Windows 10 How to Restart Computer When Mouse Pointer Freezes?

[Hermitkrab]

The other day, My cursor froze and I couldn't restart. I had to perform a hard shutdown, instead. How can I perform a restart when the cursor freezes? I imagine there are certain keys that must be pressed. Thanks for your assistance, guys.

 

[patcooke]

if it's only the mouse which has frozen and not the entire system that's siezed then you can try the old ctrl/alt/del (holding down ctrl and alt together and pressing del a few times whilst holding them. Should bring up some options if it hasn't enirely died on you.

 

[Hermitkrab]

Thanks, Pat. Now I know what to do if it happens again. I may have one problem, though. My left arm is paralyzed and I won't be able to span all those keys with just my right hand. Of course, if push comes to shove I can try to get another person to help.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

You can also try unplugging the mouse and plugging it back in.
I've found that will often cause the frozen mouse or a keyboard to start working again.

Mike

 

[Hermitkrab]

Thanks, Mike. That's the first thing I did. Re-plugging in the mouse had no effect, although I've done that in the past with success. Now that I think of it, the touchpad wouldn't work either. So, I suppose the whole system was locked up, which required a hard shutdown and restart.

 

[davehc]

In most more recent computers, including Laptops, holding down the On/off switch for a few seconds will bring a soft shutdown (no upset of the system)

 

[MikeHawthorne]

In most more recent computers, including Laptops, holding down the On/off switch for a few seconds will bring a soft shutdown (no upset of the system)

If anyone tried to read this earlier, I got cut off in the middle on my Kindle Fire while at the doctors office. LOL


I knew that this works on my computer, but I didn't know if it was true for computers in general.

I remember when having to force shut down your computer was accompanied by crossed fingers and the possibility that it might not reboot.

Mike

 

[Hermitkrab]

If I hold down the power button for a few seconds, I'm pretty sure a hard shutdown occurs.

 

[pnamajck]

i concur with davehc … happens with my toshiba-p55 in same manner.

 

[davehc]

two of my computers are six years old. It works with those.

 

[Hermitkrab]

Pressing the power button shuts my computer off instantly (soft shutdown,, I only push it once. Holding down will force hard shutdown, Same with closing the lid (soft shutdown). That's the way I set it up.

 

[zirkoni]

Alt+F4, works for programs and the OS.

 

[Hermitkrab]

That's good because ALT +F4 will be easy for my one good hand to reach.