Stoidy
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: Cursor with touchpad gets "woozy" hard to control

I recently went back to using my Mac Pro 2009 after mostly using a Macbook for the last two years. I upgraded to El Capitan first, and I decided to start a new account because I have been migrating the same account for 20 years. So everything is pretty fresh for the most part.

 

I had been using a magic touch pad with the MacBook Pro because I hated the laptops own touchpad. Having grown accustomed to using the touch pad I decided to use it with the Mac Pro. The same touchpad I've been using for the past two years.

 

Here's the problem: I have not yet identified what triggers it but what happens is that the cursor Will frequently and suddenly become what I can only describe as"woozy", And I hope that makes sense. It becomes sluggish and its response and tends to overcompensate sometimes I have to be very careful and precise and slow in my motions when it gets like that because if I use my hands the way I normally would the cursor will overshoot.

 

It doesn't do this for extended periods of time but it does do it frequently. And it's driving me a little bit nuts. Any ideas?

Mac Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 8 core 2.26 2009

Posted on Sep 23, 2016 9:16 PM

by John Galt,Apple recommended
John Galt John Galt
Level 8 (49,461 points)
Mac OS X
A:

Please consider the following suggestions.

 

  1. Please read If your pointer is jumpy when you use a trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse - Apple Support.
  2. Click the Bluetooth icon in your Mac's menu bar and select Open Bluetooth Preferences...
    • If an unknown input device appears in its Devices list, un-pair it by clicking the x adjacent to it.
  3. The following may also help isolate the problem. Please refer to OS X El Capitan: Mouse & Trackpad pane of Accessibility preferences.
    • If you have a suitable USB or other mouse, try it in an effort to isolate the problem. Any USB mouse will suffice.
    • To ignore trackpad input while using the mouse, choose (Apple menu) > System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad. Select Ignore built-in trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present.
    • Determine if that setting changes the behaviour you have been experiencing.
  4. Anecdotal reports suggest restarting your Mac in "Safe Mode", letting it start up, followed by logging in, then restarting your Mac normally may fix jumpy or unresponsive cursor movement. I have not been able to confirm that, but try it if you wish: Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support.
    • "Safe Mode" itself isn't intended for normal use, but you might as well determine if the cursor behavior changes while operating in that mode, or not.

Posted on Sep 27, 2016 11:38 AM

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Stoidy

Q: Cursor with touchpad gets "woozy" hard to control

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Stoidy,

    Stoidy Stoidy Sep 27, 2016 8:51 AM in response to Stoidy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 8:51 AM in response to Stoidy

    Really?  No one has an answer here?  I'm going crazy... and now my stylus has died, so I'm forced to use the touchpad! (I can't use a mouse because of repetitive stress injury)

     

    If anyone has any ideas, please share!

  • by lllaass,Helpful

    lllaass lllaass Sep 27, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Stoidy
    Level 10 (189,350 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Stoidy

    Try another trackpad. I had to take my Apple trackpad apport and do some adjustments but those were for clicking.

    Problem could be due interference since BT operates on the 2.4 GHz band and there are many sources of interference

    Potential sources of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interference - Apple Support

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,Helpful

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Sep 27, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Stoidy
    Level 9 (61,053 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Stoidy

    Smooth tracking on any pointing device requires "spare" CPU cycles to handle the interrupts form the device in a timely way. If your CPU cycles are used up doing other "busywork", your tracking may be off. Activity Monitor can help you find out what is using the most CPU.

     

    The other possibility is that other devices are interfering with the transmissions from the wireless mouse. USB-3 in particular is known for this. make sure you do not have loops of USB cable piled near the computer, because they will act as excellent radiators of the USB-3 signals. Messy and disorganized is better.

  • by John Galt,Apple recommended

    John Galt John Galt Sep 27, 2016 11:38 AM in response to Stoidy
    Level 8 (49,461 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 27, 2016 11:38 AM in response to Stoidy

    Please consider the following suggestions.

     

    1. Please read If your pointer is jumpy when you use a trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse - Apple Support.
    2. Click the Bluetooth icon in your Mac's menu bar and select Open Bluetooth Preferences...
      • If an unknown input device appears in its Devices list, un-pair it by clicking the x adjacent to it.
    3. The following may also help isolate the problem. Please refer to OS X El Capitan: Mouse & Trackpad pane of Accessibility preferences.
      • If you have a suitable USB or other mouse, try it in an effort to isolate the problem. Any USB mouse will suffice.
      • To ignore trackpad input while using the mouse, choose (Apple menu) > System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad. Select Ignore built-in trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present.
      • Determine if that setting changes the behaviour you have been experiencing.
    4. Anecdotal reports suggest restarting your Mac in "Safe Mode", letting it start up, followed by logging in, then restarting your Mac normally may fix jumpy or unresponsive cursor movement. I have not been able to confirm that, but try it if you wish: Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support.
      • "Safe Mode" itself isn't intended for normal use, but you might as well determine if the cursor behavior changes while operating in that mode, or not.

  • by Stoidy,

    Stoidy Stoidy Sep 27, 2016 9:49 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 27, 2016 9:49 PM in response to John Galt

    Thank you all for your thoughts...

     

    I was using the trackpad with a MacBook Pro for two years, so I am skeptical that the pad itself is the problem or that it is interference... I was also using a Bluetooth keyboard because the Macbook keyboard had a bad spacebar.

     

    I will look into all the suggestions, though - in the meantime, Air Keyboard, which includes a trackpad, works perfectly, so I'm using that most of time...(and how weird is that, that an emulation app is more responsive and effective than a genuine trackpad?)