Diane Wordsmith

Q: Crazy cursor with Magic Trackpad AND wired mouse

The subject says it all. This iMac is about two years old. We thought the issue was likely the bluetooth trackpad, so we cleaned it, changed batteries, turned it off and back on, disconnected and reconnected it (did NOT unpair and re-pair), and zapped PRAM. The cursor still runs crazy over the screen, selecting and clicking and moving things all by itself. So ... we plugged in an Apple mouse. The behavior is still there. Does anyone have a suggestion as to the source of the problem and how to fix it? (My apologies. I tried to search for "cursor" in this topic area and it kept coming up empty (which I don't believe). Admittedly, I haven't spent a lot of time in here lately, so perhaps there are current nuances of the site and the search function that I am now unfamiliar with. Not being lazy; I tried!!!!)

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7), null

Posted on Apr 19, 2015 11:18 AM

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Q: Crazy cursor with Magic Trackpad AND wired mouse

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  • by poikkeus1,

    poikkeus1 poikkeus1 Apr 19, 2015 12:17 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith
    Level 4 (1,602 points)
    iPad
    Apr 19, 2015 12:17 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith

    It seems your bluetooth trackpad won't pair as it should, though the wired Apple mouse still works fine.

     

    Usually, this problem happens when there are a few bluetooth devices in the house. The bluetooth connection is crowded, and you can't pair the bluetooth trackpad with your computer. Go to System Preferences/Bluetooth; this is where you can monitor your bluetooth activity. Make sure that bluetooth is "on". Take a look at the display. It's possible that there may be a few bluetooth devices listed there. Take all the bluetooth devices except the trackpad to the opposite side of your house.

     

    Disconnect your wired mouse.

     

    Now, see if your trackpad is discoverable. It might take a few seconds. If you can't see anything, push in the round metal end of the trackpad; that manually reconnects your trackpad. Make sure your batteries are fully charged.

     

    Oh...and post with your results.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Apr 19, 2015 12:26 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    Apr 19, 2015 12:26 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith

    There are several possible causes for this issue. Please take each of the following steps that you haven't already tried until it's resolved. Some may not apply in your case.

    1. Follow the instructions in this support article, and also this one, if applicable. A damaged or defective AC adapter could be the cause, even if it's the right kind.

    2. Press down all four corners of the trackpad at once and release. If there's any effect, it's likely to be temporary, and in that case the unit must be serviced or replaced.

    3. Open the Bluetooth pane in System Preferences and delete all pointing devices other than the trackpad, if applicable. Disconnect any USB pointing devices. By a "pointing device," I mean a peripheral that moves the cursor, such as a trackpad, mouse, trackball, or graphics tablet. A plain keyboard is not a pointing device.

    4. If your model has an infrared receiver for use with an Apple Remote, disable it.

    5. Start up in safe mode and test, preferably without launching any third-party applications. If you don't have the problem in safe mode, but it comes back when you restart as usual, stop here and post your results. Do the same if you can't start in safe mode. If there was no difference in safe mode, go on to the next step.

    6. Reset the System Management Controller.

    7. If you're using a Bluetooth trackpad or mouse, investigate potential sources of interference, including USB 3 devices.

    8. A swollen battery in a portable computer can impinge on the trackpad from below and cause erratic behavior. If you have trouble clicking the trackpad, this is likely the reason. The battery must be replaced without delay.

    9. A defective peripheral device or a damaged cable can cause the built-in trackpad of a MacBook to behave erratically. If you're using any wired peripherals, disconnect them one at a time and test.

    10. There's also a report of erratic cursor movements caused by an external display that was connected but not turned on.

    11. If none of the above applies, or if you have another reason to think that your computer is being remotely controlled, remove it from the network by turning off Wi-Fi (or your Wi-Fi access point), disconnecting from a Bluetooth network link, and unplugging the Ethernet cable or USB modem, whichever is applicable. If the cursor movements stop at once, you should suspect an intrusion.

    12. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine and/or external trackpad tested.

  • by Diane Wordsmith,

    Diane Wordsmith Diane Wordsmith Apr 19, 2015 12:43 PM in response to poikkeus1
    Level 5 (6,030 points)
    Apr 19, 2015 12:43 PM in response to poikkeus1

    The trackpad is the only bluetooth device in the list. I sometimes use a Bluetooth adapter on our stereo to play tunes from my iPhone, but the device is not on, doesn't show in the list, and had never been paired with the iMac. I also made sure that Bluetooth was turned off on my phone ... just in case.

  • by Diane Wordsmith,

    Diane Wordsmith Diane Wordsmith Apr 19, 2015 12:48 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 5 (6,030 points)
    Apr 19, 2015 12:48 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Linc,

     

    Thanks for the suggestions. It may take me a while to sort thru all of it. (And it's hubby machine. He's in a bit of a tizzy right now, frustrated and trying to finish a project that he needs to get printed.) When the machine is free, I'll dig in and see where I get with these. The part that had me confused was the fact that it happened with the mouse as well. I initially was convinced it was a problem with the trackpad, but the fact that it still happened with the mouse leads me to think it's an OS issue.

     

    I'll give your suggestions a whirl and see what happens!