Mouse freezes while gaming + constant Windows “USB device connected/disconnected” sound + D drive once vanished

Troubleshooting Mouse Freezing and USB Disconnection Issues During Gaming on Windows 10

Experiencing hardware or peripheral issues while gaming can significantly impact your overall experience. If you’re encountering mouse freezes, persistent USB connection sounds, and even storage drive disconnections during gameplay, it’s essential to diagnose and address these problems effectively.

This article explores common causes and troubleshooting steps based on a typical scenario involving Windows 10, a gaming PC with an AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card, and Logitech peripherals.

Symptoms Overview

• Mouse Freezes: During gaming sessions (e.g., Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2), the mouse becomes unresponsive after 5–10 minutes of gameplay, affecting interactions both in and outside the game.
• USB Device Disconnection Sound Loop: Windows emits the “USB device connected/disconnected” sound repeatedly (approximately once per second).
• Drive Disappearance: The D: drive occasionally vanishes. In some cases, disconnecting and reconnecting the drive’s SATA cable restores it.
• File System Damage: Shutting down the PC during drive disconnection can cause filesystem corruption, which may require repairs.
• System Responsiveness: The screen remains visible, and the game continues to display, but mouse control is severely limited.

Key Observations

• The issues occur predominantly during or after launching specific games but are not guaranteed every time.
• The system’s RAM frequently reaches maximum capacity during these episodes.
• Despite hardware stress indicators, GPU temperatures are within safe limits.
• Peripheral devices include a Logitech G432 headset (connected via USB) and a Logitech mouse.

Troubleshooting Steps Taken

1. Driver Management:
2. Uninstalled AMD Radeon drivers using the official AMD Cleanup Utility.

3. Allowed Windows Update to install the default graphics driver.

4. Peripherals Software Cleanup:

5. Removed both Logitech G Hub and older Logitech Gaming Software to eliminate potential software conflicts.

6. Peripheral Testing:

7. Disconnected the USB headset dongle (analog jack connection kept) to check if the issue persisted.

8. Temperature Monitoring:

9. Confirmed GPU was not overheating.

Despite these measures, the problem with USB disconnection sounds and mouse freezing persisted, indicating a deeper underlying issue.

Potential Causes and Considerations

• USB Power Management Settings:
  Windows may be suspending or power-managing linked USB ports, causing disconnections during