Magic Trackpad stuck on selected text

I have this problem all the time and have a fix. This is going to sound VERY strange but here it goes... it only happens when I have the laptop or trackpad in my lap and my shirt touches the pad at the same time as my finger. The only way that I have found to stop the behavior is to touch my shirt on the lower left corner at the same time I click a couple times. After doing this it works fine again. I know... you don't believe me... just try it! It causes it every time and the fix works every time.

In reply to Hemlock's post, what a STRANGE but effective fix!

I put the MacBook in my lap and tried to recreate what Hemlock said, but it didn't work. I went on trying to find a solution when I leaned forward and my stomach (through my shirt) rubbed along the bottom edge of the trackpad and BAM the right click problem was fixed.

Thank you Hemlock for your post, Great and very useful help!

I just bought a MT and I have had no problems I got the update it required and it's working just awsome. I love this i think i will go out and get the wireless keyboard too.

Amazing, indeed clicking a couple of times in the bottom left corner of the touchpad of my 13" macbook gets it out of its 'eternal lock'. Thanks hemlock2010!
Good to know this workaround, hope that a fix comes soon, because I'm starting to experience this
problem more often.

I have a 15" Unibody MacBook Pro from late 2009 and have been have this exact same problem with the trackpad selecting text incessantly. The only thing that fixes it for me is to use my external Logitech mouse to triple-click a sentence of text.

Just now, my girlfriend experienced the problem with her 13" Macbook Pro from 2010. I fixed it by plugging my mouse into her laptop and doing the same thing I do with my MBP.

We both have the trackpad update, unfortunately, and it must indeed be the cause of the problem. Is there anyway to remove that garbage? Because I don’t use any of the “features” it added, and I am so sick of this Russian Roulette of a bug. It’s so infuriating.

I too am having this problem, on a 13.3" MBP from 2009. Only noticed it a week or so after installing the trackpad update, and when it happens there's nothing I can do to get rid of it short of rebooting, but then it will recur. I don't have an external mouse and I've tried pressing Esc, right clicking, double and triple clicking, anything I can think of really. Another symptom is when it's happening, I can switch applications with cmd-tab but I can't open the dock. Also when I try and close windows using the red x it just seems to highlight it and stick there.

Same issue here. Strangely, I didn't notice the problem until I updated my aluminum keyboard drivers -- now it's as if the button is stuck, and when editing text, disaster is only a drag away.

This has been driving me INSANE but tried the three fingers on the track pad (I have a new, 2010 MacBook Pro) and ta da, finally!

I have the same problem. "Annoying" is a mild phrasing.

I have this same problem. I have a late 2008 MacBook Unibody and a Magic Trackpad. My original solution was to restart the computer, however as of late I have discovered that if I turn off my magic trackpad, click 4 or 5 times in a row on my MacBook trackpad, and then turn the Magic Trackpad back on it works fine. Next time it happens I will try the bottom left triple click and the through-a-shirt click. This has been driving me insane since the update!

Come on, Apple! What's the problem?

Same problem here since 2 months


Come on Apple, stop ignoring us and do something!!!

Same problem, but only on my 13" unibody MB not my 17" unibody MBP. I have been restarting, but will try some of the posted 'fixes'. However, touching the top/side of the computer, especially through a shirt, indicates a static electrical problem, which is why Apple is having such a hard time fixing it!

The shirt trick did not work for me. I really do think this is software related as it instantly started occurring after the released update was pushed out.

-SM

I've the same problem. Rebooting solves the problem, so the issue is definitely software. I can't recall when it started, but it did start around the time of the MT release.

I've thought about trying to unload and load the kext for the trackpad, but I'm not exactly sure which one it is.

Does any one have a bug id for this? We should start letting Apple know this is a larger problem.

I have disabled Bluetooth 4 days ago and no issue since then...
Will let you know if the problem is solved for good this way