Avast Free seems to disable mouse Left-click

[UnknownVT]

This has only started happening in the past few weeks.

Mostly it is trying to close an Avast (Free) PopUp - (left-clicking on the X top right corner - does not close the popup -
then mouse left-click appears to be disabled everywhere as well.

On occasion just waiting (minutes, haven't timed it, but it is not just a few seconds) the mouse left-click becomes active again.

Tried to isolate this - by clicking on Avast icon in sys tray -
Avast opens - and mouse left-click is disabled - mouse movement seems to be detected,
but left-click is disabled everywhere (right click seems to work.).

It is not the mouse, as I have tried another mouse with same symptoms.

Is there something I may have inadvertently set or not set?

Thanks for any help.

[DavidR]

You don't say what your Operating System, Avast version number that you have, or if the mouse is wired or wireless or its type ?
I have seen one instance relating to a mouse driver, but that effected all movement, not just one aspect.

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=223244.msg1486880#msg1486880

At the time you are getting this problem, what was the CPU activity like ?
High CPU is likely to slow mouse movement (which I have seen), but that didn't impact the mouse function when CPU dropped.

[UnknownVT]

You don't say what your Operating System, Avast version number that you have, or if the mouse is wired or wireless or its type ?
I have seen one instance relating to a mouse driver, but that effected all movement, not just one aspect.

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=223244.msg1486880#msg1486880

At the time you are getting this problem, what was the CPU activity like ?
High CPU is likely to slow mouse movement (which I have seen), but that didn't impact the mouse function when CPU dropped.

Thank you DavidR for your response.

My apologies for the omissions:
Windows 7 Home 64-bit (always kept up to date)
Avast Free version # - (mouse left-click is disabled when Avast is invoked - so could not find/show version#)
but AvastUI.exe is 18.8.4084.409
USB wired mouse
Windows device manager check for updated software says the mouse driver is up to date.

CPU activity is low when this occurs.

Have used Avast Free since Dec/16/2017 (17.8.2318) and had not come across this problem -
mouse left-click has worked up to a couple weeks ago.

It seems as long as Avast does not show a window/popup the mouse left-click is fine -
but when an Avast window is open not only is the mouse left-click disabled in Avast -
but everywhere else too.

Thanks to your post on re: cannot close window
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=223948.0
 - I am able to close Avast windows by using Alt+F4
then the mouse left-click is restored to working again.

Thank you

[DavidR]

1.  That is very strange, if as you say "this problem only exists when Avast UI window/s are open."

Have you tried to do an Avast Repair ?
- avast! repair:
See https://support.avast.com/en-gb/article/Repair-Antivirus and follow the guide for win 7.

You should reboot after the repair.

Note: some have reported that this article doesn't show the Repair screen, but I think you should be OK with the instructions for win7.

2.  You're welcome, it is good to see that people look to see if there is an answer already posted to a problem

[UnknownVT]

1.  That is very strange, if as you say "this problem only exists when Avast UI window/s are open."

Have you tried to do an Avast Repair ?
- avast! repair:
See https://support.avast.com/en-gb/article/Repair-Antivirus and follow the guide for win 7.

You should reboot after the repair.

Thank you.

Just did a repair - then rebooted.

Unfortunately when Avast Free window is opened the mouse left-click is disabled -
as well as everywhere else.

Highlighting a selection in Avast window then hitting the Enter key does not work either
(edit: using Right-Click to "select" then Enter key seems to work for 1 level only ie: anything in the subsequent menu, the Enter key does not work - cannot select with Right-Click which merely closes that menu)

Atl+F4 closes the Avast window and mouse left-click is restored to working again.

Thanks

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

This is certainly the first time I have seen this reported in the forums, so I'm at a loss as to what to select.

Clutching at straws a bit here, but give this a try, if you can even get at it.  Right click on the avast tray icon and select About avast, From that screen select Troubleshooting and uncheck the Enable hardware-assisted virtualization option and 'left click' the OK button.

Edit:  If your mouse is configurable I wonder if switching the Left key assignment to another key would make any difference, but I feel it would just be transferred there.

Edit 2: https://www.online-tech-tips.com/cool-websites/control-mouse-with-keyboard/

[UnknownVT]

You're welcome.

This is certainly the first time I have seen this reported in the forums, so I'm at a loss as to what to select.

Clutching at straws a bit here, but give this a try, if you can even get at it.  Right click on the avast tray icon and select About avast, From that screen select Troubleshooting and uncheck the Enable hardware-assisted virtualization option and 'left click' the OK button.

Edit:  If your mouse is configurable I wonder if switching the Left key assignment to another key would make any difference, but I feel it would just be transferred there.

Edit 2: https://www.online-tech-tips.com/cool-websites/control-mouse-with-keyboard/

Thank you for continuing to try to help.

Tried what you suggested - unfortunately although I could open the About Avast window, I could not click or open Troubleshooting.
With the mouse pointer over Troubleshooting - the Enter key will not open it.
Trying my alternate method of Right-click then the Enter key, merely closes the entire window.

I'm at bit of a loss too, since I've never seen this before either.

Losing the ability to mouse left-click - is such a fundamental thing -
so although I "trust" Avast Free is still protecting - I am very concerned I cannot do any settings
and every time I activate any Avast window (that includes any Avast popups) I lose the mouse left-click.

I have set silent mode to prevent popups -
but when I do any on demand scanning of a file - I cannot see if there is a problem or not....

As a last resort I may try uninstalling and re-installing Avast Free to see if that clears the problem.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[DavidR]

Yes very frustrating, I would agree trying a clean reinstall is the next step when a Repair doesn't resolve the problem.

I have reported the topic, but so far no Avast Team input.

[bob3160]

Clean Install of Avast:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf
If you need additional help with the Clean Install, watch this:
https://youtu.be/p-h3myRD51A

[UnknownVT]

Thank you to both DavidR and bob3160 for your help.

I uninstalled Avast Free including running the cleaner.

The reinstall seems to have cleared the problem
mouse left-click seems to be fully functional again.

Still can't figure out what happened.

Thanks

[bob3160]

Happy to hear your problem seems to be solved. Enjoy.

[DavidR]

@  UnknownVT
That is good news to hear.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[UnknownVT]

Sorry guys - I'm back again -
sorry to report mouse left-click got disabled again.

This time I was aware of the exact sequence.

In Windows (7) Explorer - right-clicked on a file - chose the on demand scan by Avast Free.

I had set Silent mode, saw the little indicator on the Avast Free icon in sys tray - when moused over indicating there as a new notification.
Left-click to open Avast....
and sorry to say then mouse left-click had stopped responding.

So with regret I had to clean Uninstall Avast Free -
and try something else.

If it's of any hint or consolation -
this obviously has to be my system,

As I tried installing Kaspersky Free and I found my mouse left-click not working on its registration/sign up screen.

Can't figure out what the problem is,
as I have used the same hardware/configuration for over 6 years (mouse has been changed once) -
and with Avast Free for a year without any mouse left-click problems.
it's so fundamental, I certainly would have noticed it.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, sorry for the bad news.

[DavidR]

I'm sorry too that we couldn't help. 

Unless we get some Avast Team input I'm pretty much out of ideas.

Why it would work for awhile after the clean install and then fail again is a mystery.

[Asyn]

Sounds like a general problem. Is your mouse driver up to date..!?