Windows Update just pushed down an update, KB938371 on to my main home PC, as a prerequisite for Vista Service Pack 1. After that update was installed and Vista rebooted, I lost all mouse functionality. The only way I could get mouse functionality back was to run System Restore and restore the OS to the point to just before 938371 was installed. For me, selecting the recommended restore point was as far back as I needed to go.
I have installed 938371 twice now by itself, each time I lose mouse function. My machine was custom built for Visa Home Premium, but it uses a pretty standard motherboard, an ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe, which uses the NVidia NForce chipset. I have a Logitech MX™700, which uses the Vista input drivers and mouse that comes with the Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet, which has it's own Vista drivers. I also have Dell USB mouse which I use when I'm recharging the batteries in the MX700. None of them worked after 938371 was installed. I think it would be a fair assumption that other features are broken, but I didn't bother to check. The machine was unusable without a working pointing device, I concentrated my efforts on rolling back 938371.
938371 is an non-removable update. It wont show up in the "Uninstall or change a program" list under "Control Panel\Programs and Features". System Restore is the only way that I know to yank it out. I don't think I'm only one having this problem. I posted a message about this on an NVidia enthusiasts board and saw an immediate reply on this blog as a comment to a non-related post.
Service Pack 1 for Vista is out now and it requires 938371 as a prerequisite. Which means I can't install SP1 without running a mouse killing update. I'm trying to decide if I can install SP1 and hope for the best. If it fails, I'm without a pointing device and makes Windows somewhat less than usuable. I would prefer to resolve 938371 before installing anything else. The advantage of trying SP1 would be that Microsoft is providing free support for SP1 and this is definitely a SP1 support issue.
This could be the final straw that pushes me back Windows XP. After using Vista for nearly a year, I'm tempted to repave with XP. I have another Vista box at home that the family shares. It's a Dell and while it has less functionality (my box has RAID 5), it has had any of the weird Vista problems that this machine has had. I do wonder how many other people have had their mice disabled by this update. If we can discover what we have in common, we get closer to determining what the root cause is and what fix there may be.
[Updated on 4/17/08]
If this is your first visit to my blog, please read this post for a work around that may work for you.
I don't know anyone else who should I contact, so i hope you'll find out, what is causing this problem. I have been trying to reinstall my mouse many times today, I also tried to delete and rebuild infcache.1 file (about 20 times) and I tried to contact all my icq list with no good response.
ReplyDeletePlease when there is a solution, share it with me.
Im suffering this exact problem with a Logitech diNovo mouse and Microsft Laser Mouse 6000. First time round, system restore let me remove the offending update, but second time system restore is reporting 'no restore points available'.
ReplyDeleteSo I am stuck without mouse power. Just going to try SP1 and see if that resolves the issue. If it doesn't its back to XP!
@anonymous: Did you try the work around that I wrote after this post as Work around for KB938371 disabling HID-compliant input devices?
ReplyDeleteYes - but sadly I wasn't showing any unknown devices. I tried uninstalling all the obvious HID devices, but they just reinstalled on a scan and put me back to square one.
ReplyDeleteI have a fix now though. Its not for the faint hearted. Mouseless, I downloaded and installed SP1. Installed OK but was still mouseless. I uninstalled all HID 'USB Human Interface Devices', unplugged my mouse and keyboard and reinserted. It worked!
Not guaranteeing for anyone else though! YMMV :-)
Justin (anonymous above)
I have exactly the same problems in the UK with a Technika laser mouse and home premium and don`t know what to do next
ReplyDeleteYou know what's funny. i installed sp1 without having that update installed.
ReplyDeleteUsing a secedit command to reset all security settings (after sp1 installed) FINALLY fixed the fact that i could NO LONGER obtain DHCP addresses from win2k3 dhcp servers, or a variety of home routers. I was sooo happy. last night 938371 was installed without my okaying it. now, dhcp is broke i have a ton of stuff that says service failed to start, etc...
I tried system restore, but it sat for 20 minutes in the "initializing "phase until i just rebooted. i'm completely ticked, and my boss and i just talked about it and if we have to SUSPEND pc upgrades and our replacement schedule, we will do so as we will NOT be going to vista. PERIOD.
That's odd, the Microsoft KB page for 938371 indicates that it's required fro SP1, but I have read other reports where SP1 was installed first.
ReplyDeleteI installed SP1 many weeks ago and only encountered the problem today after KB938371 was installed. Then I encountered the dead mouse. KB938371 is no longer in my system and my mouse and I are working fine.
ReplyDeleteThere are many posts on the web about the HID-Device solution that I may try later after I get caught up from the time I've lost debugging Micro$oft's bad patches.
Now I wonder if I should install SP1 or wait until MS fixes the 938371 issue. Once I install SP1, I wont be able to roll back 938371. The alternative would be to roll back 938371 and then install SP1.
ReplyDeleteI just got off telephone with Dell Support for dead mouse problem assoc. with KB938371. Can't repeat fix exactly but here is overview: started with KB938371 installed and no cursor/mouse. Safe mode restart. Disconnect mouse USB cable from current port and plut into different port (I have a Dell XPS410). In response to "unknown device" (or was it "unknown hardware'?), forced Vista to look for driver. Vista found driver and installed it. Cursor/mouse function returned.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if mouse USB cable reconnected to original port, mouse function is lost. So currently, KB938371 is installed, per Windows Update I am up to date and have mouse function connected to new USB port.
@awstokes: If the mouse works on a new port, but not on the original, the you will want to remove the original port's settings for that mouse. When you plug a USB device into a new port (except for mass storage devices), a new device record is created for that port. When you plugged the mouse into a new port, Vista went out and assigned a driver to that port. When you plug it into the original port, Vista is using the original driver setting, with is probably a null driver setting.
ReplyDeleteIf you can't clear the driver assignment through Device Manager, try a utility like USBDeview or Microsoft's DevCon utility.
I lost connection to my penpad with this update and I don't have an system restore point.. I guess I have to re-install windows vista or get back to windows XP.
ReplyDeleteThis is what you get when you use Vista, the most pathetic piece of Operating System every created by Humankind.
ReplyDeleteHere is the only way I could get my mouse to work.
ReplyDeleteGo to Control Panel, System, Device Manager, Mice and.... and double click on the mouse that appears below.
Click on Driver. Update Driver, Browse My Computer for Driver Software, and use the Browse button to go to C:/Windows/Winsxs.
Then click on Next and wait, exit the open windows and your mouse should start working again.
Do not allow your computer to shut down, sleep or go into Standby mode, I had to reset my power options to only shut off the monitor.
If you do not leave the computer on you will need to redo the entire process listed above.