actually its an optical sensor.
the light and the sensor are actually 2 differnt things in there.
And yes. i GREATLY prefer logitech mice over MS ones...
i bought a cheap $15 2 button Logitech optical used it for a while. its now at work. over 5 years old. dirty as hell. beat beat around. smacked and thrown around. droped off the desk countless times. still going strong without any probs
right now i use MX500 8 button logitech mouse....my 2nd computer has a Duel Optical logitech mouse.
none ever had any probs. *knocks on wood

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What kind of connetion are you using with it? PS/2 or USB ? and or adaptor ?
IMO it sounds more like a driver problem then the actual mouse it self. altho it very well could be the mouse. tried reinstalling any drivers that came with it or try going to its website? Or when it does it.... if you press the windows key on your keyboard. does the menu pop up right away? (just a way to test if its the computer locking up)
a hair would make it jitter perhaps. not lock up tho.