Disk Errors? Do Some House Cleaning
Monday, July 13th, 2009
I use an optical mouse rather than a trackball mouse with the iMac. Up until this time, and with previous computers, I used a trackball like everyone else. The biggest complaint I had with trackball mice is that they tended to stick when they got full of dust and grime.
An article I was just reading, Why Do Disk Errors Occur, mentioned that while an optical mouse seems to the the antidote to a sticky mouse, they still need cleaning. They can periodically catch dust in the opening that the electronic eye “sees” through. Typically, the opening is shaped like a keyhole. The other parts that might accumulate dust are the rollers and bearings. Of course, the “stick” factor is a lot more slight in an optical mouse, but it still can occur.
Instead of cleaning as regular maintenance like I would do on a traditional mouse, I tend to only think about my mouse when there is a problem. It got a little jumpy once, and I sort of just rattled it a second and that seemed to work. Now that I know that I can clean my mouse, I will probably do it as preventative maintenance to keep it in good condition. It is easy to be envious of someone who has a pristine old Mac, but they got that way because they were taken care of in the beginning, when they were new.
Surprisingly enough, I also learned that disk errors can occur because of very simple things like this. There may be dirt and grime lurking around your hardware, and it is a much easier fix than giving up on your computer and buying a new one, or paying an expert. For more tips, check out the article.
