I have a late 2008 15" Unibody MBP and recently started having a problem. Whenever I restart the computer and get to the login in screen to select an account I can't click anything with the trackpad, either by physically clicking or tapping the track pad. I have to plug in a USB mouse to select the account. Once I log in though the trackpad is fine and I have no problems clicking anything. I've tried taking out the battery in case there was swelling that was pressing on the track pad and I've turned off bluetooth but I still can't get it to click. I also tried booting from the CD that came with it and can't click anything, I had to plug in the usb mouse again to enter disk utility and do a 7 pass erase and clean install of the OS. After the clean install I restarted it and got the welcome screen and the problem still persists, I can't click the continue button to select a language with the trackpad but a USB mouse works fine. Any ideas what could be causing this and how I can fix it?
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Macbook Pro clicking problem
- Thread starter jTreu
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You may need to re-seat the cable for the trackpad (but I doubt that will fix it, at least long term anyway).
Failing that, buy another trackpad part and replace your current one with it.
Check this page for iFixit's price for the part, as well as a guide on how to install it (you can also use the guide for re-seating the cable on your current trackpad too):
http://www.ifixit.com/MacBook-Parts...ibody-Late-2008-Early-2009-Trackpad/IF161-102
If that price is too much for you, grab the Apple Part # from that page and google it to see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere.
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This supports my suggestion that the cable may need to be re-seated (or possibly part of the cable may have a break in it that was "re-connected" by your tightening its screws.)
It'll probably happen again, unless you stop using it for a different reason before then (i.e.: You sell it, or a major part fails on it, preventing you from using the system at all, etc.)
Failing that, buy another trackpad part and replace your current one with it.
Check this page for iFixit's price for the part, as well as a guide on how to install it (you can also use the guide for re-seating the cable on your current trackpad too):
http://www.ifixit.com/MacBook-Parts...ibody-Late-2008-Early-2009-Trackpad/IF161-102
If that price is too much for you, grab the Apple Part # from that page and google it to see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere.
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This supports my suggestion that the cable may need to be re-seated (or possibly part of the cable may have a break in it that was "re-connected" by your tightening its screws.)
It'll probably happen again, unless you stop using it for a different reason before then (i.e.: You sell it, or a major part fails on it, preventing you from using the system at all, etc.)
Thanks for the response, I'll try re-seating it if it starts giving me a problem again.