I have two cursors on my screen, one of which is always on top and will never move - how do I remove it?

Question

Ubuntu 14.04

First off I'm sorry if the title/context of my post are a little confusing; I'm a tech noob and have just started with Ubuntu after a system crash on my laptop.

I got tired of using Windows and decided to make the jump.

I've run into a few issues but the one that I can't seem to find an answer to on askubuntu or Google is that I have two mice cursors - one of which is mine (It flys around and is fine) the other is always in the middle of the screen and even after a reset is still there.

I've only the one mouse plugged in, a desktop USB cooling tray and that's it - no second mouse plugged in to speak of..

Anyway, if you do reply if you could break it down for me as simple as possible - as when people talk about "kernels" and "going into shells" I think of apricots :)

Edit: Added xinput --list

ubuntuna@ubuntuna:~$ xinput --list
⎡ Virtual core pointer                    id=2[master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer              id=4[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Microsoft Microsoft Notebook/Mobile Optical Mouse 2.0id=11[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad              id=13[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                   id=3[master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard             id=5[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                            id=6[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                               id=7[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                               id=8[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                            id=9[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HP Webcam                               id=10[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard            id=12[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HP WMI hotkeys

Solution

After running "xinput --list" in the terminal and resetting the laptop the problem was fixed.

I have no idea why this would make it work (maybe because it's refreshing the devices plugged in?).

Either way huge thank-you to Wilf.

Comments

[Wilf]

Please edit your question and add the output off xinput --list. Does the second cursor go away if you unplug the 'desktop USB cooling tray'?

[Matthew]

Hi there Wilf - I have no idea why but after resetting it the cursor is now gone? I assure you I've tried this several times before posting and it always remained.. total mystery but thank-you for getting back to me!

[Wilf]

'turn it off and on again' nearly always is the solution :). You can answer you own question below with what solved the problem, then it can help anyone else that has it.

[adadion]

just experiencing the same trouble with my ubuntu 14.04, same as the OP, it fixed after running xinput --list command, Thank's Wilf!