How to turn off or ignore trackpad on MacBook Pro running OSX 10.7.5?

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Level 1

12 points

How to turn off or ignore trackpad on MacBook Pro running OSX 10.7.5?

My trackpad needs replacing, but I don't have the funds. It works fine with an external USB mouse, but the trackpad keeps "activating" on it's own (a la Poltergeist). An couple online searches have not revealed and option and the Mac store doesn't have an answer. When I go to the Apple menu, Universal Access that many sites talk about is not available for the Trackpad (only Keyboard and Voice).
Help, please?!
[If I can't get an answer here, is there a way to contact support via telephone? (It's difficult finding such basic information nowadays.)]

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Oct 17, 2012 12:18 PM

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Answer 1

May 21, 2017 5:35 AM in response to seasparrow

Thank you so much for your help. Same trackpad problem intermittently for over a year. An external mouse did the trick until I happened to swipe a hard left one day and found myself on another screen. I hadn't entered this secondary realm of my own accord, and things were going berserk.

Once I realized that I would regain trackpad control after shutting wifi off, I quickly re-formatted. And voile.

So if it was in fact remote access and control, what can I do to prevent it in the future?

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Answer 2

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Oct 17, 2012 12:23 PM in response to BeansAlone

This is controlled in a preference pane. One of the following:

Trackpad

Mouse

Accessibility (Universal Access)

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Answer 3

BeansAlone Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 17, 2012 12:28 PM in response to Kappy

Can you please explain? I have checked all three as described above, unselected all the options in Trackpad, and have not found any other options to do this. Can you be more specific, please?

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Answer 4

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Oct 17, 2012 12:35 PM in response to BeansAlone

If it's not there, then perhaps that is because the Trackpad is not working. The option would not appear if the preference was unable to detect a trackpad.

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Answer 5

BeansAlone Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 17, 2012 12:47 PM in response to Kappy

The trackpad works (occasionally well), but is activating when I don't want it to. I think I need to tell it (software?)to ignore the signals. Do you know of any other keywords I can use to search for a solution?

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Answer 6

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Oct 17, 2012 1:02 PM in response to BeansAlone

Sorry, I do not.

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Answer 7

BeansAlone Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 17, 2012 1:11 PM in response to BeansAlone

Called and was able to be walked through to Universal Access which is separate from the other options (in the upper right hand corner of System Preferences) and for some reason did not show up under a search (elusive little bugger). Within Uiversal Access, I selected the Trackpad Option (bottom of window) and only once I did that did I find the elusive "ignore" option within the new window.
As a fail-safe, I also selected the Mouse Keys option (the check-box that lets you turn Mouse Keys on and off by pressing the Options button 5 times) and learned how to use JKLUIO789 for mouse direction and selection.

Whew! Hopefully I've sequestered the ghost for now.

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Answer 8

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Oct 17, 2012 1:15 PM in response to BeansAlone

As I first stated it was in one of three - Accessibility/Universal Access. Glad it's OK now.

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Answer 9

BeansAlone Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 17, 2012 6:57 PM in response to Kappy

Yes, I just couldn't find it. Thank you.

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Answer 10

Dec 25, 2012 9:14 PM in response to Kappy

this helps me too thank you.. 🙂

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Answer 11

Richill

Level 1

0 points

Apr 5, 2013 6:57 AM in response to BeansAlone

Hi BeansAlone.

i wanted to know, when you activated your Mouse Keys option (by clicking the check-in box to activate it). did this diabled both your:

a.) Keyboard and

b.) Track path on your labtop?

or, did it only diable your Track path on your labtop?

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Answer 12

Richill

Level 1

0 points

Apr 5, 2013 7:01 AM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy.

i wanted to know, when one activates their Mouse Keys option (by clicking the check-in box to activate it). does this diabled both the:

a.) Keyboard and the

b.) Track path on the labtop?

or, is this just supose to disable only the Track path on the labtop?

when i tick the Mouse Keys option - i no longer have the phantom cursor problem appearing and my trackpad is disabled - which is good, BUT i can not use my keyboard - the keyboard seems to be automatically disabled too.

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Answer 13

BeansAlone Author

Level 1

12 points

Apr 5, 2013 10:04 AM in response to Richill

This only disabled the mouse, until Mouse Keys is activated. You are selecting for the option to turn it on and off.

When Mouse Keys is activated (options x5), the keyboard will not work. It turns your keyboard into the mouse with only the relevant keys activated (at least as far as I can tell).

To deactivate Mouse Keys and resume normal keyboard function you must hit the option key 5 times.

At this point you should hear a little noise (a bit like a ticking trill) telling you Mouse Keys has been deactivated. (The same noise is used to indicate it is activated.)
Checking the box for the option simply gives you the opportunity to turn it on and off.

Thanks for asking and reminding me how this works!

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Answer 14

AustinJW

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2013 10:24 PM in response to BeansAlone

Hi BeansAlone!

I am experiencing a similar problem, and this post was the only one that helped me restore my Mid 2010 MBP to usability for now. Thank you.

Now I must ask - whatever became of your trackpad issue? Was it really the hardware or could this be a software issue?

Symptoms include: Random, erratic, poltergeist movements and clicking, including multi-touch functions. random closing of programs, creation of folders named untitled, etc. Started acting up a few days ago and devolved into a hot mess in less than 3 days time with no apparent cause.

best,

AustinJW

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Answer 15

95bulls

Level 2

450 points

Dec 25, 2013 4:24 AM in response to Richill

Here is a complete picture tutorial to disable the built in trackpad when a mouse or external trackpad is present: http://myappleforums.com/mavericks/disable-trackpad-when-mouse-or-wireless-track pad-is-on/

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