This has been a much discussed issue on the forums here. Have you tried the search function?
Let me guess -- Upper right corner?
How I solved mine was going into control panel and removing the touch pad driver and rebooting the machine. It seems something in that driver is causing your problem as it has many others. I had the exact same problem on mine, deleted the synaptics touchpad driver as described above and my mouse hasn't flaked out in over a week. At one point it was doing it several times a day, usually after a long period of inactivity.
Inspiron 8100 - 1.2GHz
15 in. UXGA
512MB RAM
64MB Radeon 7500 Video
LS-120 FDD
DVD/CD-RW
2 - 60GB Internal HDD's
1 - 80GB External HDD
Windows XP Professional
After having used the Inspiron 4000's in our office for over a year now, we are starting to have 2 of our 4000's showing up with the same problem. Yes, most of the time, the pointer goes to the upper right corner of the screen, but I've seen it go to lower parts of the screen, too. I'm not sure about this next part since I am not the end user of the 4000's, but it seems that if the pointer crosses a shortcut or executable during it's slow migration across the screen that it activates that shortcut/executable. As far as this slow-pointer-migration-across-screen issue being discussed many times in this newsgroup, this is the only thread I've seen discussing this specific issue...so where can I find more info? Disabling the touchpad is not a true fix as we will still need to use it. The latest Touchpad drivers on this Dell site is dated 5-24-02. Has anyone tried this driver and if so, does it resolve the issue? (I will try it soon) Also, if a DELL Technician is reading this, can you shed light on this issue? Thanks.
I have the exact same problem with my 4000 after about one year of use. I replaced the driver with the lastest Synaptics touchpad driver from the Dell site but with no change. I contacted Dell Support and they do not seem to understand the problem. If you get a reply from them let me know. stenhouse_john@hotmail.com
I have seen the problem and have had it fixed. You can disable the pointing stick and that may fix the problem. But there is still an issue with the keyboard. If your system is still under warranty call and request to have the KB replaced. The next time it happens try this.. if the mouse is floating to the left side press down on the right side of the arm rest. If the mouse stops or slows down immediately then the issue lies with the KB.
I had Dell come out and replace the KB and havn't had a problem with it since.
Was on a friends 4 year old IBM ThinkPad - the pointer stick exhibited almost the EXACT same "roaming" as my Inspiron 8200. While using his ThinkPad, I realized that this seems more like a inherrant problem with pointer sticks and not your Dell. In both cases, the mouse would slowly roam for about 10 seconds, and then return to normal functioning. Maybe they just need exercise.
usually for me when the pointer starts moving, its a piece of dust or something that has gotten jammed close to the edge of the touchpad.. brush or blow over it usually works
>I had Dell come out and replace the KB and havn't had a problem with it since.
Replacing the keyboard didn't fix it for me. I've had the problem for a year. I'd ditch the touchpad drivers, but my wife uses it (grrr). I keep updating touchpad drivers and bios revisions, but nothing has worked yet. Dell claims lots of things, but mostly refuses to own up to the problem.
I have had this problem for a long time as well. I have tried all of the solutions I found on the forum short of calling for a kb repair. (which I will do next week). My solution that seems to work is a very simple workaround for now ----- I removed the rubber tip from the pointer stick and all seems well right now.
Seems the 4000 is not the only computer with touchpad problems. My 5000e had problems where it would stop responding and the pointer would jump whenever I was trying to type any text in just about any software! My best solution was to plug in a mouse and not use the touchpad, but as a portable I reconfigured the settings for when I'm traveling and using the touchpad.
I find that when (unconciously) pushing on the stick for a sustained periond (say 10 seconds), then release the pressure, the pointer then creeps in the opposite direction. It seems logical that the stick recalibrates itself into thinking that the constant pressure was its zero point.
After a delay, the track pad will respond. At that point the stick will then be properly recalibrated.
Had this problem with an Inspiron 4100, and solved it pretty easily, as we didn't actually want to use the pointing stick anyway.
To avoid buying a new keyboard, it is possible to simply unplug the pointing stick. There are 2 ribbon cables that attach the keyboard to the motherboard. The smaller one is the poiting stick's connection, and is easily removed, and can be taped up out of the way.
This appears to be the only way disable the pointing stick properly when using an external mouse.
patzke
79 Posts
0
October 3rd, 2002 02:00
Let me guess -- Upper right corner?
How I solved mine was going into control panel and removing the touch pad driver and rebooting the machine. It seems something in that driver is causing your problem as it has many others. I had the exact same problem on mine, deleted the synaptics touchpad driver as described above and my mouse hasn't flaked out in over a week. At one point it was doing it several times a day, usually after a long period of inactivity.
Inspiron 8100 - 1.2GHz
15 in. UXGA
512MB RAM
64MB Radeon 7500 Video
LS-120 FDD
DVD/CD-RW
2 - 60GB Internal HDD's
1 - 80GB External HDD
Windows XP Professional
Tired of key ghosts on your I8X00 screen?
http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Item.cfm?ID=3814&Item=OWCLSPTIG4
or
http://www.jrhillandcompany.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=200&1=201&2=-1
Message Edited on 10/02/02 10:17PM by patzke
wingtong
5 Posts
0
October 8th, 2002 17:00
After having used the Inspiron 4000's in our office for over a year now, we are starting to have 2 of our 4000's showing up with the same problem. Yes, most of the time, the pointer goes to the upper right corner of the screen, but I've seen it go to lower parts of the screen, too. I'm not sure about this next part since I am not the end user of the 4000's, but it seems that if the pointer crosses a shortcut or executable during it's slow migration across the screen that it activates that shortcut/executable. As far as this slow-pointer-migration-across-screen issue being discussed many times in this newsgroup, this is the only thread I've seen discussing this specific issue...so where can I find more info? Disabling the touchpad is not a true fix as we will still need to use it. The latest Touchpad drivers on this Dell site is dated 5-24-02. Has anyone tried this driver and if so, does it resolve the issue? (I will try it soon) Also, if a DELL Technician is reading this, can you shed light on this issue? Thanks.
Holyoak
11 Posts
0
October 9th, 2002 01:00
it was actually the one right beneath this thread.
S10HSE
1 Message
0
October 15th, 2002 15:00
fabqb
2 Posts
0
October 15th, 2002 15:00
dogbreath23
9 Posts
0
October 15th, 2002 18:00
I had Dell come out and replace the KB and havn't had a problem with it since.
Holyoak
11 Posts
0
October 29th, 2002 18:00
small update:
Was on a friends 4 year old IBM ThinkPad - the pointer stick exhibited almost the EXACT same "roaming" as my Inspiron 8200. While using his ThinkPad, I realized that this seems more like a inherrant problem with pointer sticks and not your Dell. In both cases, the mouse would slowly roam for about 10 seconds, and then return to normal functioning. Maybe they just need exercise.
I guess it's just the nature of the beast.
obba
3 Posts
0
November 18th, 2002 15:00
usually for me when the pointer starts moving, its a piece of dust or something that has gotten jammed close to the edge of the touchpad.. brush or blow over it usually works
//obba
joriki
5 Posts
0
November 21st, 2002 21:00
quoting dogbreath23:
>I had Dell come out and replace the KB and havn't had a problem with it since.
Replacing the keyboard didn't fix it for me. I've had the problem for a year. I'd ditch the touchpad drivers, but my wife uses it (grrr). I keep updating touchpad drivers and bios revisions, but nothing has worked yet. Dell claims lots of things, but mostly refuses to own up to the problem.
-joriki
ShivasIrns
1 Message
0
November 22nd, 2002 14:00
I have had this problem for a long time as well. I have tried all of the solutions I found on the forum short of calling for a kb repair. (which I will do next week). My solution that seems to work is a very simple workaround for now ----- I removed the rubber tip from the pointer stick and all seems well right now.
I 8000
Iceman97tj
1 Message
0
November 24th, 2002 00:00
Seems the 4000 is not the only computer with touchpad problems. My 5000e had problems where it would stop responding and the pointer would jump whenever I was trying to type any text in just about any software! My best solution was to plug in a mouse and not use the touchpad, but as a portable I reconfigured the settings for when I'm traveling and using the touchpad.
1. turn the key stroke rate down low
2 turn the palm sensitivity up all the way
3 dissable the touchclick
works just fine like that!!!
PYROTAK
99 Posts
0
November 25th, 2002 18:00
the only reason that the pointer moves is because the accutouch point eraser head thigamabob is not calibrated right.
all u gotta do is do a little ziz zag on the touch pad and the accupoint is re adjusted and the pointer stops drifting.
Jovian
2 Posts
0
November 27th, 2002 03:00
I find that when (unconciously) pushing on the stick for a sustained periond (say 10 seconds), then release the pressure, the pointer then creeps in the opposite direction. It seems logical that the stick recalibrates itself into thinking that the constant pressure was its zero point.
After a delay, the track pad will respond. At that point the stick will then be properly recalibrated.
PadreComputers
1 Message
0
February 25th, 2003 23:00
Archibald123
1 Message
0
February 26th, 2003 08:00
Had this problem with an Inspiron 4100, and solved it pretty easily, as we didn't actually want to use the pointing stick anyway.
To avoid buying a new keyboard, it is possible to simply unplug the pointing stick. There are 2 ribbon cables that attach the keyboard to the motherboard. The smaller one is the poiting stick's connection, and is easily removed, and can be taped up out of the way.
This appears to be the only way disable the pointing stick properly when using an external mouse.