Computer geeks please come here!

Lisa1971
Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
in Chit-Chat
My 'puter is making me crazy! Whenever I type the cursor goes nuts and the letters get all messed up. I can't even type fast because the words get all jumbled up because the cursor keeps skipping all over the screen and inserting letters I've just typed into other words or parts of the sentence where they don't belong.

I have a Dell laptop that is brand new. It's hard to explain but letters that I type will "jump" around and insert themselves in other words. Or my entire screen will just jump and disappear for a second. Weird! It just started doing this! I've never had this problem before. This just took me forever to type because I had to correct it so many times.

Any idea as to what is going on? Thanks so much! I have windows 8 and I hate it!
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Replies

  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Do you have a wireless mouse connected?
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    That happened to me before but it just stopped, I'm not sure what it was and I don't know how it happened. Is the mousepad cleaned off? Once in a while a dog hair or cat hair will get on it and "trigger" it.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Sounds like a mouse issue, as others have said. Or a really odd keyboard issue. Try cleaning the optical lens or using a different mouse.
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
    some computers have a very sensitive tracking pad (just below the space bar) baerly brushing this can cause the curser to jump

    If you are using an external mouse try turning the tracking pad off
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    OOPS it's an ASUS, not a Dell. Duh!
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I will try a different mouse and see what happens! Thanks!
  • LGrill27
    LGrill27 Posts: 337 Member
    I work in I.T. for a school district. A common issue, especially since its a new laptop (not use to typing on it) is that your palm is most likely touching the mouse pad when your typing without you realizing it, thus the letters jumping across the screen. Hope this helps.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    I work in I.T. for a school district. A common issue, especially since its a new laptop (not use to typing on it) is that your palm is most likely touching the mouse pad when your typing without you realizing it, thus the letters jumping across the screen. Hope this helps.

    Yup. This happens to me all the time.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    when you type, does your palm graze the touchpad? I had this happen too. You can go in and adjust your touchpad sensitivity so that it doesn't happen anymore.

    I think... essentially, your palm is touching the pad and it's acting like a mouse.

    **
    ETA:
    whoa I should have waited two more minutes... I could have saved myself some effort! lol
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    "Dell Technical Support. How may I help you?"
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Yup, my best guess is that you're accidentally brushing on the touch pad (or maybe is there a small track ball in the center of they keyboard?)
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    "Dell Technical Support. How may I help you?"


    Sorry, wrong number.. can you google the number for Asus while we're here, though?
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    My 'puter is making me crazy! Whenever I type the cursor goes nuts and the letters get all messed up. I can't even type fast because the words get all jumbled up because the cursor keeps skipping all over the screen and inserting letters I've just typed into other words or parts of the sentence where they don't belong.

    I have a Dell laptop that is brand new. It's hard to explain but letters that I type will "jump" around and insert themselves in other words. Or my entire screen will just jump and disappear for a second. Weird! It just started doing this! I've never had this problem before. This just took me forever to type because I had to correct it so many times.

    Any idea as to what is going on? Thanks so much! I have windows 8 and I hate it!

    I'm sure someone has alrady brought this up, but are you dragging your thumbs across the touchpad as you type? I have that problem sometimes when I get tired and my wrists get droopy.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
    Are you touching the touchpad by accident?
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    when you type, does your palm graze the touchpad? I had this happen too. You can go in and adjust your touchpad sensitivity so that it doesn't happen anymore.

    I think... essentially, your palm is touching the pad and it's acting like a mouse.

    **
    ETA:
    whoa I should have waited two more minutes... I could have saved myself some effort! lol

    How do I adjust the touchpad sensitivity?
  • _Thanatos_
    _Thanatos_ Posts: 166
    I hate laptop touchpads. I usually just turn them off and grab a small USB mouse or something else.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
    when you type, does your palm graze the touchpad? I had this happen too. You can go in and adjust your touchpad sensitivity so that it doesn't happen anymore.

    I think... essentially, your palm is touching the pad and it's acting like a mouse.

    **
    ETA:
    whoa I should have waited two more minutes... I could have saved myself some effort! lol

    How do I adjust the touchpad sensitivity?
    I think it'd be in the control panel under the mouse settings. I believe it's still labelled that way even if you have a touchpad but don't quote me on that.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    when you type, does your palm graze the touchpad? I had this happen too. You can go in and adjust your touchpad sensitivity so that it doesn't happen anymore.

    I think... essentially, your palm is touching the pad and it's acting like a mouse.

    **
    ETA:
    whoa I should have waited two more minutes... I could have saved myself some effort! lol

    How do I adjust the touchpad sensitivity?
    I think it'd be in the control panel under the mouse settings. I believe it's still labelled that way even if you have a touchpad but don't quote me on that.

    you may also have an app icon in the lower right hand of your screen. Looks like a trackpad with two mouse buttons. Right click > Touchpad properties > touchpad settings
  • SylentZee
    SylentZee Posts: 262
    "My 'puter"

    Doctor should be able to clear that up.
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
    I 2nd/3rd (what ever we are up to) the touchpad stuff. I have a wireless mouse I use so I can shut mine off. Mine laptop has a button just above the touchpad that you push to shut it off.
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    Definitely the mouse tracking pad, I do this all the time, too easy to have your hand over the pad. You should be able to put in a wireless/wired mouse and turn off the tracking pad when doing so as a part of the computer settings. Without being at home with my laptop in hand I cannot direct you to the correct place to change these settings but you should be able to google and specify your computer model to get more accurate and helpful results.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Hey. I can't believe nobody has said this yet but it seems like you might be hitting the touch pad when you are typing.
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
    I work in I.T. for a school district. A common issue, especially since its a new laptop (not use to typing on it) is that your palm is most likely touching the mouse pad when your typing without you realizing it, thus the letters jumping across the screen. Hope this helps.

    Yeah, possibly this. It happens to me all the time. If I don't pay attention and keep my palms up, it will put the insertion point in different places.

    If you're going to be typing a lot, you can try hitting the Function key that turns the touchpad off before typing.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Oh hey, reading comprehension fail on my part. I jumped over the "laptop" part.
  • jnichel
    jnichel Posts: 4,553 Member
    I'd help, but I'm wearing this shirt today.....

    will-not-fix.jpg
  • hamstermann
    hamstermann Posts: 58 Member
    got a prankster nearby? Could be something like this: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ae83/?srp=10 if you have someone that would do that to you.
    Edited to note: The link goes to a product that someone can buy that tells your computer to make random keystrokes. the link itself does nothing to your computer.
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    "My 'puter"

    Doctor should be able to clear that up.

    OMG I am cracking up right now!
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I'd help, but I'm wearing this shirt today.....

    will-not-fix.jpg

    LOVE IT!
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Definitely the mouse tracking pad, I do this all the time, too easy to have your hand over the pad. You should be able to put in a wireless/wired mouse and turn off the tracking pad when doing so as a part of the computer settings. Without being at home with my laptop in hand I cannot direct you to the correct place to change these settings but you should be able to google and specify your computer model to get more accurate and helpful results.

    Thanks! I will do this!
  • melbatoast917
    melbatoast917 Posts: 370 Member
    Did you try turning it off and on again? (IT Crowd)

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