M1530: I'm typing and all of a sudden the cursor jumps UP and I'm typing over old stuff

When I'm typing REAL FAST in a thread in this forum or on MS Word, every now and then my cursor jumps UPWARD and I find myself typing over previously-typed stuff.

Am I accidentally touching something, like the touchpad or the ctrl key or function key? Is there some special ctrl/function that will make the cursor jump upward?

Is it some kind of malfunction?

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

You're probably just nudging the touchpad a little bit. It also could be that you hit the "home" button.

 

You're 99.9% definitely touching the touchpad. Try not to.

 

u can set the mousepad to ignore palm senses over a certain threshold

 

Control Panel > Mouse > click on image on the Dell Touchpad (tab)
then on the Dell Touchpad controls:
Device Settings > "Disable TouchPad / Pointing Stick when external USB mouse is present"

(the downside of the equivalent setting on my work D610 is that when my Bluetooth mouse's batteries run flat I lose the ability to control the computer except by keyboard shortcuts... though that is just enough to get to the control panel and change the option)

 

I'm not so sure it's the touchpad. Only jumps when my left hand strikes a key sometimes. Never when the right hand.

Dell sent me a 2nd identical computer (because I reported the monitor grainyness issue) and the new computer doesn't jump. Comparing the 2 computers, I've noticed that the old computer's keyboard has loose Tab and Caps Lock keys on the left hand side. Very odd.

Another reason I don't think it's the touchpad is because even if the cursor is jumping around, it won't influence typing unless you hit the left select button. In addition, I could have sworn while writing this very post just a moment ago that the cursor stayed exactly where it was before down in the lower right-hand side when the typing jumped up to the upper left!

I'm going to continue to observe the problem and report back later.

 

Confirmed! I was just typing a response in another thread on this forum when the typing jumped up again. The cursor was down in the lower right and didn't move a bit. So it can't be the touchpad.

It's got to be the keyboard.

I really would like to hear from others who have experienced this sort of jumping.

 

Happens to me too occasionally, but it's definitely because of the touchpad. Just because of the way I type my left thumb is hovering above the touchpad, the right one doesn't though.

 

Hey, this hasn't happened to me and my 1530 ever ...its odd that this happening to you ...sorr's...no worries theres a solution to everything!

It doesnt sound like the touchpad......

Now, we just have to help you find it!




Cin.

 

I used to have this problem and I know exactly what you're talking about.

This problem started happening when I disabled the AlpsTouchpad driver from starting up when I boot up my laptop. I had to enable it again and go into the options to disable the touchpad whenver my mouse is connected. It seemed to have fixed the problem.

 

But even though your left thumb brushed the touchpad and caused the cursor to jump, you still have to "activate" the cursor to "insert typing" by pressing the left select button under the touchpad. Otherwise, it's not the touchpad that's causing the problem.

 

Thanks, cin and dellynelly. Dell tech support said they can guide me on the phone on swapping the keyboards. The new computer's keyboard doesn't have the wobbly Tab and Caps Lock keys, but right now I'm not convinced it's those 2 keys causing the problem (BTW, the last post and this one, while typing, the problem has happened 6 times!!!). This is because, while it's ALWAYS with the left hand, it varies with which key I'm hitting. Sometimes I'm way over to the right side hitting the "T" key during which I'm absolutely certain my left pinky did not hit the Tab or Caps Lock.

I think I'll swap out the keyboards and see if the problem persists. If it does, I'll play with the touchpad driver like dellynelly indicated.

 

I'm glad you called! Hopefully this will work out for you!
Let me know what happens!

Cin!

 

Not sure what you mean by 'activating'. Single-click (or touch) repositions the cursor where it's pointing at the moment (and I don't have the touchpad driver installed BTW). Have you tried covering the touchpad with something (like a piece of paper/cardboard) for the sake of experiment? Although in your case if it happens this often, it doesn't sound like the touchpad and I can't imagine the keyboard making it jump all over the place either. Hmmm...

 

Wow, you're totally right. I had thought you have to touch the pad twice but a single touch will re-insert the cursor.

BUT STILL sometimes the re-insert point isn't where the cursor is.

Ok, so the touchpad hypothesis is back in play. I'll have to investigate further by using the new computer to type messages on this forum for a while. Even if the new computer doesn't do it, it could still be the touchpad driver on the old computer.

 

Ok, i have just typed several posts with the new computer and not a single hitch. So now I'm ready to swap keyboards, since I think I'm going to keep my old computer.

Only problem is the new keyboard is noisier. Spring apparatus must be different. Apparently there is more than one keyboard manufacturer for Dell keyboards? Does anyone know for sure?

 

That's a good thing that you are having no probs on the new computer, now with the typing!!!

Now, to finding the other info' you are looking for


Cin

 

Yeah this is becoming quite a project/chore. Why can't things just be like when I got my beautiful little XPS M1210?

 

Exactly! And, it still shouldn't have to be a chore for you at this time of the early morning, (not to sure where you are) LOL

Yes! The M1210's were very sweet little lappys! I have a friend that has one in his *mass* collection of *lappy toys* per se...ah LOL


Cin

 

I'm in Los Angeles and it is very late in the morning right now.

Just discovered why the old keyboard makes less noise. Its baseboard is more solid and doesn't bend down AT ALL when I put pressure, not even right down the center. On the other hand, the new keyboard bends downward, even out on the left and right edges.

The old keyboard has a muted thud, which I really like, even when I'm typing very fast and hitting the keys hard. I think I'm just going to ask Dell to send me a keyboard WITH A STIFF OR BEEFIER BASE so I can install it myself. Complications complications...

BTW, I've been on the old computer for last 2 posts and there has been no jumping around. Several hours separate now from previously when the typing was jumping upward like crazy for several posts. What happened in between that time? Is this evidence supporting the touchpad driver hunch?

 

Thanks everyone for your help. Dell tech support uninstalled and reinstalled the touchpad driver and everything is fine now. No jumping around. So apparently it WAS the touchpad driver and not the keyboard or the loose left Tab and Caps Lock keys.

I'm thinking about just keeping the old keyboard (along with the old computer) and living with the "loose" left Tab and Caps Lock keys. It has a real solid baseboard that mutes key presses, which I like.

Since I was able to compare 2 M1530's side by side for a week with different manufacturers of certain components (e.g., DVD drive) and other differences in build quality, I'm going to start another thread about my observations that I think might help potential owners.

 

Yeah I got da same BS problem. I also hav an M1530 and dammit I cant even finish dis sentence. Its brand new - just got it 2 months ago. Problem got worse every 2 weeks. Cant even type n word nymore without completing a full sentence. Its a bitc$ just typing dis shi$. And 4 those of u who dont hav an M1530, IM NOT TOUCHING THE TOUCHPAD OR PRESSING THE HOME BUTTON. One second nothings wrong, and the next im typing a new webpage. Dis problem messed me up at da worst times too. Felt like throwing dis notebook against da wall.

-Desperately need help!!!!!!

 

Yeah I got da same BS problem. I also hav an M1530 and dammit I cant even finish dis sentence. Its brand new - just got it 2 months ago. Problem got worse every 2 weeks. Cant even type n word nymore without completing a full sentence. Its a bitc$ just typing dis shi$. And 4 those of u who dont hav an M1530, IM NOT TOUCHING THE TOUCHPAD OR PRESSING THE HOME BUTTON. One second nothings wrong, and the next im typing a new webpage. Dis problem messed me up at da worst times too. Felt like throwing dis notebook against da wall.

-Desperately need help!!!!!!

 

Yeah I got da same BS problem. I also hav an M1530 and dammit I cant even finish dis sentence. Its brand new - just got it 2 months ago. Problem got worse every 2 weeks. Cant even type n word nymore without completing a full sentence. Its a bitc$ just typing dis shi$. And 4 those of u who dont hav an M1530, IM NOT TOUCHING THE TOUCHPAD OR PRESSING THE HOME BUTTON. One second nothings wrong, and the next im typing a new webpage. Dis problem messed me up at da worst times too. Felt like throwing dis notebook against da wall.

-Desperately need help!!!!!!

 

do the same thing. unistal and reinstall the touchpad drivers