Frozen mouse and haunted curser

[Latearrival]

Before I chuck my relatively new laptop out the window...... When I use the built-in mouse, it regularly freezes (arrow on screen won't move) and I have to reboot.:mad: As well, when I'm typing,especially in in hotmail, the cursor insertion point suddenly changes and the type appears in a different location than I'd intended. Any ideas about what's causing these problems and how to solve them would be appreciated.

[stevef]

An overheat problem maybe. Put your laptop on a couple of matchboxes (or similar) to allow better air circulation and see if it helps.
You might laugh but it's not uncommon.

[green granite]

when I'm typing,especially in in hotmail, the cursor insertion point suddenly changes and the type appears in a different location than I'd intended

Very common problem, it's due to interaction between your hands and the pad while typing. (it took a demonstration to prove it to my wife who insisted she didn't touch the pad when typing.)
There should be a hot key to lock the mouse pad and/or a box to tick to lock it when typing.

[Saab Dastard]

On my venerable Compaq EVO laptop, there's both a trackpad / touchpad and a "nipple" mouse pointer in the middle of the keyboard.

I can't get on with the trackpad, partly for the reasons you mention - inadvertently moving the cursor being the major one - so I disabled the touchpad in the BIOS, just keeping the "nipple" active. Perhaps there's a similar setting in your laptop BIOS.

As to why the system locks up - umpteen reasons, from overheating to driver problems via application software!

See if there's any errors in the event log and ensure that you have the correct up-to-date drivers loaded from the hardware vendor's website - including firmware updates.

SD

[al446]

Saab is correct, always opt for the nipple. :ok:

[Saab Dastard]

"Suck it and see", that's the motto!! :)

SD

[frostbite]

Must keep abreast of technology.










Well, you started it!

[Saab Dastard]

We'd better stop before it all goes t1ts-up! :}

SD

[al446]

Please don't milk it gents.

[Latearrival]

A very belated "thank you" to those who replied.

Right at the time I posted, my computer did something strange and I assumed that I'd lost the post, since it didn't appear immediately. Didn't have the time or energy to redo it.

Just got back to Computers/Internet a couple of days ago and was surprised to find my post while looking for something else. So, I dug out a laptop cooler I had used in Asia and I have tried to stay away from the touchpad when typing. (My touchpad doesn't have a nipple--leave it to the troups on PPRuNE to work breast jokes into a computer discussion.) One or both of those measures seem to have helped. Will try to figure out the bios thing another day. Thanks again.