Troubleshooting a Pointing Device The weakest link in a pointing system is the peripheral pointing device itself. Few peripheral devices are subjected to the wear and general abuse seen by trackballs or mice. They are dropped, yanked, and moved constantly from place to place. Damage to the device’s PC board, cabling, and connector is extremely common because of abuse. Accumulations of dust and debris can easily work into the housing and create havoc with the rubber ball, tracks, and rollers. Hardware conflicts and driver-configuration issues can also result in limitless problems. This part of the chapter guides you through some simple troubleshooting techniques for your trackball and mouse.