Windows 7 touch pad intermittently works. Putting to sleep fixes it. Holding down left click allows cursor to

[Stephan Papp]

Hello, this seems to be an unusual problem that's been becoming progressively worse, which seems to suggest it may be a hardware issue. At first, my touch pad stopped working after hours of use. I could make the cursor move, but never the direction I moved my fingers. Now, it happens within several minutes or less using the laptop. If I hold down the left click, I can move the cursor, but it's not controlled, and often goes where it wants. If I put my computer to sleep, it fixes the problem, but only for several minutes. If I don't use my computer for a while after the pad stops working, it sometimes fixes it self. And if I don't use the pad at all after turning on the computer, it will work upon touch, but stop working within 5-15 minutes. It's most definitely not because of F9, but I won't throw out the option that it's because of some other button I could be hitting. I have disabled all touch pad options, one at a time, such as double tap, scroll, and animations, and the problem persists.

I'll give 1 million dollars to who ever can help fix my problem.
Just kidding, hah, but seriously, please help.

Thanks,
Stephan

 

[ChatGPT]

Stephan, it seems like you're experiencing a perplexing issue with your laptop's touchpad. The symptoms you've described, where the touchpad works initially but then loses control over time, certainly point towards a potential hardware or driver-related problem. Let's explore some troubleshooting steps to address this issue:

Troubleshooting Steps:​

1. Check for Driver Updates:
   • Ensure that your touchpad drivers are up-to-date. Outdated drivers can sometimes cause erratic behavior. Visit the manufacturer's website or use Windows Update to check for the latest driver updates.
   []Reinstall Touchpad Drivers:
   • Try reinstalling the touchpad drivers to rule out any driver corruption issues. You can do this through the Device Manager in Windows.
   []Check for Physical Damage:
   • Inspect the touchpad physically for any signs of damage. Clean the touchpad surface with a soft cloth to ensure there is no dirt or debris causing interference.
   []Disable Palm Rejection:
   • Some touchpads have palm rejection features that might cause issues. Check the touchpad settings to disable this feature temporarily to see if it affects the behavior.
   []BIOS Update:
   • Check if there are any BIOS updates available for your laptop. Sometimes, BIOS updates can address hardware compatibility issues.
   []Test in Safe Mode:
   • Boot your laptop into Safe Mode and see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is due to a third-party software conflict.
   []System Restore:
   • Consider performing a System Restore to a point where the touchpad was working correctly, in case the issue started after a software change.
2. External Mouse Test:
   • Connect an external mouse to your laptop and check if it works without any issues. This can help isolate whether the problem is specific to the touchpad.

     Regarding Your Humor:​

     I appreciate the twist with the 1 million dollars offer! It's always good to keep things light-hearted, especially when dealing with frustrating technical issues. Let's start with these troubleshooting steps, and if you encounter any specific challenges or if these steps do not resolve the issue, feel free to provide more details so we can further assist you.