Dell XPS, Windows 8 and external monitor - random cursor movements and clicks

[Baldegret]

Has anyone any idea about this. Whenever I plug my XPS into an external monitor I get half an hour to an hour of erratic and random cursor movements and clicks. These start and stop randomly and the only way to control them is to go into the mouse properties and turn off the touchpad. But it just turns itself back on again after a few seconds or minutes. Then it starts all over again. I use a couple of different external monitors and different cables so I don't think it's a hardware issue related to the monitor.

All thoughts gratefully received.

BE

[G0ULI]

There are a couple of malware / practical joke programs that produce the exact symptoms you are experiencing. So might be worth doing a full antivirus scan either with the built in Microsoft Defender program or something like AVG free.
Make sure you have anti malware /anti virus programs installed, active and up to date on your system.

Microsoft Defender is good enough for most purposes, they wrote the operating system, so they ought to know how to keep it working properly. If you regularly visit dodgy sites looking for the latest episode of Game of Thrones, then consider one of the heavyweight paid for antivirus programs.

Check you have the latest drivers for any built in touch pad. Ditto any external USB or wireless mice. Check for address conflicts from the System Information Tab in the Control Panel Program. Consider disabling the track pad or external mouse from the Control Panel to see if the problem disappears.

Uninstall the mouse drivers and reboot the system. Reinstall mouse drivers from disks supplied with your system, or allow the system to search for and reinstall mouse drivers from the Internet.

Check connecting cables are in good condition. If possible try a different mouse and see if the problem disappears.

Best guess is that you have an unidentified malware infection.

[rans6andrew]

we had the same symptoms, or at least SWMBO did. Each time it happened she would call for me to go see and by the time I got there it had stopped. This went on for an hour or so until it suddenly dawned on me. Just before it started she had asked me for some fresh cells for her cordless mouse. The mice we have sometimes loose the plot after the battery has gone flat and need to be re-registered with their dongle. They must use a pseudo random "channel number" when they register and............ her mouse had locked onto the same channel as mine. So, as I did my work I was driving her mouse pointer as well as mine. Of course, when I went through to see the problem it stopped happening.

Rans6.........

[Saab Dastard]

If you don't use the touchpad you can turn it off in the bios, but presumably you do need it when you don't have an external mouse and keyboard.

Is the problem when you plug in an external USB mouse (and keyboard), or just a monitor? Or do you use the external monitor with the laptop keypad and touchpad?

If you use an external mouse with the laptop keypad it's very easy to inadvertently create input to the touchpad... ;)

I know it's not solving your problem, but I find a USB 3 docking station is a great way to avoid these kinds of issues.

SD

[jimtherev]

If you don't use the touchpad you can turn it off in the bios, but presumably you do need it when you don't have an external mouse and keyboard.
...

SD
Alternatively, if the touchpad is installed properly (as a touchpad, that is) then you can turn the sensitivity right down - from 'mouse' in Control Panel - so that it needs a good thump to operate. Gives a way out if the mouse stops working altogether. (ask me how I know...)