USB mouse stops working

[Bill Stanley]

I have a regular mouse attached to my laptop.  Most of the time, this 
arrangement works fine but occasionally this mouse stops working.  The built in 
mouse-pad still works.  I really do not want to use the mouse-pad because it is 
awkward for me.  (Most of the time the laptop is used like a desktop.)

Does having two mice active on the same computer cause problems?  (I suspect 
that this is the case.)  If so can I deactivate the mouse-pad and use the USB 
mouse exclusively?  By the way, I have not yet determined what causes the USB 
mouse to stop working.