insertion point moving

[Guest]

i'm working in ms word but it is even doing it while typing this. the
insertion point jumps to another part of the document i'm typing for no
apparent reason(there doesn't appear to be any consistancy to the keystrokes
used. it just happened between key and strokes and between use and d.
sometimes the cursor disapears from the document and i have to use the mouse
to reset the insert point.
also just tried to type the question in wordpad. the insert point jumps
there as well.

what is going on?

Thanks for any help
Jim

 

[David Candy]

Sound dictation is probably on.

 

[Guest]

It could be a faulty mouse. Try swapping it out and see if that corrects the
problem.

 

[dougkerr1939]

i'm working in ms word but it is even doing it while typing this. the
insertion point jumps to another part of the document i'm typing for no
apparent reason(there doesn't appear to be any consistancy to the keystrokes
used. it just happened between key and strokes and between use and d.
sometimes the cursor disapears from the document and i have to use the mouse
to reset the insert point.
also just tried to type the question in wordpad. the insert point jumps
there as well.

what is going on?

Thanks for any help
Jim

 

[dougkerr1939]

i'm working in ms word but it is even doing it while typing this. the
insertion point jumps to another part of the document i'm typing for no
apparent reason(there doesn't appear to be any consistancy to the keystrokes
used. it just happened between key and strokes and between use and d.
sometimes the cursor disapears from the document and i have to use the mouse
to reset the insert point.
also just tried to type the question in wordpad. the insert point jumps
there as well.

what is going on?

Thanks for any help
Jim

 

[dougkerr1939]

I have the same problem. While typing In Notepad, and e-mail or MS Word
(Office 2002), on a random basis, the insertion point skips forward or back.
I look up to check for typos and , sometimes, I see that the phrase I just
typed is not where it should be, but back in the middle of a previous
sentence or moved forward somewhere. Also, more rarely, a small piece of text
that I have just typed will disappear.
I'm running MS Vista, Business, 32 bit, on my Dell Inspiron 6400
laptop, and using the machine now to type this message.
I have spoken with half a dozen Dell techs. They are stumped. One
reinstalled the drivers for my touchpad. The other took control remotely and
removed recently installed software, Window Washer (Webroot). Another ran
diagnistic tests on the hardware. There were errors while checking the hard
drive and it will have to be replaced. Dell techs say that a new hard drive
will not fix the problem of the skipping insertion point.
What is the problem and solution? Will the impending release of the
update to Vista fix this?
I'd be very grateful for any help. Thank you.
Doug Kerr

 

[Elmo]

I have the same problem. While typing In Notepad, and e-mail or MS Word
(Office 2002), on a random basis, the insertion point skips forward or back.
I look up to check for typos and, sometimes, I see that the phrase I just
typed is not where it should be, but back in the middle of a previous
sentence or moved forward somewhere. Also, more rarely, a small piece of text
that I have just typed will disappear.
I'm running MS Vista, Business, 32 bit, on my Dell Inspiron 6400
laptop, and using the machine now to type this message.
I have spoken with half a dozen Dell techs. They are stumped. One
reinstalled the drivers for my touchpad. The other took control remotely and
removed recently installed software, Window Washer (Webroot). Another ran
diagnostic tests on the hardware. There were errors while checking the hard
drive and it will have to be replaced. Dell techs say that a new hard drive
will not fix the problem of the skipping insertion point.
What is the problem and solution? Will the impending release of the
update to Vista fix this?
I'd be very grateful for any help. Thank you.
Doug Kerr

Disable the touchpad. I believe the tapping of the keys on the
keyboard, or your shirt sleeve tapping it, causes the membrane to
vibrate and this action is seen as tapping on the touchpad. That moves
the pointer/cursor to the position "seen" by the touchpad.

 

[dougkerr1939]

Thanks Elmo,
How would I disable the touchpad? How would I then be
able to function without it?

Doug Kerr

 

[Elmo]

Thanks Elmo,
How would I disable the touchpad? How would I then be
able to function without it?

Doug Kerr

If you don't have a mouse, you need to look at the touchpad settings,
probably in the Control Panel, or the Start Menu. I did see a new
laptop with Fn keys for the touchpad. But you need to turn off the tap
option where you tap to select; use the buttons below the touchpad for
click and alternate-click.

The closest I could find:

"2. Adjust the sensitivity of the touch pad:."
http://support.dell.com/support/top...B6E8A424414ABF288DECAF1A8696&doclang=en&cs=#1

"..is there any way in the world to turn off the touchpad.."
(This might have an option to disable just the tapping to select.)
http://www.dellcommunity.com/suppor...general&message.id=228805&c=us&l=en&cs=&s=gen

This one suggests you can adjust the sensitivity:
http://www.dellcommunity.com/suppor...general&message.id=245678&c=us&l=en&cs=&s=gen

Continue the search here:

http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&cs=&k=disable+touchpad+6400&cat=sup

Good luck.

 

[Elmo]

Thanks Elmo,
How would I disable the touchpad? How would I then be
able to function without it?

Doug Kerr

Temporarily using a mouse and disabling the touchpad would verify
whether that's the cause of the cursor jumping. Looking at the 994
queries in that search reaffirms my suspicion that it's caused by the
touchpad.

 

[dougkerr1939]

Elmo,

Thanks again. It may be a while before I can go through all the options
you have suggested. When I do, I'll get back to you with the results.

Doug Kerr
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[dougkerr1939]

I don't know if I'm replying to Elmo or Jo, but thanks.

What search are you referring to and where was it made?
What are 994 queries? I'm a computer novice.

Thanks,

Doug Kerr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Elmo]

Temporarily using a mouse and disabling the touchpad would verify
whether that's the cause of the cursor jumping. Looking at the 994
queries in that search reaffirms my suspicion that it's caused by the
touchpad.

Sorry, I was referring to the search at Dell Support. It was meant as a
continuation of my other post. Many of the posts in the following
search results are for the same symptom you have.

http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&cs=&k=disable+touchpad+6400&cat=sup

 

[windmap]

Boot to safemode.Open Microsoft word type some words.If Cursor skipping
occurs.OPen MSCONFIG disable all startup items.Uninstall all newly installed
programs.Also do a system restore to nearest Working point.This should solve
your problems.