wandering touchpad mouse cursor

pearlhouse · 08-28-2009, 02:40 PM

I have a Dell Latitude laptop with a touchpad mouse. From time to time on and off the cursor wont stay where I move it. It just wanders away close by but just far enough off the item or button that I want to select. So then it becomes a two handed operation. One to hold the mouse in place and the other to hit the select key. What a pain in the xxxx. Than the thing starts to work ok for awhile. I thought it had something to do with static electricity but havnt been able to prove anything yet. Ive tried washing my hands even putting a little cream on them but nothing works. Then all the sudden its ok again.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cant use a plug in mouse because I spend a lot of time computing from a chair where I dont have room for a pad or a good surface. Oh yeah it also has a toggle stick which works fine all the time even when the touch pad is acting up.

makinu1der2 · 08-28-2009, 09:25 PM

Try looking for updated Drivers from the Dell website.

Try adjusting the sensitivity settings for the touchpad settings.

pearlhouse · 08-28-2009, 11:10 PM

Didnt know there were controls for the touch pad. All I have are mouse controls in control panel. Should there be a touch pad setup control??

makinu1der2 · 08-29-2009, 05:42 AM

What is the model number of the Dell.

Open the mouse options (may be able to adjust)

You may have an synaptic icon in the system tray

Download latest driver from Dell.

pearlhouse · 08-31-2009, 12:03 PM

Thanx for the help. I did find the driver on Dell web site and I installed it. There are so many setting avaiable for this thing,I experimenting with all of them today b ut still havnt solved my problem but at least I Ive got something to work with.

08-28-2009, 02:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
pearlhouse Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 101 OS: win xp pro ser pk 2	wandering touchpad mouse cursor I have a Dell Latitude laptop with a touchpad mouse. From time to time on and off the cursor wont stay where I move it. It just wanders away close by but just far enough off the item or button that I want to select. So then it becomes a two handed operation. One to hold the mouse in place and the other to hit the select key. What a pain in the xxxx. Than the thing starts to work ok for awhile. I thought it had something to do with static electricity but havnt been able to prove anything yet. Ive tried washing my hands even putting a little cream on them but nothing works. Then all the sudden its ok again. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cant use a plug in mouse because I spend a lot of time computing from a chair where I dont have room for a pad or a good surface. Oh yeah it also has a toggle stick which works fine all the time even when the touch pad is acting up.

08-28-2009, 09:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
makinu1der2 Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 2,025 OS: Vista Home Premium SP1,Win XP SP3,Ubuntu 9.04,Sabayon 4,Windows 7 RC1 x64 My System	Re: wandering touchpad mouse cursor Try looking for updated Drivers from the Dell website. Try adjusting the sensitivity settings for the touchpad settings. __________________ "The dumbest people I know are those who know it all."

08-28-2009, 11:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
pearlhouse Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 101 OS: win xp pro ser pk 2	Re: wandering touchpad mouse cursor Didnt know there were controls for the touch pad. All I have are mouse controls in control panel. Should there be a touch pad setup control??

08-29-2009, 05:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
makinu1der2 Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 2,025 OS: Vista Home Premium SP1,Win XP SP3,Ubuntu 9.04,Sabayon 4,Windows 7 RC1 x64 My System	Re: wandering touchpad mouse cursor What is the model number of the Dell. Open the mouse options (may be able to adjust) You may have an synaptic icon in the system tray Download latest driver from Dell. __________________ "The dumbest people I know are those who know it all."

08-31-2009, 12:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
pearlhouse Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 101 OS: win xp pro ser pk 2	Re: wandering touchpad mouse cursor Thanx for the help. I did find the driver on Dell web site and I installed it. There are so many setting avaiable for this thing,I experimenting with all of them today b ut still havnt solved my problem but at least I Ive got something to work with.