer but this computer has a SSD for the C drive, so it is still pretty fast. I also explored the Clean Boot documentation. When I first brought up the System Configuration window (msconfig), The Selective Startup option was selected with all of the sub-options selected. I thought that was strange. I changed it to Normal Startup (executing as an Administrator) and Apply and OK. Every time I go back to the System Configuration window, it has been changed back to Selective Startup with all the sub-options selected. It seems to be working fine. No idea of why this is happening.

The good news is the pointer behavior has been normal for two days. Could it be all the computer really needed was a total shutdown?

[GReisz]

@Praveenbv, 

Yes, I have tried all the troubleshooting steps suggested by HP and others. I have not tried the HP cloud recovery tool. This is the first time I have seen this article. The cloud recovery tool completely rewrites my system and would days or a week to recovery from.

If you look at my messages with @Stevecomputer, I tried a total shutdown (unplug the computer) and a non-fast boot. The pointer system has now been acting normally for two days. I don't know if the problem has really been solved. Is it possible doing regular shut downs and fast boots was retaining some piece of corrupted code in spite of all my driver updates etc.?

[stevecomputer · Accepted solution]

Yes, your computer and phone always want to be ready fast but should be fully rebooted regularly.  Selective startup is fine. Well done on helping yourself and learning.