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User profile for user: rosey0
rosey0 Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

What causes cursor functions to change?

These occurred suddenly on every application, and with track pad (default for me) and mouse. Here are the sequences and issues. I was typing an email and the cursor hover function activated on the edit bar causing a text selection and deletion that I did not want; this is not the norm. As I continued to navigate web pages and word documents, this continued. I checked other applications with same results. Then the cursor arrow became sluggish and jittery, making it impossible to use the track pad. I plugged in and used a mouse. The hover issue still occurred on everything. I checked the track pad settings, and did not find an option for hover function. I shut down the computer and then ran disk utility. I repaired verifications and disk when that option was available. Still no joy. I shut it down again. No change. Any ideas on what might have caused these issues and how to resolve them? Thanks.

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), mid 2012

Posted on Jan 23, 2015 11:18 AM

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
141,162 points

Posted on Jan 23, 2015 12:04 PM

  1. Portables and Magic Trackpad: Jumpy or erratic trackpad operation
  2. Troubleshooting unresponsive trackpad issues
  3. Check for the presence of other Bluetooth devices, previously paired with your MacBook Pro, that you may have forgotten about.
  4. Check your battery's condition. An aging battery can fail in a manner causing it to swell, exerting pressure on the trackpad from underneath.
  5. Reset the NVRAM:


NVRAM reset:


  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
  3. Turn on the computer.
  4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
  5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
  6. Release the keys.


After resetting NVRAM or PRAM, you may need to reconfigure your settings for speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone information. If issues persist, your Mac's logic board battery (not a portable Mac's rechargeable battery) may need to be replaced. The logic board battery helps retain NVRAM/PRAM settings when your computer is shut down. You can take your Mac to a Mac Genius or Apple Authorized Service Provider to replace the battery on the logic board.

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
141,162 points

Jan 23, 2015 12:04 PM in response to rosey0

  1. Portables and Magic Trackpad: Jumpy or erratic trackpad operation
  2. Troubleshooting unresponsive trackpad issues
  3. Check for the presence of other Bluetooth devices, previously paired with your MacBook Pro, that you may have forgotten about.
  4. Check your battery's condition. An aging battery can fail in a manner causing it to swell, exerting pressure on the trackpad from underneath.
  5. Reset the NVRAM:


NVRAM reset:


  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
  3. Turn on the computer.
  4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
  5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
  6. Release the keys.


After resetting NVRAM or PRAM, you may need to reconfigure your settings for speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone information. If issues persist, your Mac's logic board battery (not a portable Mac's rechargeable battery) may need to be replaced. The logic board battery helps retain NVRAM/PRAM settings when your computer is shut down. You can take your Mac to a Mac Genius or Apple Authorized Service Provider to replace the battery on the logic board.

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User profile for user: rosey0
rosey0 Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

Jan 23, 2015 2:17 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks for all that. I checked and did everything to no avail. And now the issues are worse no matter whether I'm using pad or mouse. Now, in addition to the previous, the cursor jumps around and selects whatever arbitrarily including other pages or programs that aren't even open! I think my laptop is possessed.

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
141,162 points

Jan 23, 2015 2:52 PM in response to rosey0

I think my laptop is possessed.

It wouldn't be the first time.


Here are some additional suggestions relevant to that complaint. They are in no particular order, but if any one of them results in any change, stop there and describe it.


Be very certain to rule out a swollen battery since that condition will eventually result in damage if it's left unaddressed.


  • If the mouse you tried is USB (since you wrote that you "plugged it in" I assume it is) try completely turning off Bluetooth and determine if the erratic action subsides.
  • If it occurs only when the power adapter is plugged in, have it evaluated or replace it with a genuine Apple power adapter.
  • Temporarily disable all network connections (turn off Wi-Fi, disconnect Ethernet) to rule out the possibility of screen sharing.
  • Reset the SMC. Read these instructions and be sure to follow all the steps as written: SMC reset
  • Start the Mac in "Safe Mode" and observe any changes while in that mode. Read below.



  • Safe Mode or "Safe Boot" is a troubleshooting mode that bypasses all third party system extensions and loads only required system components. Read about it: Starting up in Safe Mode
  • You must disable FileVault before you can start your Mac in Safe Mode.
  • Starting your Mac in Safe Mode will take longer than usual, graphics will not render smoothly, audio is disabled on some Macs, and some programs (iTunes for example) may not work at all.
  • Merely starting your Mac in Safe Mode is not intended to resolve the problem, it's to observe its performance without certain additional components.
  • To end Safe Mode restart your Mac normally. Shutdown will take longer as well.



Reply with your observations.

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User profile for user: rosey0
rosey0 Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

Jan 24, 2015 4:37 AM in response to John Galt

Last night, I unplugged power cord and let it run down battery. Today, I doubled checked battery and everything else under there. All looked good. I cleaned the track pad and keyboard thoroughly. I turned it on. Same issues. I double checked Bluetooth and it was off. I also made sure that all devices with Bluetooth were off, too. All peripherals are genuine Apple that came or bought with the laptop at Apple store. I shut down and started in Safe Mode. Track pad functioned normally for the most part with just a bit of jittering in some apps. I shut it down and back on. Track pad issues seem to be fixed! I hope this is permanent 🙂

Many thanks for all your suggestions and taking the time to reply.

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What causes cursor functions to change?

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