My pointer has suddenly become possessed. When I click in a Word document,
instead of placing the cursor there, it highlights the nearest word. When I
click again, it won't unhighlight the word. And when I move the pointer, it
drags the word around the document. Same thing happens in Outlook with
e-mail, i.e., any message I click on it grabs and tries to drag. Also happens
on the Web. And things I normally click on once to activate, I must now click
on twice. Draglock is turned off. Pointer was working fine a few days ago. I
have Windows XP on a Dell laptop and use a touchpad (no mouse).

"Purduette" <Purduette@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C03A96E3-A4FB-4E0E-B07F-0891C0EC4241@microsoft.com...
> My pointer has suddenly become possessed. When I click in a Word document,
> instead of placing the cursor there, it highlights the nearest word. When
> I
> click again, it won't unhighlight the word. And when I move the pointer,
> it
> drags the word around the document. Same thing happens in Outlook with
> e-mail, i.e., any message I click on it grabs and tries to drag. Also
> happens
> on the Web. And things I normally click on once to activate, I must now
> click
> on twice. Draglock is turned off. Pointer was working fine a few days ago.
> I
> have Windows XP on a Dell laptop and use a touchpad (no mouse).
>

You will require a bell, a bible and a candle to rid your PC of the spirit
that has possessed it.

This would seem to be something associated with the ClickLock (which is what
I assume you meant, though the behaviour isn't exactly right). Check your
mouse settings in Control Panel carefully to check you haven't missed
something. Is your mouse wireless, in which case, try changing the
batteries.

If no joy: have you tried a different mouse? This could also be the result
of some malware on your system.