Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › techie computer question - cursor jumps around on screen
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

techie computer question - cursor jumps around on screen

post #1 of 22
6/2/10 at 4:43pm
Thread Starter 
So for the last week or so the cursor jumps around in the sentences that I'm typing. I will be typing along and it randomly jumps back to other places in the sentence or document. I use a Dell laptop FWIW.

At first I thought num-lock was turned off or something, but that isn't it. Then I thought my keyboard driver was out of date, but I ran the Device Manager and that seemed fine too.

Any ideas?

This is really cutting into my ability to post on forums and use instant messenger
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 22
6/2/10 at 5:07pm
Use the touchpad? My thinkpad has a really really really sensitive touchpad and it gets the little one killed when we play tank wars.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 22
6/2/10 at 5:09pm
This used to happen to me, then I realized the palm of my left hand was hitting the corner and side of the trackpad while typing. That's why I usually disable the trackpad and use the little "nub" (IBM/Lenovo/some Dells) or a mouse if I can.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 22
6/2/10 at 5:09pm
If it's a mouse with the ball on the bottom just open it and remove all the crap that has accumulated inside. Never mind.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 22
6/2/10 at 5:32pm
Thread Starter 
Almost sure it's not the touchpad; as I have had the computer over a year and the problem just started a week ago.

Apparently other people online have had similar and are reporting that it may be a virus.

I bumped the sensitivity setting on the touchpad waaaay up just in case to see if that helps. Too early to tell right now.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 22
6/2/10 at 6:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazyquik View Post
Almost sure it's not the touchpad; as I have had the computer over a year and the problem just started a week ago.

Apparently other people online have had similar and are reporting that it may be a virus.

I bumped the sensitivity setting on the touchpad waaaay up just in case to see if that helps. Too early to tell right now.

Have you checked to see if you have any programs sucking up system resources causing inputs to lag? Run an antivirus and/or a spyware scanner just in case.

Have you tried updating all your system drivers? I believe dell has a utility that will check to see if there is a newer driver version out there and then download it.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 22
6/2/10 at 6:28pm
It is definitely the nub. Turn off the nub in the middle of your keyboard by going to Settings > Control Panel > Mouse (or Trackpad or whatever).

That shit bothered me for a while before I figured it out.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 22
6/2/10 at 8:07pm
Nm. FAIL = FAIL
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 22
6/2/10 at 8:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazyquik View Post
So for the last week or so the cursor jumps around in the sentences that I'm typing. I will be typing along and it randomly jumps back to other places in the sentence or document. I use a Dell laptop FWIW.

At first I thought num-lock was turned off or something, but that isn't it. Then I thought my keyboard driver was out of date, but I ran the Device Manager and that seemed fine too.

Any ideas?

This is really cutting into my ability to post on forums and use instant messenger

no shit! that exact same thing started with my dell laptop last week. i'll try the nub fix.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 22
6/2/10 at 8:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
no shit! that exact same thing started with my dell laptop last week. i'll try the nub fix.

You have a red nub on your Dell?
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 22
6/2/10 at 8:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNW View Post
Reading comprehension = FAIL. OP has a Dell laptop.

Fail = fail. Some Dell laptops have those eraser pointer sticks.



OP: have you cleaned your keyboard or checked it's connector? Dell keyboards are easy to take off to check the connection. Look up your laptop on Dell's website to see the detailed service manual with picture instructions. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes to check, and may not even require tools.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 22
6/2/10 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNW View Post
You have a red nub on your Dell?

yup. an old latitude d420.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 22
6/2/10 at 9:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DocmanCC View Post
Fail = fail. Some Dell laptops have those eraser pointer sticks.



OP: have you cleaned your keyboard or checked it's connector? Dell keyboards are easy to take off to check the connection. Look up your laptop on Dell's website to see the detailed service manual with picture instructions. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes to check, and may not even require tools.

Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
yup. an old latitude d420.

Damn, those are rarer than hen's teeth.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 22
6/2/10 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodguy View Post
yup. an old latitude d420.
I had one of those. You are due for a new computer.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 22
6/3/10 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by XeF4 View Post
I had one of those. You are due for a new computer.

+1
in fact, if i hadn't gotten my iphone, i probably would have by now. it's my second computer (well, actually, my third, if you count the one at work i use for about 90% of my stuff). about the only reason i bought the laptop was for doing e-mails on the road. occasionally i'll have to write something, but not often enough to justify owning one rather than checking out one of the company boxes.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: General Chat
Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › techie computer question - cursor jumps around on screen