Mouse/fingerpad/folder problems since (Jly 11?) update

Since a recent update I have had strange problems with my Asus laptop's Home
Premium Vista.

When I open a folder, I can select the folders in the navigation bar at the
left, and it will display the contents of that folder in the window at right
as per normal. But then when I click in that window it ghosts and won't
allow selection of the icons in the window. I have to click OUT of the
folder to "unghost" (ie select) it - the opposite of what you normally do -
and then use the keyboard to scroll through the items in the folder and
choose items.

THIS IS NOT A MOUSE DRIVER PROBLEM as it happens also with the laptop's
fingerpad commands. It also works normally in some applications.

Sometimes it WILL let me select only the last two items in a list, or the
icons in the two left most columns in a folder of pictures, or similar
strange variations. This problem only applies to icons in the folders -
desktop shortcuts are unaffected.

When this is happening (and it seems to spontaneously resolve itself after a
while sometimes) the only way to open a document is to load it into an
application, but then you discover another problem - the same thing occurs
in the dialogue box in say, Word, when you choose Open from the File menu
(menus DO respond to the mouse). So you have to unselect (click out of) the
dialogue box to select it (why doesn't that surprise me from the people who
brought us shut down using a button marked Start?!) and then use the
keyboard TAB and Enter keys to select the file to load.

NOW FOR THE EVEN WEIRDER BIT. I run two screens - the laptop's 15.4" onboard
screen and a 22" flatscreen connected to it. If I drag the offending window
or application to the external screen it works just fine!

It also seems to work if I click on that little icon with the nine squares
next to the minimise icon at the top right of the folder and choose the
centre option. But sometimes it doesn't.

Anybody experienced this, know what causes it, and how to fix it?

I've had the exact same problem with my Asus laptop! I just bought it on sunday and the mouse behaviour you described is identical to what I have. The issue is with the mouse and also finger pad, so it looks like a Vista problem. However, i'm starting to think it's perhaps an Asus issue because I have not heard of anyone else with this problem, and yet we both have an Asus?

If there are any suggestions, that will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

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