makimo
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: touchpad and keyboard occasionally go crazy

Hello,

 

I have a MBP i7/2.4, 8gb/256gb ssd, early 2013 (retina 15-inch) with El Capitan (10.11.1). I have recently bought it as an used laptop, although it has not been much used — it was used as a sale item. Obviously, the computer has been cleaned and the system was reinstalled by the seller from whom I bought the computer.

 

I have a problem with a touchpad and (probably) also sometimes the keyboard. It occasionally goes crazy, i.e. I am barely able to control the touchpad (and once it affected keyboard also, particularly the function keys). It is practically identical to the case described here: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/170143/internal-keyboard-touchpad-stopp ed-working-on-macbook-air-early-2014-yosem.

 

In most cases the problem with touchpad began during the use, as it was getting more and more difficult to control the pointer. Sometimes it moved itself, but not freely — only in a vertical move (along the Y axis). However, once it happened, during watching the movie, that the pointer started moving itself and the function keys worked, too, e.g. changing the volume. Besides the movement, system registers incorrect number of touches, which causes the two-point gesture (scroll) to be registered as three-point (switch between apps).

 

When it happens, I am able to return to the good state after one (or sometimes more) restarts, with clearing SMC in between. I haven’t tried to just restart the computer, so I am not sure if clearing SMC is indeed necessary, but there have been cases when even clearing SMC and restart didn’t help; I had to restart the computer once or twice more.

 

I have tried some different solutions that came to mind. First of all, I have found that I have VirtualBox as a user in this thread, too, so I have disabled (unloaded) all the VBox drivers. It helped for about 12 days, but then the problem appeared again.

 

Then I thought that maybe the Bluetooth is a problem, as I have it enabled all the time and often it is connected to my Bluetooth speakers, with which I haven’t had any problems with my previous MBA late '11 nor with iPhone 6 Plus. Now I have sometimes problems, especially when speakers are enabled for a very long time; sometimes there are short yet irritating breaks during playing the films. I had turned off the BT in my MBP completely, yet the problem happened again, after watching some 20-minute movie on YT, using Safari.

 

I am starting to get out of ideas how to fix this problem. One of ideas is to reinstall the whole system, but since it would require me to configure all the stuff I have already installed (and it takes about 8-10 hours), I am trying to use another solution. I will be very thankful for any suggestions/ideas.

 

Best regards and Happy New Year!

Krzysztof

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Dec 31, 2015 5:14 AM

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makimo

Q: touchpad and keyboard occasionally go crazy

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  • Helpful answers

  • by jeffd55,

    jeffd55 jeffd55 Jan 1, 2016 2:08 PM in response to makimo
    Community Specialists
    Jan 1, 2016 2:08 PM in response to makimo

    Hello makimo,

     

    Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. 

     

    I see that you are having issues with erratic behavior from your trakpad. I would suggest starting with the following article to see what might be going on. I would pay particular attention to the last step, starting  in safe mode, to isolate the issue. 

    If your pointer is jumpy when you use a trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse

     

    Happy New Year

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 1, 2016 2:46 PM in response to makimo
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 2:46 PM in response to makimo

    Did you uninstall Vbox manually or from the install DMG ,which is recommended? Also is there any unusual heat coming from the front of your computer around the trackpad. The battery is just under it. It has been noted that a battery that start to get swollen  can cause erratic trackpad issues.

  • by makimo,

    makimo makimo Jan 1, 2016 3:21 PM in response to jeffd55
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 3:21 PM in response to jeffd55

    Hello,

     

    Yes, I have previously read this article and I can assure you that no issue from the list is a problem (I have previously owned MBA and it didn't have such problems, as well as the Magic Trackpad I use with my Mac Mini). I did started the computer in safe mode and there haven't been any problem, however, as I mentioned, the problem usually goes away even after regular restart and sometimes it takes few days to get it reproduced, so testing in the safe mode for such a long period of time, is not rather possible.

     

    --

    Best regards

  • by makimo,

    makimo makimo Jan 1, 2016 3:25 PM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 3:25 PM in response to my ginger

    Unfortunately, I just removed an app. However, I unloaded the drivers after removing the VBox by kext tools and then, the computer worked fine for the longest period since buying (12 days). Then, the problem returned and after few restarts in next few days, even after unloading the drivers each time after the restart, the problem continued to return.

     

    What I did after writing this post, my one and only clue, is that I removed the .kext subdirectories with the drivers and, after the restart, the drivers have not been loaded. Since then, I noticed no problems, but it has been only two days so far.

     

    I have read about the battery issues, but every time it happens, no weird look of the battery, nor the temperature, has been noted.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 1, 2016 3:41 PM in response to makimo
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 3:41 PM in response to makimo

    As far as the battery, I believe with your computer there are 8 screw holding the back cover on and then the battery can be looked at. But if you have deleted, as you say, more of the Vbox software, you may have solved the problem bye yourself. Only time will tell.

  • by steve359,

    steve359 steve359 Jan 1, 2016 3:45 PM in response to makimo
    Level 6 (14,032 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 3:45 PM in response to makimo

    Old batteries can swell, causing this issue.  But opening the back panel of a Retina system can give Genius Bar cause to deny future warranty service (assuming you bought AppleCare and have warranty left).  But swelling batteries leak bad chemicals as well.

     

    Let the Genius Bar determine the risk of a bad battery, my opinion.

  • by makimo,

    makimo makimo Jan 1, 2016 3:55 PM in response to steve359
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 3:55 PM in response to steve359

    I am not planning to check the battery myself, although I have seen swollen batteries in the past (on my colleagues macbooks) and it does not seem to be the case in this situation.

     

    Please do notice, however, that once the problem touched also the keyboard (and I am 100% sure that it was not due to my interaction, as I was watching the movie with the laptop on my legs and then the effects started to show up with my not touching the computer at all.

  • by steve359,

    steve359 steve359 Jan 1, 2016 3:59 PM in response to makimo
    Level 6 (14,032 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 3:59 PM in response to makimo

    The bottom panel of a MBP is part of the cooling system.  Apple *notebooks* are designed for use on hard-flat surfaces.  Could just be an overheat issue.  Maybe Genius Bar can verify the fans are operating properly.

     

    Good luck.

  • by makimo,

    makimo makimo Jan 1, 2016 4:27 PM in response to steve359
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2016 4:27 PM in response to steve359

    Yes, I realize that, although I rarely use it in described way, I use it mostly on a wooden table and the problem described happens also there. Thanks for the wishes, I hope that it is a driver (software) problem, though .