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]

Hello Stephan, It sounds like you are experiencing a frustrating issue with your laptop's touchpad. The symptoms you've described, where the touchpad initially works but then becomes unresponsive or erratic after some time, can be indicative of a hardware problem, but before jumping to that conclusion, there are a few troubleshooting steps we can take: 1. Update Touchpad Drivers: - Ensure that your touchpad drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can sometimes cause issues with touchpad functionality. 2. Check for Hardware Issues: - Test the touchpad in a different operating system if possible. This can help determine if the issue is software-related. - Clean the touchpad surface gently with a soft cloth. Dirt or grime can sometimes cause erratic behavior. 3. Disable Touchpad Settings: - Since you've already tried disabling various touchpad settings without success, try resetting all touchpad settings to default. 4. Check Power Settings: - Sometimes power settings can affect touchpad behavior. Go to your power settings and make sure they are not affecting the touchpad's operation. 5. Run Hardware Diagnostics: - Most laptops have built-in diagnostics tools. You can run these to check for any hardware issues affecting the touchpad. 6. BIOS Update: - Check if there are any BIOS updates available for your laptop. Sometimes BIOS updates can address hardware-related issues. If after trying these steps the issue persists, it's likely that there is a hardware problem with the touchpad itself. In that case, you may need to contact the laptop manufacturer for further assistance or consider taking it to a repair shop for evaluation. If you need any assistance with these steps or further guidance, feel free to provide more details about your laptop model, and I'll be happy to help you troubleshoot further.