Inspiron 6000 cursor problem

Question

I have only had my lap top for about a wk. Everytime I am in the middle of typing, my cursor will disappear to another place on my screen and I can't type anymore until I place the cursor back in position with my mouse. This even happens when I am just reading a page and scrolling down, the screen seems to change, I hear a small click, and then my arrow buttons won't work, you have to mash the left mouse button on the page, and then it  works again. This happens every few seconds. Even just while typing this, going along and then----thunck thunck noise and the keyboard won't work until i hit the mouse clicker again. This is really getting on my nerves. I have checked in every setting that I can think of from the mouse, to the keyboard, to power management, etc.  Sometimes even while holding the mouse arrow in the middle of a screen, or not even moving it all---the arrow jumps to a corner of the screen! CRAZY!  This is not happening because I am accidentally hitting my touch pad, because it happens also while not even typing, just browsing around, my screen changes, then you here a little click, then it won't work until you re-establish the cursor with the mouse.   Can someone please help me and give me a suggestion to what this may be?   Thanks!   Amanda

HTT Good HT Bad · Answer

Your harddrive is probably failling, run a diagnostics

HTT Good HT Bad · Answer

return it to dell or during boot when you see the dell screen press the F12 or F11 key and it should brirng youto diag

potogold · Answer

well first off, I am not a computer genius so I am not quite sure how to run a diagnostics on this thing. I did download and run a registry mechanic, but it didn't change the problem. Still have the same problem when typing or just scrolling down to read a page.

I have only had this laptop, brand new for about a wk and I have had this problem since day one.

Amanda

potogold · Answer

Well I did the diagnostics, also did the express test, symptom tree test, and the custom test. Everything passed. Couldn't find anything that would solve this problem.   Amanda

johnnyyooper · Answer

'Everytime I am in the middle of typing, my cursor will disappear to another place on my screen and I can't type anymore until I place the cursor back in position with my mouse. This even happens when I am just reading a page and scrolling down, the screen seems to change,'     i have been having the exact same problem on my new 9300 . the window i am typing in suddenly goes into dim or hibernation mode and i have to physically move the cursor back into position and then click it to resume typing again. heres the intersting part. it only happens when i'm on Earthlink and when i have my font size increased. it does not happen at all when i switch to PeoplePc or if i put the font size back to normal size.    are you on Earthlink by chance? do you have a high resolution screen? they acknowledged the problem but offered no solution. so i am simply using another isp (peoplepc). jy   i9300 w/XP M730 512 RAM 17 UXGA 100 GB HD 128 MB x 300 Video 24 CD-RW/DVD

potogold · Answer

Hi! Yes I do use Earthlink, but I think I resolved the problem. I had searched on the microsoft forums for the same prob and there was a lady with the sam prob and she had posted that she was in the process of speaking with Dell several times, and then didn't post for months. I emailed her and asked her if she ever found out the prob and she told me it was the Norton software. Yes my lap top came with Norton software. She said to remove the software and only use the disk for Norton if you have one. I didn't have a disk for Norton. I did have one for McAfee because I use that one on my desktop pc. So I removed Norton, installed the McAfee, and .......the prob is gone! I have used Earthlink for months on my desktop pc, before getting my laptop, and never had this problem.   So hope this helps!   Amanda

johnnyyooper · Answer

'she told me it was the Norton software. Yes my lap top came with Norton software. She said to remove the software and only use the disk for Norton if you have one. I didn't have a disk for Norton. I did have one for McAfee because I use that one on my desktop pc. So I removed Norton, installed the McAfee, and .......the prob is gone!'      very interesting. thanks for the info. i do have a norton cd that came with the machine so i will uninstall the existing norton, then try the earthlink to see if the problem disappears. if it does disappear, then i will reinstall norton from the disk to see if it stays ok.

johnnyyooper · Answer

thanks amanda. it worked! you might have saved me $66 in isp fees for the next 6 months. woohoo! altho, there's a blinking exclamation point on my norton icon now and something about my live-update being unable to resolve what ever it is trying to do. but....thats another story.....so thanks again for that tip. jy

i9300 w/XP
M730
512 RAM
17 UXGA
100 GB HD
128 MB x 300 Video
24 CD-RW/DVD

potogold · Answer

You are welcome, glad to be of help! I am just glad to be rid of the annoying problem, and I know you are too! Amanda

Tom-plm · Answer

I just ordered a 6000 with Norton on it. Did Dell try to fix the problem? If the same thing happens to me and I have to uninstall Norton and you say McAfee fixes the problem will Dell supply McAfee or do I have to purchase it myself? Wondering if I need to cancel my order. When I ordered the laptop Dell recommended ordering it with Norton

johnnyyooper · Answer

i dont know about the 6000, but i have totally given up trying to make the Norton work properly on my 9300. i have uninstalled the Norton 2 or 3 times and I have done the system restore twice. when Norton is installed i have the cursor problem. and when Norton is uninstalled, the problem disappears. and then each time i reinstalled the Norton, i was asked to activate it, each time warning me i only had so many days left or its "use it or lose it" if i dont acitvate it within 15 days, which in my case is tomorrow. my emails to Norton resulted in them saying this:

"When you receive complimentary software, your computer vendor is the first line of support. Please contact your vendor to confirm the subscription length for your OEM software". OEM means original equipment manufacturer ie; Dell.

and, of course, Dell support sent me a form email stating software issues are dealt with by the software manufaturer, ie; Norton.

i also dont understand the "complimentary software" terminology. looking at Dells sales page, they are charging $79 for the 15 months of Norton. . although, i honestly cant recall if i paid that $79 when i bought my machine 2 weeks ago. the shipping bill is not broken down into the cost of each componant.

the end result is the Norton messes up my machine, i'm not getting the help i need to resolve the problem with the cursor or the activation. so i have downloaded the free Grisoft AVG virus scan and the free Sygate fire wall, both of which are working beautifully.

i9300 w/XPsp2
M730
512 RAM
17 UXGA
100 GB HD
128 MB x 300 Video
24 CD-RW/DVD

Russ White · Answer

Let me add to this thread with my experience. I have a new Dell Inspiron 6000 - it has the Alps touchpad - version 5.4.102.12 I am experiencing a condition where the cursor on occasions does not move when I swipe a finger on the touch pad. It is as if the computer is busy doing something else and just ignores me occasionally. I would say to happens about 10% of the times I use the cursor. It is of course very annoying. I described the symptons to Dell and they send a guy to the house and replaced the touchpad. It seemed to be fine when the guy left. Since then I have had periods of perfect operation, then it will go back to the defective condition. When defective I have selected the F12 option on bootup and then found the touchpad operation to be defective in the diagnostic mode. This would seem to me to rule out Windows or other high level software that is started during a normal bootup. Just two days ago the touchpad worked perfectly for almost an entire day. Just as I was closing programs to get ready to end the work day, it started ignoring my touches again. The system is still in warranty. The last email from Dell suggested restoring to the original system configuration.

I am open to any suggestions or comments.

Thanks,

Russ

Message Edited by Russ White on 07-17-2005 11:26 AM

johnnyyooper · Answer

as a follow up to my post above where i whined and cried about Norton, it would be only be fair to report i got two incredibly long emails from Norton offering solutions to my activation delema. they extended my activation period another 15 days and suggested an option of phone activation. so i loaded up the Norton again ........and it seems to be working properly (knock on wood). the cursor is acting ok and it hasnt asked me to reactivate again. so...hopefully all is well.

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Inspiron 6000 cursor problem

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