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Cursor jumps for no reason

grafikat

grafikat

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 5, 2003
781
1
Strange problem since I got my MB back from the apple store (got a new hd). Now, every so often, the cursor will jump to a different part of the screen, often when I'm typing. You can imagine how frustrating that can be!

So, has anyone heard of this problem? (ARG! just happened again!). Was the case put back together wrong? Hiccup with the motherboard?

First gen white Macbook 1.83 with 2 GB, running 10.4.11
 
J

JMD123

macrumors member
Aug 21, 2007
56
0
Are you sure a second finger is not hitting the pad? Also is the pad dry and your finger dry?
 
W

Wireless Buddy

macrumors regular
Jun 8, 2007
199
0
Baltimore, Maryland
grafikat said:
Strange problem since I got my MB back from the apple store (got a new hd). Now, every so often, the cursor will jump to a different part of the screen, often when I'm typing. You can imagine how frustrating that can be!

So, has anyone heard of this problem? (ARG! just happened again!). Was the case put back together wrong? Hiccup with the motherboard?

First gen white Macbook 1.83 with 2 GB, running 10.4.11
Click to expand...

This may sound dumb, but are you sure you aren't resting your finger on the trackpad? I hate trackpad, but when I have to use it, I frequently accidentically put something on the pad and see the mouse jump.
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Mydel said:
Are you wireless?? My cursor does that when airport is scanning or connecting to network. Also when drops connection and try to reconnect
Click to expand...

I get the same problem when I am not connected to a wireless network and AirPort is turned on.
 
CalBoy

CalBoy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2007
7,849
37
My mbp has experienced this problem as well, and it all started after I put Leopard on.

AFAIK, there is no "solution" of sorts, but when it starts jumping around (if you're using a BT or USB mouse) unplug the mouse/turn off BT to make sure that the only input can be the trackpad. I don't know why, but if I wait a while (~30 seconds) and plug my USB mouse back in, it behaves again.

If the problem is with your trackpad, then I don't know what to tell you. I've played with all the speed settings, etc, and nothing has worked. Mine has gotten really bad at times (I'm forced to restart because simply touching the trackpad will launch Spaces/Expose repeatedly and do nothing else).

However, it's been much better since the update for mb/mbp keyboards was released. Download that if you haven't and tell us how it goes. :)
 
grafikat

grafikat

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 5, 2003
781
1
I can assure you this is not due to resting my hand on the trackpad. I've been using this machine for a year, and the phenomenon has only started since I got it back from apple.

I am wireless, but again, this set up is exactly the same as before the MB went out for service. I have not upgraded to Leopard.
 
Mydel

Mydel

macrumors 6502a
Apr 8, 2006
804
664
Sometimes here mostly there
Kilamite said:
I get the same problem when I am not connected to a wireless network and AirPort is turned on.
Click to expand...

Yeah me sometimes too. I guess its something with airport. Maybe drivers. It's giving me some problems in Leopard. But also sometimes as far as I remember it happened in Tiger as well. They messed something up with airport drivers. Lets hope they fix it soon
 
grafikat

grafikat

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 5, 2003
781
1
CalBoy said:
You don't suppose they dropped/messed up something while they were working on it do you? What did it go in for?
Click to expand...

I had gotten the blue screen of death, and it was diagnosed as a bad hard drive, which they replaced.
 
CalBoy

CalBoy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2007
7,849
37
grafikat said:
I had gotten the blue screen of death, and it was diagnosed as a bad hard drive, which they replaced.
Click to expand...

I'm not positive, but (I'm sure someone here will correct me if I'm wrong! :p) isn't the HD located near the trackpad? Suppose the tech dropped something heavy while working and messed up the trackpad?

However, that doesn't really account for your BT troubles. :eek:

Where is MJ? We need his expertise!

Sorry, I'm not being very helpful. :eek:
 
Superdrive

Superdrive

macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2003
772
56
Dallas, Tx
I have had a cursor that jumps in small spurts similar to a second finger being set on the trackpad. The jumping happens when I'm holding in a position or even during the two finger scrolling. I've experienced this on two new MacBooks with Leopard.
 
C

CalPolyMBP

macrumors newbie
Jun 12, 2007
8
0
i seem to have a problem after the latest leopard updates with my mouse cursor becoming jittery after awaking from a long period (3+ hours) of sleep... this is when i'm using my trackpad too...
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
I had this problem (related to AirPort not being connected to WiFi) on Tiger, so it isn't Leopard related.
 
Consultant

Consultant

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,314
34
Happens with 10.4.10.

Have not been using 10.4.11 long enough.

This with a wired mouse. I thought the mouse was dying, but read enough of these posting to know it's not a mouse issue.

We should all submit issue to http://www.apple.com/feedback

Wireless Buddy said:
This may sound dumb, but are you sure you aren't resting your finger on the trackpad? I hate trackpad, but when I have to use it, I frequently accidentically put something on the pad and see the mouse jump.
Click to expand...

The Apple trackpad are designed to ignore accidental inputs such as having the palm rest on / brushing against it. (That's why PC track pads are usually very small).
 
C

colinire

macrumors newbie
Jan 1, 2009
1
0
Cursor Jump on Imac

Hi,

I am using a new iMac 24" 3.06GHz, OSX 10.5.6 and am having exactly the same problem with my cursor jumping around. It's a wired mouse and obviously not being a laptop I don't have a pad to consider as part of the problem. It happens quite unpredicably but when it does I have to move the mouse around a lot to relocate the cursor and I am now suspicious that it actually disappears off the screen completely for a few seconds.

I have reported this bug to Apple.

Any more ideas?
 
M

MBPDiva

macrumors regular
Nov 1, 2008
173
0
on Orion's Belt
grafikat said:
Strange problem since I got my MB back from the apple store (got a new hd). Now, every so often, the cursor will jump to a different part of the screen, often when I'm typing.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a trojan. Maybe someone has hacked into your system and is operating the mouse from a remote location. Try cleaning your MB with a good anti-spyware app. I found a few trojans on my Macbook Pro. Nasty stuff. :cool:
 
C

Circle-5

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2009
1
0
Had the same problem for the past 6 months on my 24" iMac running 10.5. Tried two different wired mice and a wireless -- problem continues. iMac is about a year old and the problem started randomly, not after a Mac OS software upgrade. I can't imagine a virus doing this -- I think it's a hardware failure. The cursor jumps every few minutes without warning, which really cuts productivity when working on graphics. I tried hitting my head against the wall, but that just added several more cursors with the same problem. I don't know what else to do.
 
mcpryon2

mcpryon2

macrumors 6502a
Dec 12, 2008
505
88
I had this problem on my iMac from the first day I got it. This was my nasty refurb iMac, which is another story altogether. Basically, the wired mouse would jump from wherever I was using the pointer all the way to the bottom of the screen. This happened every 5 or 10 minutes, so it made the mouse pretty much unusable.

I purchased a wireless mighty mouse and never saw the problem again. I'm not sure if it was because the wired was optical and didn't like the surface or not. The wireless is laser and I could use it on my pants; I would actually lean back and use it on my leg just fine. So, I would guess it was the mouse itself.

It sounds like a hardware issue. I'd suggest turning down the scrolling sensitivity, if it's too sensitive it will register the rolling of your finger as a continued motion, resulting in a jump to where it thinks it should be. That's where I'd start troubleshooting.
 
P

peapod8

macrumors newbie
Feb 17, 2009
1
0
Circle-5 said:
I tried hitting my head against the wall, but that just added several more cursors with the same problem. I don't know what else to do.
Click to expand...

Hi: I am currently suffering from this problem and I would like to clear things up about it... This phenomenon happens regardless of anything else -- movement of the mouse, settings in the computer's preferences, whether I'm at the computer or not!

I feel very sure it's a virus. Someone (or something -- a bot of some sort) is trying to take control remotely of my cursor. Whoever suggested that is right-on...

Oh, in my case, not only does the cursor-point suddenly leave the window you're working (jumping to the desktop), whether that's something online or within a program.

Also, when you're selected inside of a folder window, all your folder windows close down completely right on their own.

This is a virus or a hacker in my machine. Very worrisome. :eek:

Can anyone suggest virus software? It think it's time for me

I'll take any suggestion --- I don't want to start hitting my head against the wall ... like some people...
 
W

wtttx

macrumors newbie
Jan 25, 2008
1
0
Cursor skips

had the same problem pop up "for no reason" on my imac ... then I got to thinking, what have I added lately ... OnyX! I removed OnyX and I no longer have a cursor skip. Maybe that was it. Maybe not. But so far, no skips or jumping.
 
J

jacval60

macrumors newbie
Apr 25, 2009
3
0
Does anyone know the phone number for Apple?

My curser is jumping around on my macbook pro and I tried trouble shooting but when I open the Mouse control I do not have anything about tracking on there they say to check the box that says about tracking but it is not on my laptop. Now because I have a desktop also and my laptop I only bought 2 months ago and barely registered it today when I go to phone tech support they say I have to pay but they do not have my laptop on there just the desktop I bought in December. They will not give me the phone number I know once I talk to them I can tell them my laptop is not 3 months old. This is dumb even HP lets you talk to them without paying $349.99 for a year. They just charge you to get it fixed. Your help would be appreciated.
 
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