I've noticed that in BF2, I often have this problem.

Essentially, I'm playing the game and then suddenly, my view starts spinning and then stops pointing directly straight up. Now clearly, this can be a problem during a pitched battle or even worse, while I'm piloting a chopper.

I use an old Dell optical mouse with a USB cord.

Any ideas?

Does it appear only in BF2, or also in other games/applications?

If it does trouble other applications, do you use a mouse mat? I know it seems a rather dumb question but a slight bump in the desk surface can cause havoc with an optical mouse. A mouse mat can provide a nice flat surface for an optical mouse to work on.

Could be the mouse, or if you also have a joystick installed that's active, that could be it too.

This used to happen to me in a few games, including Call of Duty. If you have an optical mouse, take a can of air and blow it into the mouse's optical area. somtimes a spec of lint or whatever can get in there and couse this.

....Actually, now that I think about it, there have been times when I've been using it outside of games and the pointer simply goes wild and then vanishes.

Not very often mind you.

And yes I use a mouse pad. And I do have a USB Microsoft Sidewinder 2 joystick, but it's not currently connected.

I'll try the air thing but I don't really see anything.

....Actually, now that I think about it, there have been times when I've been using it outside of games and the pointer simply goes wild and then vanishes.

Not very often mind you.

And yes I use a mouse pad. And I do have a USB Microsoft Sidewinder 2 joystick, but it's not currently connected.

I'll try the air thing but I don't really see anything.

I had the mouse problem at work. I was given a new computer that came with a optical mouse, my previous mouse was the old ball type. Problem was that my pointer would irradically leap to a corner. Turns out that my old mouse pad was causing problems with my new mouse. Something about the pad surface didn't get along with the optical mouse.

*uses a trackball mouse*

Mouse problems? Nope, never had any.