Touchpad annoying problem on laptop

smicer07 · 20-04-2004, 14:10

Got a Toshiba laptop, and now and again the Touchpad doesn't respond to my touch. Either it won't move, or it decides it wants to select text (so it all goes blue). This is very annoying. I imagine it might be to do with the drivers, but I'm not sure... Any ideas?
Thanks

Bifta · 20-04-2004, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by smicer07

Got a Toshiba laptop, and now and again the Touchpad doesn't respond to my touch. Either it won't move, or it decides it wants to select text (so it all goes blue). This is very annoying. I imagine it might be to do with the drivers, but I'm not sure... Any ideas?
Thanks

Same thing happens on my Inspiron, not sure why, it's not down to my drivers as it goes through stages of working perfectly then all of a sudden it'll go completely spastic.

SMHarman · 20-04-2004, 14:40

Have you tried disabling the tap function on the touchpad, where you tap tap instead of click. This may improve the usablity.

Millay · 20-04-2004, 16:19

hmmm try a Sony Vaiathat has a lazy touchpad, cant use it to double click after the machine has bin in hibernation...

Gareth · 20-04-2004, 17:48

My Toshiba Satellite Pro has an annoying habit of the cursor jumping way down to the bottom left of the screen when you're not even using the touchpad or that funny little mouse thingy (that's the technical term for it

). It seems to be that sometimes, if my wrist is leaning on just the wrong part of the case...somewhere by the little stickers, and if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction then it happens. It's bloody annoying!

Xaccers · 20-04-2004, 17:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDW1975

that funny little mouse thingy (that's the technical term for it

)

You mean the nipple (that's the technical term for it) in the middle of the keyboard?

SMHarman · 20-04-2004, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xaccers

You mean the nipple (that's the technical term for it) in the middle of the keyboard?

Oooh he said nipple

Dell are boring and make blue ones (bit like the sanitary pad adverts).

I remember IBM ones used to be pink :pp

altis · 20-04-2004, 20:24

Ah, I think you mean a TrackPoint. This technology has been patented by IBM:
http://www.semiconductors.philips.co.../TPM754A_3.pdf
...and mine's yellow!

Millay · 20-04-2004, 23:10

I remeber trackpoints used to loose there fuzzy feeling on the old thinkpads... and they do after a while of hard using start doing ghost travelling across the screen, have to change sensitivity..

altis · 21-04-2004, 09:07

There problem is the electronics has a hard time working out where the centre zero position is. This is 'cos the joystick sensor is built of analogue electronics that can drift with temperature. There appears to be an algorithm that tries to work out what the average input is and assumes that this is the centre zero. Unfortunately, if you lean on the stick for a long time then it gets confused and starts pulling the cursor back the other way. Solution: let go of the stick and eventually it will stop moving. Also, in use, try to avoid leaning on it for too long - especially at the edge of the screen.

dilli-theclaw · 21-04-2004, 09:10

My inspiron also has this problem now and again (not responding to the touch pad) but usually when I've gone and washed my hands and dried them well it's ok again.

Still I use a mouse most of the time as I can't get on with the touch pad anyway.

SMHarman · 21-04-2004, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by altis

Ah, I think you mean a TrackPoint. This technology has been patented by IBM:
http://www.semiconductors.philips.co.../TPM754A_3.pdf
...and mine's yellow!

Think you need to see a doctor mate - mines just cold!