Author Topic: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering  (Read 4310 times)

Corey Cooper

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The Windows 10 Anniversary update (and possibly other, earlier updates) introduced an issue with the Tournament Director application in which keystrokes and mouse clicks sometimes do not register, making the task of controlling the Tournament Director application and entering data into it difficult and frustrating.  Because this issue is in the framework on which the TD application is built, and is a part of Windows, only Microsoft can truly fix it.  Hopefully Microsoft will fix it soon, but as of yet it remains an issue.

A workaround for this issue was recently brought to my attention (thanks Peter!), and it involves replacing a single file with an older version of the file.  Below are steps for manually performing this workaround.  I hope to incorporate a better workaround into the next version of the software (version 3.4), and hopefully into version 3.4 beta 2 which is very near completion, so that no one has to perform these steps to workaround the issue in the future.

The steps below will walk you through the process.  I know it looks long, but it's really not that long or difficult.  I've given screenshots for every step to make it easy.


To workaround this issue, follow these steps:

- Create a System Restore Point, just to be safe.

- Download mshta.exe and save it to a folder on your PC.  Make a note of where the file is saved.

- Press Windows+E (press the E key while holding down the Windows key) to open a Windows Explorer window.

- In the location bar, enter: C:\Windows\SysWOW64 and press EnterNote if you are running a 32-bit copy of Windows, which is unlikely, the folder is C:\Windows\system32.

- Scroll down and find the file mshta.exe.



- Right-click mshta.exe and select Properties.



- Select the Security tab.

- Press the Advanced button near the bottom.



- Click the Change link near the top next to Owner:.



- Enter your Windows login/user name in the box and press the Check Names button.



- Windows should replace your name with your full user name, which includes your machine name (or domain name if on a domain).  Press the OK button.



- You are now the owner of the file and can make changes to it.  Press the OK button.



- Press the Edit button.



- Press the Add button.



- Enter your Windows login/user name in the box and press the Check Names button.  Windows should replace your name with your full user name, which includes your machine name (or domain name if on a domain).  Press the OK button.

- Your user name has now been added to the list of Group or user names:.  Make sure your name is selected.



- Click the box in the Allow column next to Full control.





- Press the OK button.



- Press the Yes button on the Windows Security warning dialog.



- Press the OK button to close the mshta Properties dialog.



- Right-click mshta.exe and select Rename.



- Rename the file to mshta_orig and press Enter.



- Press the Continue button if you get a security warning dialog.



- Copy or move the mshta.exe file you downloaded from this post into the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder.



- Press the Continue button if you get a security warning dialog.



- Done!


Note: You may receive additional security warnings and/or be required to enter the login and/or password of an Administrator account when performing these steps.  Or, you may need to be logged into Windows as an administrator.  I have not tried this with a Standard User account.

Full disclosure and warnings: Technically this is modifying Windows.  If you are not comfortable doing this, then you probably shouldn't.  mshta.exe is a feature of Windows mostly used by System Administrators these days and has little use in home systems, as far as I am aware (aside from the TD of course!)  These steps temporarily replace mshta.exe with the version of it that comes with Windows 10.  You can reverse these steps at any time.  If any side effects are found, you can easily replace mshta.exe with the original version or restore from your system restore point.  Also, any future Windows updates that include changes to mshta.exe will wipe out this modification. 

MotoguzziF91

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2017, 03:05:07 AM »
Hi Corey,
Perfect, problem solved with keystroke
thank you

efdenny

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2017, 10:01:03 AM »
Works great, thanks Corey!

MooseWizard

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2017, 12:10:29 PM »
Thank you, this appears to have fixed the screen not updating for us?
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mrowland1

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2017, 03:24:33 PM »
I tried this. Unfortunately the work-around has not solved the issue for me as it is still extremely lagging when I type, and when I click the mouse button. The timer also takes 15-20 seconds to catch up.

I'm sorry Corey, I'm going to have to go with another piece of software, which is unfortunate, because I love this software. I feel bad, but I need a program that can run my charity events. :(

Corey Cooper

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2017, 05:24:01 PM »
Well that is definitely unfortunate.  Especially since this feels like the cause of the issue.  This part, however, does sound like something entirely different:

Quote
The timer also takes 15-20 seconds to catch up.

The input lag (typing / mouse clicking) is indicative, for sure.  But I've not experienced the clock trying to "catch up".  Particularly since it runs off of the system clock.  If rendering gets behind, it will simply appear to "skip" displaying some seconds, but it won't ever actually get behind.  Maybe that's what you're describing.

It's too bad really.  I'm sure you were thorough, but any chance you could give it another go?  The only thing I think that isn't entirely clear is that file name extensions can make identifying the correct file difficult (for some), although it [mshta.exe] should be the only file in that folder by that name.  I left file extensions off in my screenshots, because that's the default for Windows, but I turn them on for any machine on which I work.  Could never understand why it's OK to have a dozen files with the same name, with the 3-character extension being the only difference, but having extensions hidden by default.

efdenny

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2017, 07:06:58 PM »
After following the above steps, the only time I'm seeing this issue is when the Windows 10 Antimalware Service Executable (aka Real-time protection) is on. As long as I remember to check to see that real-time protection is disabled (Windows 10 won't let you disable permanently) before I launch the TD application, I'm OK.

Corey Cooper

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2017, 02:32:11 PM »
Good to know.  Thanks!

Whiterhino

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2017, 06:04:58 PM »
Hi Corey, I've noticed recently (since the implementation of the workaround) that my PC is working very hard when TD is open. It may be a coincidence and of course it is still much better than it was, but I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced a 'pulsing' of the hard drive activity light.

Corey Cooper

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2017, 04:30:10 PM »
One of the things that makes diagnosing and troubleshooting issues is that the TD relies heavily on code that is already installed on your PC (Internet Explorer).  That code can be different versions (IE 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), parts of the code can be different (beyond being a different version of IE), it can have plug-ins and extensions that affect it, etc.  I've not experienced this, and I hope it's just a coincidence, but given what I just wrote it wouldn't surprise me at all to find that behavior being common for some people and not others.

It762

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Re: WORKAROUND for issue: Missed keystrokes, mouse clicks, stuttering
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2017, 02:39:01 PM »
Grab the process explorer, in that (a bit complicated) tool you can check the I/O of various tasks and see what is accessing the harddrive. There will be a lot going on and filtering necessary until the usual noise is gone.

Mind also that windows does some indexing work from time to time.

Mahound

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Rstcky key and mouse problems get new driver files
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2017, 02:16:18 PM »
Well that is definitely unfortunate.  Especially since this feels like the cause of the issue.  This part, however, does sound like something entirely different:

Quote
The timer also takes 15-20 seconds to catch up.

The input lag (typing / mouse clicking) is indicative, for sure.  But I've not experienced the clock trying to "catch up".  Particularly since it runs off of the system clock.  If rendering gets behind, it will simply appear to "skip" displaying some seconds, but it won't ever actually get behind.  Maybe that's what you're describing.
my keys nd mouse was playing up so I went to device manger opened up the mouse and th key board, when opened the files up went into the drivers in there you can choose the option to search for new driver files and it will up-date the drivers to the latest ones available my mouse and key board are much better now

It's too bad really.  I'm sure you were thorough, but any chance you could give it another go?  The only thing I think that isn't entirely clear is that file name extensions can make identifying the correct file difficult (for some), although it [mshta.exe] should be the only file in that folder by that name.  I left file extensions off in my screenshots, because that's the default for Windows, but I turn them on for any machine on which I work.  Could never understand why it's OK to have a dozen files with the same name, with the 3-character extension being the only difference, but having extensions hidden by default.