Fixing the "Crazy Mouse" Problem (Windows Only)

Windows versions starting with Windows 2000 through Windows 10 (the latest Windows version as of updating this article) has a problem where a GPS is mistaken for a old-fashioned Ballpoint serial mouse, most of which died decades ago. Due to this problem with Windows, your mouse cursor will jump about the screen as if it’s tail was just caught in a trap. Frequently, Windows will also think you are randomly pressing the mouse button while this is happening which can lead to all sorts of nasty things. Here’s how to fix it.

Download the following .zip file, which contains a .reg file that, when merged with your Windows registry, will make small change to it preventing Windows from detecting your GPS as if it were one of these very old-fashioned Ballpoint serial mice.

Here are specific instructions:

  1. Download crazymouse.zip to your hard-drive. If you simply click on the link, it will probably download it to your Downloads folder, unless you previously told your web-browser to download a file somewhere else, in which case it will be there.

  2. Find the file where it was saved, using File Explorer, then double-click on it. This will show you the contents of the .zip file. Now you will see the crazymouse.reg file in the windows that appears.

  3. Double-click the crazymouse.reg file or, alternavely, you can right-click on it and choose Open. You will then be asked by Windows if you want to allow this. The exact language used depends on which version of Windows you are using. However Windows asks, give permission to make the necessary changes.

  4. Restart your computer. This may not be necessary, but it’s a good idea to ensure the change takes hold.

You should now be free of the crazy mouse problem.

Please note: This works great on the few computers we have tried it on, but this could change as Microsoft releases newer versions of Windows.