File Explorer: Mouse is no longer active in left panel

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I have Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640.

File Explorer has stopped responding to commands in the left panel.

If I point to any field in the left panel, the mouse pointer reacts normally by changing shape. But if I click within a field, nothing actually happens.

I've no idea which of my actions might have caused that behaviour.

Task Manager shows that total memory usage is 43%

In the right panel of File Explorer. the mouse behaves correctly.

Drives C: (Apps) and D: (Data) are each only half full.

I would be grateful for any assistance.

Thanks
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[Added]

I see the same behaviour with all my other mice.
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Right click the Taskbar. Select Task Manager
Under the Process tab, right click Windows Explorer and choose Restart.

If that doesn't work, start a Command Prompt as Admin, Copy and Paste or Type
DISM /Online /CLEANUP-IMAGE /RestoreHealth and press Enter. After that finishes, type
SFC /scannow press enter.
This will replace any missing system files.

If this still doesn't work try a Clean Boot. If this works, you can keep it this way or you can add one or more Services or Startup items at a time until the behavior returns, then you will know the culprit.

Spunk said:

Right click the Taskbar. Select Task Manager
Under the Process tab, right click Windows Explorer and choose Restart.

Click to expand...

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That did not resolve the issue.
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Spunk said:

If that doesn't work, start a Command Prompt as Admin, Copy and Paste or Type
DISM /Online /CLEANUP-IMAGE /RestoreHealth and press Enter. After that finishes, type
SFC /scannow press enter.
This will replace any missing system files.

Click to expand...

That did not resolve the issue.
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Spunk said:

If this still doesn't work try a Clean Boot. If this works, you can keep it this way or you can add one or more Services or Startup items at a time until the behavior returns, then you will know the culprit.

Click to expand...

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I'm just about to try the Clean Boot.
I've recorded what I've done so far, before I forget it. My memory is no longer of any real value in tricky issues.
I'll report back later.

Thanks

Personally, I'd reinstall the display driver before investigating any further just to eliminate display driver corruption as a possible cause.

Does the problem behaviour happen in Safe mode?
Boot to Safe Mode - ElevenForumTutorials
If not then the problem is caused by non-Windows software.


Denis

Try3 said:

Personally, I'd reinstall the display driver before investigating any further just to eliminate display driver corruption as a possible cause.

Click to expand...

How do I do that ?

Try3 said:

Does the problem behaviour happen in Safe mode?

Click to expand...

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No. The mouse works perfectly in left and right panels

BTW: Here's the command to type in the Admin DOS console to restart in Safe mode:

bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal

Try3 said:

If not then the problem is caused by non-Windows software.

Click to expand...

That would be a reasonable assumption - except for the fact that the problem laptop is simply a newer, later version of my current Dell (which I'm using for this post).

I used some kind of automatic procedure to copy software from old to new. So the new home screen has less icons than the old home screen. But there's no way that the new Dell could have an app that is not on the old Dell.
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OldGrantonian said:

How do I do that ?

Click to expand...

If it's Intel - Download Intel Drivers and Software - with IDnSA link in the Get started button


Denis

Try3 said:

Personally, I'd reinstall the display driver before investigating any further just to eliminate display driver corruption as a possible cause.

Click to expand...

Good catch !!

That worked fine. Thanks
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OldGrantonian said:

That worked fine

Click to expand...

I'm glad the problem has been fixed.

I generally wonder about possible display driver corruption when the computer's response does not match what is shown happening onscreen.
There is no test for display driver corruption so reinstallation is the only way of bowling it out as a possible cause.


All the best,
Denis