Laptops : phantom touchpad input?

Anyone else who's seen this have any input on making it go away? By phantom, I mean typing happily along and then the cursor will jump a line or more back or go to a different text blank.

I had this happen on a WinXP with stock OS and drivers a while ago... Now a family members Lenovo with Win7 Home stock is doing it.

Yes. I've tried a few solutions including simplifying drivers, but only partially successful. I've also try to be very careful where I place my hands.

I just recently had this happen on my Acer laptop and its super annoying, hopefully someone here at [H] who is smarter than I am comes along and has an answer for us.

Turn it off while typing, the touchpad can pick up interference from power bricks etc.

Late last night I tried turning down all the driver-based features or turning them off (user never uses 3-finger gestures etc)...there was also a setting for "palm protection" that I cranked to the highest level. FWIW, I couldn't get the symptoms to re-appear....then again I don't brush the touchpad when I type on that machine

Meaker said:

Turn it off while typing, the touchpad can pick up interference from power bricks etc.

Click to expand...

This machine was doing it on battery, and is less than a year old...but probably still outside warranty. It is one of Lenovo's budget tier of machines that were the last to be sold with Win7. I think one of these (Is def a G570-4334, dunno about the lettter extension at the end):

http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-4334DBU-15-6-Inch-Laptop-Black/dp/B007CKQMPI

Try this. Leave it on and place a 3x5 card over it. If you notice it still happening then you know it is interference. Also I used to think that I never touched it on my laptop while typing but I must have been, so I leave it disabled now. Damn these big hands...

EspoNation said:

Try this. Leave it on and place a 3x5 card over it. If you notice it still happening then you know it is interference. Also I used to think that I never touched it on my laptop while typing but I must have been, so I leave it disabled now. Damn these big hands...

Click to expand...

Not necessarily. On some models the weight of your hand on the palm rest next to, but not touching, the touchpad, will cause issues. It isn't interference, it is just a design flaw.

My advice is to fully disable the touch pad and use a wired external mouse. You will be blown away by how much more you enjoy using your computer. Touchpads are for the birds (and emergencies).

arentol said:

Not necessarily. On some models the weight of your hand on the palm rest next to, but not touching, the touchpad, will cause issues. It isn't interference, it is just a design flaw.

My advice is to fully disable the touch pad and use a wired external mouse. You will be blown away by how much more you enjoy using your computer. Touchpads are for the birds (and emergencies).

Click to expand...

I would say you are right on with the second part. In all honesty I think what Lenovo does with the entire touch pad that can be clicked is annoying on my Y500. But it was just a suggestion.

arentol said:

Not necessarily. On some models the weight of your hand on the palm rest next to, but not touching, the touchpad, will cause issues. It isn't interference, it is just a design flaw.

My advice is to fully disable the touch pad and use a wired external mouse. You will be blown away by how much more you enjoy using your computer. Touchpads are for the birds (and emergencies).

Click to expand...

That is the last option I want to force on this user. They have a mobile machine they actually use as one in their lap and otherwise.

I'm surprised this issue seems as common as it is the first (and last) machine I had with a touchpad was a PowerbookG4 and it didn't do this.

Weight should not matter as touchpads detect the capacitance of your hand.