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This started a couple days ago, firefox will type backwards

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  • 7 have this problem
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  • Last reply by judygailh

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A couple days ago Firefox started acting up and typing backwards. Or if I click on an already filled form box the cursor will go from right to the beginning of the box. Also when I go to the Help menu with the mouse it starts scrolling right to left through the menus. This some times starts happening in my other programs too. Sometimes if I close firefox and thunderbird and restart them it goes away for awhile. Sometimes I have no choice but to reboot

A couple days ago Firefox started acting up and typing backwards. Or if I click on an already filled form box the cursor will go from right to the beginning of the box. Also when I go to the Help menu with the mouse it starts scrolling right to left through the menus. This some times starts happening in my other programs too. Sometimes if I close firefox and thunderbird and restart them it goes away for awhile. Sometimes I have no choice but to reboot

Chosen solution

It looks like my problem is solved. And it had nothing to do with Firefox nor Thunderbird. It's strange that it seamed to always happen when I had one of these running. I even went a whole day without problems but never ran either program. Checked my mail using another browser.

It was the mouse. Yep mouse. How a mouse can cause the keyboard from typing backwards I'm not sure but I had read out there on the internet of a backwards typing problem and it was a mouse problem. I would have never thought it would be a mouse but I've been running my computer all day and no problems with both Firefox and Thunderbird running.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Jeffery

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All Replies (8)

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This is usually caused by a bug in Java that messes with firefox. If you update your Java to the latest version it will be fixed.

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Unfortunately it seams to be worse now that I have upgraded to the latest version of Java. What else can I do?

I even removed all the java entries in Programs and Features (win7) and then installed Java.

This is really slowing down my work and most frustrating.

Jeffery

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Start Firefox in Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox (Tools) > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).

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Now that I have rebooted. Well thunderbird is having a lot of problems too. Don't even have Java installed any more. It also affects my other programs, even Safari.

This is driving me nuts. I've done virus scans, addware, malware and otherware scans. The only thing I can think of now is to go back to an older version of Firefox and Thunderbird. I've changed keyboards, even plugged the new one directly into the computer and not go through the KVM switch.

Any one else have any suggestions.

Thanks,

Jeffery

Modified by JefferyS

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Did you update or install any programs about the time that it started?

You get that problem if the cursor doesn't get updated and stays at the same place and pushes already typed characters to the right by inserting each new character at the same spot.
If it happens in other programs as well then it must be caused by other programs on your computer.

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I remove the program I installed around the time it started. When I type the cursor jumps backwards. If I click on text at the right end the cursor jumps backwards as if someone is pressing the left arrow key on the keyboard.

I've checked running services, startup programs, see nothing out of the ordinary. I can't say for sure that it is Firefox and Thunderbird but soon after opening these programs it starts happening.

Does Firefox come with it's own Java files, because it makes no sense that if it's a Java Firefox problem that removing Java would stop this. Going to go back to Firefox 8 and see what happens.

I'm open to any suggestions, because I'm at a loss at troubleshooting this.

Thanks,

Jeffery

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Chosen Solution

It looks like my problem is solved. And it had nothing to do with Firefox nor Thunderbird. It's strange that it seamed to always happen when I had one of these running. I even went a whole day without problems but never ran either program. Checked my mail using another browser.

It was the mouse. Yep mouse. How a mouse can cause the keyboard from typing backwards I'm not sure but I had read out there on the internet of a backwards typing problem and it was a mouse problem. I would have never thought it would be a mouse but I've been running my computer all day and no problems with both Firefox and Thunderbird running.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Jeffery

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Yes, I had the same problem, took it to a service tech and each time it was fine but problem returned when I got home. This afternoon, I finally figured out the only variable was my mouse. It is wireless and when I took the receiver out of my USB port and used the touchpad, the problem went away. I tried a different wireless mouse and it worked fine. The strange thing is that I tried the "defective" mouse on another computer and it worked fine. Go Figure!