My cursor was erratic and I couldn't control it. I reseted the pram and it started to work but only for a short while. After an hour or so it started to act erratic again. What can I do?
MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)
This doesn't help at all. I see this posted on every "erratic trackpad" forum. It has nothing to do with the trackpad being wet/oily, nothing to do with any jewelry (I don't wear any), and I'm not using a third party adapter. Also, my battery has just been replaced, so it isn't that either.
Basically, my cursor, like yours, stevensmena, moves around on its own and is very difficult to control. The only way to work with my computer is to turn off the trackpad and use a USB mouse. But smooth trackpad control is one of the reasons I bought a MacBook Pro!
I also did the PRAM reset, with similar results. It works for a while, before going back to its weirdness.
This is the weirdest part, though: I left my wireless mouse that I've been using to operate my MacBook at work by accident. I started using the trackpad again over the weekend... it worked all weekend (3 days) before freaking out again this morning.
Does anyone actually have an answer as to why this is happening?
(The Apple store genius did the PRAM reset. He didn't have another explanation.)
Anyone?
I wish I had an answer for you Jess812. I have the exact same probelm: works for a short while whenever it wants to and then regresses into errectic behavior again. It seems like a problem that quite a few people are having and I wish somebody could give us an answer. Please, if you find out the solution will you return to this forum and post it? Thanks!
Did the AS repair tech do any diagnostic testing? "He didn't have another explanation." is not acceptable without a full examination of the problem.
If you are still under warranty and/or have AppleCare, call them. Tell them exactly what you stated in your postings, including the AS repair tech response. Let them deal w/it.
I think you response babyboomer might have been directed at Jess812 but don't have a warranty anymore. I also live in a rural part of Peru because I'm a volunteer here so the nearest apple store is like 24hours away. I am really hoping to find a soluntion I can practice on my own.
stevensmena wrote:
I think you response babyboomer might have been directed at Jess812 but don't have a warranty anymore.
You're right! Sorry about that.
I also live in a rural part of Peru because I'm a volunteer here so the nearest apple store is like 24hours away. I am really hoping to find a soluntion I can practice on my own.
For DIY instructions, suggest that you check out iFixit and YouTube's “How To” tutorials if Apple's KB Articles are not helpful.
Since you are in a rural area, check to see if there are any User Groups in Peru that can help you.
I'm having the same problem. Started a few days ago and now it's making the machine unusable. PRAM only worked for about 10 minutes.
I had the same problem and it traced to the Thunderbolt to LAN dongle. When I unplug the cat 5 cable from the dongle the problem goes away, of course then I don't have a wired LAN connection.
Linc, a pretty credible user who helped me out before, posted this on another thread I having going about this same problem. None of these things worked for me, but they might work for some of you.
There are several possible causes for this issue. Take each of the following steps until it's resolved.
1. Follow the instructions in this support article.
2. Boot 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 reboot as usual, stop here and post your results. If you can't boot in safe mode, do the same. If you booted in safe mode and there was no change, go on to the next step.
3. Reset the System Management Controller.
4. If you're using a Bluetooth trackpad, investigate potential sources of interference, including USB 3 devices.
5. A swollen battery in a MacBook Pro or Air 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.
6. There's a report that a (possibly defective) Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter can cause the built in trackpad of a MacBook to behave erratically. If you're using such an adapter, disconnect it and test.
7. There's also a report of erratic cursor movements caused by an external display that was connected but not turned on.
8. If none of the above applies, or if you have another reason to think 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.
9. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.
the issue seems to go away for me when I boot in safe mode. None of the other things on the list do anything.
Now what does that mean?
I'm not entirely sure Imwood1 but I think it means your lucky because there might be an easy solution to your problem. I think what happens during safemode is that all third party programs are deactivated. Since your mouse does not act up in safe mode, I would guess that a third party program that can probably be delated or reintalled is causing the problem. Someone with more knowledge them me can tell you how to identify which program is causing the cursor to move erratically. Sadly, I still do not have a solution to my erratic cursor.
My erratic cursor went away when I booted up in safe mode, too.
This is what I did:
Restarted normally, opened the console (under Utilities, in the Applications folder) and checked what other programs might be running. What I found was a repeating message, "throttling respawn: will restart in 10 seconds." When I Googled, I found this helpful article: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57337034-263/investigating-a-throttling-res pawn-error-in-the-os-x-console/
I deleted the program that was causing the issue and have not had any problems so far since. Success! (So far, at least.)
The troublesome program actually turned out to be from an old wireless adapter... I used it for about 2 weeks last summer while traveling internationally and haven't touched it since. I would never have thought that was causing a problem, because I forgot all about ever having used it at all!
I did see the earlier suggestion about third party adapters, and stupidly said I wasn't using one– forgetting that I did use that wireless adapter at one point. Apparently the program was still on my computer, a whole year later, just waiting to rear its ugly head.
Anyways. I hope the issue is now resolved. Best of luck to everyone.
I originally reported that removing the wired LAN connection fixed the problem with my trackpad. Recently I have discovered that the problem is due to RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and doesn't require a wired connection.
I have two Mac Books on my desk and plugging the wired LAN into the Mac Book that DOESN'T HAVE the trackpad problem and that caused the problem to come back on the other Mac Book. The only explanation of this is that the second Mac Book is acting like an antenna and is broadcasting the interference to the trackpad of the first Mac Book.
Since the source of RFI for others with the trackpad problem may be different I recommend moving the computer to a another location away from close proximity to WIFI, cell phones, radios and other sources of RF. You might also remove the power connection since this can provide a conduction path for RFI. If the problem goes away under these conditions then the fault is with the Apple design and your only course of action is to avoid sources of RFI. Additionally you might put a ferrite choke on your power connection to discourage RF from using that path.
I had this same problem. I have a Late 2011 MBP with 8gb ram and two drives under the hood. Standard 500gb, and replaced the superdrive with a 1tb drive. I recently installed El Capitan, and when my curser started going crazy, I had to wonder if it was a result of the first release of the OS (we all know how great first releases are).
I then removed my battery, (save the warranty comments, it's a 2011 MBP..) and cleaned the underside of the trackpad, as well as applied some pressure from underneath to even out the constant clicks. After putting everything back together, and restarting, the curser was still going crazy, and since it was stuck on the boot screen, i decided to reinstall the OS.
After installing the latest OS, my curser is working correctly, and my computer is actually working better overall.
I can't say definitively what the cause of the phantom curser was, but I have a feeling it was the first release of El Capitan. So my recommendation is to make sure you have you files backed up, and just reinstall, or update your computer.
Hope that helps a little.
I fixed my phantom cursor for a short while by reseting my PRAM but now it's erratic again.
