Touchpad click doesn't work

Try going into the Console System Log and seeing if anything you have done has registered. Look for words like "corrupt", "retry", "re-spawn". There may be some software that is causing buffer overflows (ie corrupting the adjacent memory space).

If you have just installed Lion, this may well be stuff from Snow Leopard that needs updating. Start with Java, Flash, Perian, Flip4Mac, Apptrap and any other third party apps.

These are the only thing I could find:

Sep 17 13:46:16 Macintosh-3 Finder[182]: *** CFMessagePort: dropping corrupt reply Mach message (0b100101)

Sep 18 14:12:59 Macintosh-3 Dock[330]: LaunchPad: Database is corrupt attempting to remove and recreate it

I uninstalled everything from Flip4Mac to Perian, Air and Flash with no results. It's weird that clicking slowly works without any problems but clicking fast does nothing half the time.

If you are having issues with the speed of your clicks, so it picks up if you click slowly but not fast, you can change this.

Sys Prefs >> Universal Access >> Mouse & Trackpad >> Trackpad Options (at the bottom)

Here you can adjust the speed of double clicking and scrolling.

Maybe you need to change settings in:

System Preferences>Universal Access>Mouse & Trackpad>Trackpad Options

Options for tracking speed also in:

System preferences>Trackpad

Thank you for all the help but changing the settings had no effect. The settings are only for the tracking speed and speed of double click. Seems that I was wrong about the issue being speed though. Sorry. Now with more testing seems that the amount of preassure I push is the problem. With less preassure, nothing happens even though the trackpad makes the clicking sound. So I guess it might be a hardware issue after all? It just that the problem started with the install of the Lion update.

Sidebar: Uninstalling all those third party software made my MacBook run much faster.

If an SMC reset cured the problem once, maybe you will have to repeat the procedure until you find what is causing the problem.

Java and Flash are pretty much standard. There may be other stuff running, Java, anti-virus software, Safari plugins, Printer software, login items (System Preferences>Users & Groups), blah blah... Get everything updated by going to the various websites (just enter the name in Google, and make sure you go to a reputable, known, souce like MacUpdate, CNET etc or the manufacturer).

Maybe try starting in Safe Mode, to only load essential software, would tell you if it is the computer or third party software to blame.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1455

PS

If you have "Tap to Click" checked in System Preferences>Trackpad, you don't actually need to push the trackpad down. Maybe it's getting confused?

After starting in Safe Mode clicking works perfect. Thank you so much putnik for all the help! 🙂

Hooray! That means it is a third party app causing the problem. So get updating all your apps, especially those running all the time, like Java, Flash, anti-virus, Perian, etc. Look in the Applications folder and trash anything you don't use. Make a note of the ones you need to update. (Mac stuff will get updated through Software Updates).

😀

This is getting weird and frustrating. After a reboot, clicking is not working once again. It worked for many hours earlier today. Now it is not working in Safe Mode neither or after starting in Safe Mode.

May I also point out that the clicking is not working on login items so I guess it is not a third party software causing this issue?

I tried to boot from the Snow Leopard disc and the click problem was in the boot menu as well so the issues must be in hardware after all, right?

Sorry for all the multiple posts but I confirm that it was a hardware problem and I found this YouTube video of how to fix it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuYO0I-DY84. I just gently slammed my fist into the touchpad as many described in the video comments and it worked. Also tightening the actual screw as described in the video wouldn't be too hard for me as my MacBook doesn't have the integrated battery.