Cursor freeze while using arrow keys..

[crunchyriff]

Allright- here's one for the brain trust..
Help!
I've been having a cursor freeze while using the left arrow key (like, to correct a mistake..) you know, tap, tap, tap, backwards I go, and then WHAM! The cursor blinks, but the sys freezes. The only way to get "out", is to kill the power at the external switch. I've inquired about this problem before, and some helpfuls here recommended going with the latest drivers (NVIDA) for my Diamond 770 Ultra card, which I did, and still I have the problem. MY CPU is not overclocked, and it runs cool. I am running WinME,and it was doing this with Win98.
(PII 400Mhz, 128mb RAM)

I have, at this point hit a brick wall. Could it be the Proc on my videocard? The fan/heatsink on it faces downward. I have an open PCI slot under it for circulation's sake. I am not overclocking the card.

Could it be my keyboard? I am using the OEM NEC board with the internet/answering machine buttons on the upper right side of the board.
It is about 3 years old. Sometimes when hitting 'delete' to erase a mistake, I have to do it twice before it will work....

The only OEM stuff still being used in this sys. is the keyboard, mobo (NEC Intel Seattle BX clone), CPU, and the stock NEC Cd-ROM player. And it flat kicks **** with the new DiamondmaxPlus60Gb HD (with the promise ATA100 PCI card)
But, as I said, this problem was occurring BEFORE the upgrades (including a new ANTEC case and 300watt p/s)...would a bad keyboard induce this problem?
Anyone have a nice, big, sledgehammer?
Thanks!

[CCs]

Try updating the lastest mouse drivers.
Try using a new mouse.
Try unchecking the option "Hide pointer while typing".

Good luck.

[crunchyriff]

CC's-
I did in fact replace the OEM MS Intellimouse with the new MS Optical Intellimouse. (And included drivers) the same thing happened. I will try your "uncheck hide pointer while typing" advice.
The mouse would not lock-up while being used. Only the arrow keys would cause this, including while playing Quake3.
(I'm not much of a gamer, but this is intense!)
MS Word, BBS text postings, etc, would all do this randomly, while using the arrow keys. Nothing else would trigger this. (Aside from this, my machine has been rock-solid.)
BTW, there is a comprehensive TNT/TNT2 tips section at this website that I found last night; in which it advised a BIOS adjustment for the AGP MB size, in contrast to system RAM. I had it set at 64 (default for Vid card I suppose) and I set it to 256mb, which was recommended if I experienced lock-ups. So far, so good.
Thanks for the tips, CC's! We'll see what happens....

[Rat]

Try a different keyboard if you have one handy.

Rat...

[PassnThru]

You might try uninstalling any of the Accesibility options under Windows Setup if you installed any of them. There are some keyboard components in there.

[crunchyriff]

PassnThru-
I do have some accessiblity options installed- I don't need 'em.
I'll wait a day to see if my Bios tweak cured it before I uninstall the "access." options.
Rat- I want a new keyboard anyway... ;> )
( but do I "need" one? hee hee hee)
we'll see..
Thanks, Pass' 'n Rat!

[crunchyriff]

Update-
Well folks, the AGP tweak in the bios didn't pan out.
I went ahead and uninstalled the accessibility options, and though the problem didn't occur while typing (as usual), I did have a freeze today while playing an intensive Quake3 "experiment". I managed to progress 4 levels before the freeze, and I was going 'UP" with the arrow keys, while moving with the mouse.All I have left to try out is a new keyboard, and lastly, a new video card.
I wonder if it's the darn card. (Diamond 770Ultra TNT2 32mb) Perhaps I'll try another fan blowing on the card, besisdes the fan on the card proc itself.(that fan was sounding horrid for awhile; I cleaned it up- I wonder if it died?) I am using the latest NVIDA drivers, as advised by some of the distinguished members here.
Can anybody pull the rabbit out of the hat?

[PassnThru]

The only other thing I would add at this point is - make sure you have air circulation in the case. I really don't think it is heat related though. If that NEC keyboard came with special driver software for the special buttons on it then you might try uninstalling it. Beyond that, bum a keyboard from someone to try for awhile.

[crunchyriff]

Pass-
The OEM software has the drivers for this keyboard- and I'm not using the OEM software for it.
Strictly WinME (full version), and the OS recognizes the keyboard as a standard 101 key unit. Thus, no OEM drivers are being used anymore for it.
I have had a few start-ups with "stuck-key' prompts... hmmmm
FWIW, This all started with me suspecting a weak 150watt OEM pwr supply as the culprit, and needing to do some other hardware upgrades.
Thanks, Pass'n!

[crunchyriff]

Pass- btw, I WAS using the OEM software/drivers when this started happening...