I'm using Mandriva 2005 with (I believe) the KDE desktop.

When I download files with Firefox to my desktop (I know it can be changed but I like working like this) and want to move them to another location, or rename them, the mouse behaves *at times* like a mule. Sometimes I click like a mad hatter 5 or 6 times before I can select the file. Sometimes it opens the file before the 'stickiness' disappears.

Often compounding this is a window popping up asking me if I want to unclutter the desktop when there are only a few icons there, i.e. nothing to unclutter.

It's happening on the desktop when I'm trying to move the files to 'home'

It's driving me nuts.

Can anybody tell me please how to fix this?

Thank you

Dude, what system specs do you have?
If you have less than 128 mb of RAM, then this could be happening.
I had similar problems with Windoze (before i went Linux)

I know it's an old box but I'm definitely not ready to make the complete jump to Linux yet. My other machine is a lot better.

Here's the hardware (blush):

Abit VT6X4
Celeron 300A
256 MB SDRAM
Maxtor 20 gig (the drive where Mandriva is installed)
Maxtor 80 gig (FAT 32 data drive from the days it was a Wiin box)
Fujitsu 2 gig (FAT 32 data drive from the days it was a Wiin box)
Sony CD-RW (8X)
SMC 1211 TX
Soundblaster Value Plus
ATI Rage Fury 128 (with TV out)

P.S. I just read in the review section that somebody had similar problems of the mouse being sluggish in Firefox and other apps. I am talking about the desktop

I suppose your mouse is 100% ok, right?Ho hum.
This one is kinda tricky. Could be a one time install problem, but i suggest you do not try reinstalling the system right now. Does the mouse work well in other GUIs?

The mouse is OK and I had no problem in other distros I tried. I have to find out how to use another GUI; I don't know yet.

I don't want to reinstall as I'm happy that there are many things working

Thanks for helping

How are you trying to move the files to "home"? Where is "home" located? Is it an icon on your desktop or do you have for example konqueror open and sitting in your home directory and you're trying to drag the file to there?

It's an icon on the desktop; the icon that the installation program put there.

And the mule behaviour doesn't 't happen all the time, just some times.

Intermittent problems ... great

Maybe you should try and free up some resources on that pc since it isn't the fastest machine anymore. You can try and stop any services that may be running that you don't need running. Things like Apache web server, mySQL, etc. if those services are running.

.. if I knew how it would be an option.
As I said it's an intermittent problem and I guess I'll just have to live with it or reinstall.
I asked because I thought there might be some mouse settings somewhere I didn't find

You should be able to find a list of running services in the Mandrake Control Center. Once in there it will be obvious how to stop a service from running now and how to prevent it from starting up in the first place when the computer is first booted.

The only thing I recognize *and* know I do not need is bluetooth. These were all put there by the installation by default and given my lack of knowledge I'd rather not disable anything.

Thanks for trying. I guess I'll just have to live with this annoying problem