The mighty mouse scroll ball problem

I have found getting the ball wet will fix it, or use a knife or towel to remove the oil from the wheel (which I feel is what is causing most of the problems).

TEG

I found holding the mouse upside down and while scrolling and pushing in the ball would usually fix the problem. But eventually my MM did die and was retired because of the same problem you're having.

Craigtimms said:

i just wetted the tip of my finger slighty and rolled the ball around, and now its completely stopped working!!!! all other functionality is fine


arg!!!

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It does take a little bit. Roll the ball around for a minute, then it should start working again.

TEG

I'm curious as to how old your mighty mouse was or is before it started getting the symptoms that seem to be so wide spread. I have had my wired mighty mouse ever since the introduction of the new aluminum iMacs and the scroll bar still works fine.

Solution to sticky scroll ball in might mouse

I found an article online that describes how to clean the scroll ball in the mighty mouse to prevent it from sticking. I have a wireless mighty mouse and after performing this procedure my problems were solved. First wet the ball slightly with a little bit of water (be careful not to use too much as you could damage the mouse). Then grab a blank piece of printer paper, flip the mighty mouse upside down and press the ball to the paper. Move the mouse around the page so that the moisture will clean the ball extracting the dirt onto the paper. If it does not work the first time, try it again and it should work. Good luck.

For me, I usually turn the MM upside down and just run its scroll ball along the slight wet towel and it works like charm.

I usually use a q-tip dipped in some rubbing alcohol and run it along the ball to get all the gunk out, which works quite well. Other times I just turn the mouse upside down and rub the ball with a wet tissue, but this solution does not seem to be quite as effective as the q-tip.

I just push down on the ball really hard and turn it a few times. That gets it working for me.

Who Knew

Realatively new to the Mac world after nearly 22 years plugging away in the PC world - I had just assumed I had screwed up some software setting along the way, and that's why my mouse would only scroll one way. Thanks for the tips!

Cheers.

If you can't fix it, Apple is pretty good about replacing the Mighty Mouse. You just have to send your old one in and it wont cost you a thing.

Craigtimms said:

haha itattoo.. thats what the p.c's have done to you!!

I'd like to say cheers - it works again perfect infact i forgotten how precise the ball was.. it must of gunked up fast and to think i didnt have dirty hands..

i just turned it over onto a peice of paper and run it around untill it came clean, no water required for me this time..

good job guys cheers

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yep rolling it for a while on a piece of paper or on your jeans always works for me. i usually do it every couple of months.

I open up mine completely and clean it the old fashioned way...

I too have lost all function of my scroll ball in my 5 month old Wireless Mighty Mouse.

I know all too well on the cleaning tricks and have done them numerous times, but the scroll ball has totally crapped out and is not functional. It is almost as if it has detached from inside the mouse, or so it feels when you try to scroll.

So is the advice to call Apple?

clean it!! like any other mouse.
i do wish apple would design the MM to be more user "serviceable."

Hyde244 said:

I too have lost all function of my scroll ball in my 5 month old Wireless Mighty Mouse.

I know all too well on the cleaning tricks and have done them numerous times, but the scroll ball has totally crapped out and is not functional. It is almost as if it has detached from inside the mouse, or so it feels when you try to scroll.

So is the advice to call Apple?

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call applecare...since it's less than a year old they will replace it or fix it. if there is an apple store close to you they will advise you to take it there.

Now I know that this is slightly off topic, but do I need any documentation on the mighty mouse should I take it to the Apple Store? (purchase receipts, etc.)

TEG said:

I have found getting the ball wet will fix it, or use a knife or towel to remove the oil from the wheel (which I feel is what is causing most of the problems).

TEG

Click to expand...

Thanks. Licked my tip of finger and it working again......was scrolless for a bit until I saw this thread. The paper trick wasn't working for me.

Thanks for help

Hi all,
This has been happening to me too. Yesterday it reeeeally didn't want to scroll down and today it wouldn't scroll down at all!! But just the wet-finger trick worked fine for me. Thanks for saving my mouse.

I got my original one replaced after it too stopped scrolling. My second one I decided to really look at ways to clean it so it will work again and I have found that if you spend a few minutes (and I mean minutes not seconds) with a damp cloth (after unplugging the mouse of course) and scrolling the ball in all directions and occasionally holding the mouse upside down to free any trapped particles it will eventually work perfectly again.

My exact process is unplug the mouse get a damp lint free cloth and work the scroll ball for a minute or two then check to see if there are any particles of crap on the ball. Move the ball around slowly because sometimes bits on the inside will stick to the ball and because they are damp will come around to the top so you can get rid of them. Then go at it again with the damp cloth. Keep doing this on and off for a good few minutes occasionally turning the mouse upside down as you do it. Once you think it might be clean let it dry (or dry the ball with a dry lint free cloth) and attempt to scroll around with it. If it doesnt work simply keep going at it and it WILL eventually come clean and work.

I was so frsutrated with mine once I pressed the ball down so hard I thought I had actually 'smoothed' out the bits inside and that it would never scroll again. Then (months later) I decided to see if I could get it to work again and I did the above tips and it works like it was brand new.

So in essence even the most knackered of mice can be cured but you have to work at it. I did mine while watching TV so I wasn't rushing to get it back in the computer and zapping aliens again.


EDIT: If the ball is still wet it will feel like it hasn't worked. Let it dry before you try scrolling.

Every Mighty Mouse that I've owned, or that friends or relatives have owned has had problems with the scroll ball. Usually they're easy to get going with a bit of cleaning, but sometimes nothing seems to work. But I would agree with the comment above about it taking minutes not seconds to get them working. I took one to bits once and it really didn't last any longer before it stopped working again than just giving a good clean with a damp cloth.

What an utterly terrible design from Apple. Mice moved over to optical sensors because of all of the problems with balls - and at least the balls could be removed and cleaned.

Apple really should have gone with a touch sensitive surface from the beginning - and I cannot believe they STILL haven't done that.

At least I now have AppleCare and an Apple retail store not too far away - so next time I cannot get it working I'll just go along for an exchange. Maybe they need to get lots of returns before they feel the incentive to improve the design.