I have a fairly new Toshiba laptop running Win 8.1. When I click or double click on a desktop icon to open a program it often won't open. Even right clicking and clicking "open" often won't work. My mouse is new (not a wireless one) and I checked mouse properties and all appears OK. I'm a little suspicious that it has something to do with the mouse.I've noticed that even when attempting to drag thecursordoesn't always stay latched.I checked for driver updates and the driver is up to date. Any ideas? Thanks.

Switch to Windows7. If you can't do it yourself, pay to have someone do it.

if ou are using the touchpad then connect a mouse to see if it disappears

try right click then click on menu "open as admin"

mr. ed wrote:I have a fairly new Toshiba laptop running Win 8.1. When I click or double click on a desktop icon to open a program it often won't open. Even right clicking and clicking "open" often won't work. My mouse is new (not a wireless one) and I checked mouse properties and all appears OK. I'm a little suspicious that it has something to do with the mouse.I've noticed that even when attempting to drag thecursordoesn't always stay latched.I checked for driver updates and the driver is up to date. Any ideas? Thanks.You say you are using a new mouse. Does your laptop have a touchpad? Does that work? Also, have you simply tried to 'borrow' a different mouse to try? Sounds like a driver problem..although could be the new mouse.

I wonder if your mouse pad on your laptop isn't a little too sensitive. That's what it sounds like to me. I personally hate my mouse pad on the laptop. I often hit it when I'm typing and it ticks me off. In some cases I disable it. If you get a context menu then your mouse is working. What has changed since the issue first started happening? Perhaps you can do a rollback to that point in time and see if that doesn't help.

Problem Opening Programs, Windows 8.1 | Good Sam Community

LANShark42
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
Switch to Windows7. If you can't do it yourself, pay to have someone do it.
darsben
Explorer II
Feb 24, 2015
if ou are using the touchpad then connect a mouse to see if it disappears
dirt_dawg
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
try right click then click on menu "open as admin"
Ed_Gee
Explorer II
Feb 24, 2015
mr. ed wrote:
I have a fairly new Toshiba laptop running Win 8.1. When I click or double click on a desktop icon to open a program it often won't open. Even right clicking and clicking "open" often won't work. My mouse is new (not a wireless one) and I checked mouse properties and all appears OK. I'm a little suspicious that it has something to do with the mouse.I've noticed that even when attempting to drag thecursordoesn't always stay latched.I checked for driver updates and the driver is up to date. Any ideas? Thanks.

You say you are using a new mouse. Does your laptop have a touchpad? Does that work?

Also, have you simply tried to 'borrow' a different mouse to try? Sounds like a driver problem..although could be the new mouse.
NiasWagn
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
I wonder if your mouse pad on your laptop isn't a little too sensitive. That's what it sounds like to me. I personally hate my mouse pad on the laptop. I often hit it when I'm typing and it ticks me off. In some cases I disable it. If you get a context menu then your mouse is working. What has changed since the issue first started happening? Perhaps you can do a rollback to that point in time and see if that doesn't help.
strollin
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
If you highlight an icon on the desktop you should be able to open it simply by pressing the Enter key. If it will open via the Enter key then I would suspect the mouse. However, if it won't open via the Enter key, you have other problems.

LANShark42 wrote:
Switch to Windows7. If you can't do it yourself, pay to have someone do it.

Crazy! This is like suggesting to someone to switch out the engine on their tow vehicle because the engine runs rough due to getting some bad gas.
Oldme
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
If you are using "older" programs,
we have found many that will not work in W8.1.

Even compatibility mode make no difference to some.
5er4ever
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
strollin wrote:
If you highlight an icon on the desktop you should be able to open it simply by pressing the Enter key. If it will open via the Enter key then I would suspect the mouse. However, if it won't open via the Enter key, you have other problems.

LANShark42 wrote:
Switch to Windows7. If you can't do it yourself, pay to have someone do it.

Crazy! This is like suggesting to someone to switch out the engine on their tow vehicle because the engine runs rough due to getting some bad gas.

x2
Fizz
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
GO AWAY!

LANShark42 wrote:
Switch to Windows7. If you can't do it yourself, pay to have someone do it.
sherlock62
Explorer
Feb 24, 2015
LANShark42 wrote:
Switch to Windows7. If you can't do it yourself, pay to have someone do it.

Nonsensical comment.

I might add.. In regards to Windows 8.1, 9 times out of 10 it is not 8.1 that is the cause of an issue, it is the clueless user.