Strange intermittent problem with macbook pro

Hey there ppl,


So, i have a Macbook Pro (retina, 15 inch mid 2014), 2.2 GHz i7 processor, 16gb memory. Running OS X El Capitan.


My problem is a strange one because it only happens intermittently. Id say like 10-15% of the time. But its very frustrating and annoying when it does and because i work on my computer (poker) it is also costing me. Anyways, the problem usually arises after ive been using the computer for 1.5-3hours or so. Usually ill be playing poker online, listening to spotify, and using the internet for random stuff. Everything will be fine, then suddenly ill notice that my mouse cursor will suddenly shoot across the screen occasionally. like ill be going right with the cursor but itll jump to the left a couple inches or so. Also ill notice that some of my "clicks" wont register, so ill be using the calculator for instance and ill want to press 543, and maybe the 5 registers but then when i go to click the 4 it doesnt, and ill have to like wait for a sec and click again for it to register the click.


Additionally, if im typing something, like in poker i sometimes take note of the way an opponent played a hand or whatever, a letter or a spacebar press wont register, so ill be typing a sentence and the spacebar wont register and ill have to press it a couple times, and then a letter wont register, etc. Its very disorienting and makes it hard to continue on the task im doing because it doesnt run smoothly anymore because of the lags, non registers, mouse jumping, etc.


Im really unsure of whats the root of the problem and what it is. Ive run the malware bytes anti malware but that hasnt fixed the problem. Generally when this happens ill try restarting the computer, or shutting down and turning back on but usually the problem persists. Then, after some time, maybe 20-45 minutes or so, when i try using the computer it works totally normally with none of these problems.


Very bizzare. Any help or insight is much appreciated, let me know if you need any more information


Brandon

Posted on Jul 17, 2016 3:37 AM

Reply
3 replies

Jul 18, 2016 2:39 PM in response to brandonfrommililani

Good Afternoon brandonfrommililani,

Thanks for letting us know about the issue you are having with your cursor jumping erratically across the screen of your MacBook Pro. The resource below provides some initial troubleshooting steps you can try to address this. I'm assuming you are working with the trackpad on your MacBook Pro. In addition to the steps suggested below, try connecting a wired mouse to your computer to help in ruling out wireless interference.


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


Best,

Jul 19, 2016 11:55 PM in response to brandonfrommililani

Hi brandonfrommililani,

Thanks for clarifying that you are using a wired mouse instead of the internal trackpad to control your cursor. We still need to isolate if the issue is with your mouse or your internet connection or if it is software related. So first, I'd suggest disconnecting the wired mouse and try using a different mouse or the trackpad on your MacBook Pro for a day or two and see what happens. If you try a different mouse, make sure the mouse and the surface beneath it are clean. You can also reset the SMC and the NVRAM, and try working in Safe Mode to see if issue persists. Check to see if the erratic behaviour of cursor is happening only when you are on the internet, or if it also happens in other applications.


To address the sluggishness, check the Activity Monitor to see what applications are using your CPU and Memory. Make sure your computer is backed up via Time Machine, and try working in a new user account to see if the issues persist in that account. The resources below will provide some more information regarding these troubleshooting steps.


Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac


How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac


Try safe mode if your Mac doesn‘t finish starting up


Use Activity Monitor on your Mac


How to test an issueinanother user account on your Mac


Hope that helps ....

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Strange intermittent problem with macbook pro

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.