Random Cursor Movement on Laptop

Need info on your computer hardware and software.

If you have a touch pad interface or one of those Think Pad nubs, there may be a hardware issue with the device itself.

Does it only do this on the CR4 reply window or does it happen with other word processing applications? And, is this a completely new problem or an old one that pops up every now and then?

Another thought: if you're using a mouse, have you checked for lint on the sensors?

I'll cle

Ok,

I blew into all the holes I c

Now, I'm at the bottom of the page.

I don't think Ihe dastardly cursor jump OK it has.

I've unhooked the mouse rof the second time. I'm trping along and we will see if t

I have to go now. Time to eat. Bye.

Now you mention it, I have an issue (which only crops up on/in CR4).

No probs with cursor (such as you've described), but when I try to post an image and use "browse", I often have a hard time finding the folder/file - it jumps forward uncontrollably and skips through screen after screen, going way past the image I'm looking for.

I feel for you!

(XP pro (also happens with home), SP whatever (3? - latest), Firefox - all updates installed - everything licenced).

If it's a Dell cursor controller in the center of the keyboard

I've had 3 or 4 go bad and send the cursor anywhere on the page, totally out of control.

My solution was to remove the keyboard (screw head are at the bottom of the laptop) and take the stupid thing out. The ones I did had a ribbon cable to a connector.

There was no downside to removing the ones on my laptop keyboards, and the problem disappeared.

I suspect that the device uses strain gauges and the strain gauge bonding ages, then fails, and poof, the output goes crazy.

It's a Gateway with Vista and it happens with Explorer and Google Chrome.

I think it only happens here, but I'm not 100% sure.

Classic problem with those things (Track Stik).

Like its been said it could be hardware issue. On the computer do you have a touch pad and the nub in the keyboard? I know on some models of dell the ribbon cable that connects the two together then goes to the motherboard. The cable gets damage either by one of the shields or a mis-placed screw. It will cause random cursor movement like jumping or sliding to a side on its own. Changes in the pressure on the palm pad of the laptop can cause the symptoms to come and go and to a varying intensity.

Another thing is to see if more than one mouse program is running. Also check the mouse controls settings in the control panel. I've had issues with this before when switching between trackball, mouse and touch pads.

Last thing if your using a wireless mouse it could be interference.

Good luck.

I feel for you Lyn, I have that same problem pop up erratically on both my laptop and desktop and like you my cursor jumps all over. I have XP Pro on both and my touch-pad and track stick are disabled both electrically and hardware program on my laptop. And I keep both mice clean. It's bad news when I'm using Google Earth flight simulator, it leaves me with a bad flying attitude!! Hopefully, we can get these resolved

There is one generic problem with the Microsoft sytems handlig, or more exactly neglecting the main memory of your PC. MS does not know, when individual programs run out of memory space. You call them again, they may work: erratic behavior. MS is lousy at cleaning up memory space. After a while you basically run out of it.

Go to the START button. Call up control panel. Select Administrative Tools. Select Reliability and Performance monitor. Or some such in your version. You will see something like 85% Main Memory use. And whatever flavor irritation is there. Restart your PC. When everything is back, Main Memory use is around 20-40%, and no annoyances. In a day or so it creeps back up, and the dance starts again.

IBM and LINUX has positive control on the memory. No such nonsense possible.

had the same problem.. in an older Dell... so I disconnected the track pad, and no problem there after

Reply 13 may be on the right track.

Check that you're not suffering from ring finger dragging syndrome when using the built in pad and buttons.

I've had that problem because my thumbs touch the track pad sometimes when I type. See if you can disable the track pad and use a mouse. Some laptops have a button there to turn it off.

Sorry, should have said earlier, I use a wireless mouse. I just rebooted and that doesn't seem to have helped.

However, your laptop still has a trackpad or pointing device, yes?

Simply "plugging" in a wireless mouse will not disable the internal trackpad or pointing device. You need to physically disable the hardware.

Also, you might want to try:

a different mouse,

a different browser (i.e., Firefox, etc.),

to verify that the problem isn't something with your current browser.

Yes the trackpad is still active. And the funny business always happens while I'm typing. (I'm at work now)

I've tried two different browsers with the same result.

Tonight, if I can figure it out, I'll disable the track pad. If it requires opening the case, I won't do it.

Thanks.

Yes, your trackpad is the problem and is a common complaint among Win 7 users.

Here is your fix at this link Touchpad Blocker.

You might also first try to make sure your track pad software is up to date and set the sensitivity for the rack pad lower.

However, this probably will only minimize the problem. Disabling it via the software Touchpad Blocker in the link I supplied will surely fix it!

Thanks, I'll try it when I get home. It's Vista, not Win 7. This may be the incentive I need to buy a new laptop and give this one to my 7th grade grandkid who lives with us. His current laptop is ancient and he borrows mine a lot anyway.

Cheers.

Buy a Mac Book. ;-)

i have a Dell Inspiron (2005 vintage). i have a similar (not the same) problem.

i always use a wireless mouse, never got comfortable with the track pad.

When i am typing in this window on my laptop, the typed matter ends up where the cursor is... if the cursor is within the window, but not in the typing part, it types in the nearest logical place. If the cursor is out of the window, sometimes the entire page vanishes, leaving me frustrated and having to do it all over again.

When i plugged in an external keyboard, this problem vanished ! Even the Dell experts haven't been able to explain.

May not solve your problem though, but if you have a keyboard handy, you can just try.

Well,

I'm trying Touchdown Blocker and it seems to be working. So far I've heard one chime that indicates that it is doing something, there's another one.

The text hasn't skipped and the chime even alerts me so that I can now see what I did to make it skip.

I have MS Vista on this laptop.

Thanks, AH!

Excellent!!!

you may be able to change the mouse settings

change from tap to click

you would have to actually left click instead

Thanks, but Anonymous Hero suggested a quick easy fix that works.

I suggesting a more general fix

I've had the same problem on more than one laptop running many different operating systems

I used to hate the touch pad until I figured this bit out

many times tap to click is the default setting

I don't know why CR$ is more noticeable than most other sites

It's more noticable to me because, at home, most of the typing I do is on CR4.

I have a desk top PC at work.

This is no doubt the work of Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General from "Harrison Bergeron," by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.