milinho
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Macbook Pro Trackpad Becomes Erratic as soon as startup finishes

The trackpad on my Macbook Pro (13 inch, mid 2010) stopped working properly today. I tried rebooting the computer to see if that would help. Towards the end of the reboot, my desktop background image and the cursor appeared on the screen (although the applications had not yet finished loading). At this point I used the trackpad to move the cursor and it worked fine. However, upon the completion of the startup seconds later, the cursor became erratic and didn't respond properly to my use of the trackpad. I then tried to reboot in safemode but that didn't seem to fix the problem either. Given that the trackpad worked fine for a few seconds prior to the startup finishing, I don't believe this is a hardware issue or is a result of the battery swelling. The problem persists even when I disconnect the power cord. My external mouse works fine when I plug it into the USB port, but my preference would be to fix my trackpad.


Any tips?

MacBook Pro, iOS 8.4

Posted on Jul 13, 2015 12:19 PM

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milinho

Q: Macbook Pro Trackpad Becomes Erratic as soon as startup finishes

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  • by milinho,

    milinho milinho Jul 13, 2015 12:22 PM in response to milinho
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 13, 2015 12:22 PM in response to milinho

    Mistakenly put iOS as my operating system. I have the latest version of Yosemite installed.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Jul 13, 2015 12:41 PM in response to milinho
    Level 10 (208,017 points)
    Applications
    Jul 13, 2015 12:41 PM in response to milinho

    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 you use Handoff, disable it in the General pane of System Preferences.

    12. 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.

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