Mouse pointer jumping - help

Hi,
my cat stood on my keyboard a couple of days back and every now and then the pointer jumps uncontrollably, I thought it was my keyboard so switched it over but it isn't! As I have dexterity problems and so use the keyboard 'mouse' (Universal Access settings). When I have a Growl notification the pointer leaps to it despite me not touching any of the mouse keys, it reminds me of MGM's cartoon "Tom and Jerry" where Jerry is being chased by Tom!
What key combo could do this and how can I reset things?
Helen - in desperation
Message was edited by: Helen A

In the end I resorted to looking at the VoiceOver settings [SysPrefs-->Universal Access-->VoiceOver-->Navigation] and set the Mouse cursor to ignore VoiceOver's cursor. See below.

Similar Messages

Mouse pointer jumps to corner of secondary screen

We just upgraded to a new server running the latest Solaris with Sun VDI 3.1 which includes Sun Ray Server Software 4.2. I have multihead enabled and have 3 stations with dual-monitors/Sun Rays. On the second monitor, especially when dragging or scrolling, the mouse pointer jumps to the top-left of the screen. All three of us are experiencing this. Two have xinerama extension enabled, one does not have it enabled and says he's seeing the same behavior with the mouse. We have mix of Sun Ray 1G's and 2's, and one I'm using is a 170. I did not experience this with our old server running SRSS 3.1. Anything I can do to fix this problem? I appreciate any help.

demmeister wrote:
Do you know when the next patch is due?Patch schedules are highly unpredictable. This patch is now in what's supposed to be its final QA cycle but if QA finds problems, or if a serious new issue is reported (especially if it's a security issue) then the whole thing might have to be rebuilt and possibly resynchronized with other patches in progress, and then retested on all supported platforms (which means reassigning QA resources that had been committed to other efforts). The best case for this patch that has reached this stage of the process might be two or three weeks. The worst case could be a month or two.
Alternatively, is there a hotfix available as many of our users are having difficulty at the moment.If you have a support contract then you can open and escalate a support call against the bug. After the escalation has been filed you can request an "IDR" ("Interim/Diagnostic Relief"), which is essentially an early build of the patch that contains the intended fix for that bug. The IDR will not have been tested by QA so there's some risk involved in taking it. This is one reason why we don't routinely publish IDRs. You have to decide whether that risk is outweighed by the pain the bug is causing.
OttoM.
Disclaimer: I work for Oracle, but I do not speak for Oracle.

Mouse pointer jumps to corners of screen

I am using a Mighty Mouse (wired) and have had problems with my mouse pointer jumping to the four corners of the screen. I then have to move the mouse around and find what corner it is in, and bring it back to where it was. It happens very often, and is very distracting.
I have had the same problem with a Microsoft wireless mouse and a previous Mighty Mouse.
Any ideas as to how the stop the jumping would be greatly appreciated.
Snoopyknitter

The suggestion to follow the cord was evidently the correct one. I had my Mighty Mouse plugged into the usb port on the back of my Mac keyboard. When I realized this (I have had it set up this way since I got my G5) I plugged it into one of the usb ports on the back of the monitor. In several hours I haven't seen the pointer jump once.
I will leave it set up this way and watch, but I think this may have been the solution. To think it was such an easy solution and I have been putting up with this for several years!
Thanks Thomas Bryant.
Snoopyknitter

Mouse pointer jumps around screen

My Emac mouse pointer jumps aroung the screen. I have tried restarting and a permissions repair. I'm still having the problem. Any ideas?
Emac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Is this the original Apple mouse? Do you have any third-party mouse drivers installed? (Look in System Preferences under "Other"). Presumablly you've tried adjusting the mouse sensitivity in System Preferences; have you also checked if the mouse if jumpy in other user accounts? If you can, try a different USB mouse on the eMac to ccheck it's not the hardware.
You can test if the mousing surface is at fault by using a plain sheet of heavyweight bond paper as a mouse pad. If that resolves the issue, try the tip first suggested in the eMac Discussions by Ron Jackle: use a plain floor tile as a mouse pad. You want one that's non-glossy, fairly plain, and not too refelctive. I've got such tiles in use on several computers (Macs, PCs, and Unix), using a light tan 8x10 tile from Home Depot, label 8x10-5202, SKU 3057645425, which retails for about US$1 (I recall the last one beint 89 cents plus tax) when bought one at a time.
p.s. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

MY MAC PRO MOUSE POINTER JUMPS FREELY AROUND THE SCREEN AND MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE PROGRAMS... ANY IDEAS

My mac Pro mouse pointer jumps freely around the screen, making it dificult to navigate... it also moves the screen around without touching anything... any ideas whats wrong?

Check this forum link for some good suggestions:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4650109?tstart=0
Post if you have any questions!

Mouse pointer jumping around the screen

My mouse pointer has just started jumping around the screen. It vibrates and slowly moves down the screen even if I am not touching it. I have cleaned the sensor but that has not helped. I unplugged it and the pointer still jumped around.
Any ideas what might be causing this as I have not seen quite this problem on other discussions.

HI,
That's interesting... restart your iMac. See if that makes a difference.
Also, do you have anything nearby that might cause interference, like a cell phone or graphics tablet?
May sound crazy, but dust and lint build up on a mouse pad can cause erratic cursor behavior.
You could try deleting this file.
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist
/Users/YourName/Library/Preferences. Drag that file to the Trash, empty the Trash and restart your iMac.

My mouse pointer jumps to the top left corner every second

Hi
I recently bought a Mac Mini, hoping to get into iOS development, everything was fine, but recently the mouse pointer has started jumping to the top left corner of the screen, this happens every time I try to move it, within 1 second of my moving the mouse, it's jumped back.
It's made the system unusable.
I've searched online and found other people saying that their mouse pointers jump every two or three minutes, but mine jumps within a second of me moving it. I have two Dell monitors attched via apple HDMI to DVI and Displayport to DVI adaptors. I've tried different mice, it's still the same.
The problem is, even if there's a fix, I'm not sure that I could apply it, as I can't use the mouse at all.
Can any one help?

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually login automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

Dell M3800 mouse pointer jumps

I am having a problem with my Dell M3800 trackpad pointer jumping around randomly. I have adjusted all the options i can think of and it seems to be a problem with the driver or hardware.
The behavior is:
When moving the trackpad around, when i click (either a press or a touch) the trackpad pointer will randomly appear somewhere else on the screen.
* It is NOT a palm rest keyboard issue. It happens when I'm not typing - it is a clicking issue.
* I have tried turning OFF the "tap to click" option in the dell trackpad app (Sensitivity --> Tapping --> Tap to click) and still having the problem
I'm running the latest Dell trackpad driver, 17.0.15.85,A00.
Any ideas? Is this a confirmed problem? Hardware problem or should I maybe install the newer generic synaptics driver?

Is this the original Apple mouse? Do you have any third-party mouse drivers installed? (Look in System Preferences under "Other"). Presumablly you've tried adjusting the mouse sensitivity in System Preferences; have you also checked if the mouse if jumpy in other user accounts? If you can, try a different USB mouse on the eMac to ccheck it's not the hardware.
You can test if the mousing surface is at fault by using a plain sheet of heavyweight bond paper as a mouse pad. If that resolves the issue, try the tip first suggested in the eMac Discussions by Ron Jackle: use a plain floor tile as a mouse pad. You want one that's non-glossy, fairly plain, and not too refelctive. I've got such tiles in use on several computers (Macs, PCs, and Unix), using a light tan 8x10 tile from Home Depot, label 8x10-5202, SKU 3057645425, which retails for about US$1 (I recall the last one beint 89 cents plus tax) when bought one at a time.
p.s. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

Mouse pointer jumping around since 10.10.3

Dear all.
Since 10.10.3 upgrade my mouse pointer is jumping around all over the place.
First i thought it was maybe a bluetooth issue (i am using magic mouse) so i disabled that.
But.. without active magic mouse, the mouse pointer still keeps jumping.
So now my macbookpro has become almost unworkable.
Anyone ?

There are several possible causes for this issue. Please take each of the following steps that you haven't already tried until it's resolved. Some may not apply in your case.
1. Follow the instructions in this support article, and also this one, if applicable. A damaged or defective AC adapter could be the cause, even if it's the right kind.
2. Press down all four corners of the trackpad at once and release. If there's any effect, it's likely to be temporary, and in that case the unit must be serviced or replaced.
3. Open the Bluetooth pane in System Preferences and delete all pointing devices other than the trackpad, if applicable. Disconnect any USB pointing devices. By a "pointing device," I mean a peripheral that moves the cursor, such as a trackpad, mouse, trackball, or graphics tablet. A plain keyboard is not a pointing device.
4. If your model has an infrared receiver for use with an Apple Remote, disable it.
5. Start up in safe mode and test, preferably without launching any third-party applications. If you don't have the problem in safe mode, but it comes back when you restart as usual, stop here and post your results. Do the same if you can't start in safe mode. If there was no difference in safe mode, go on to the next step.
6. Reset the System Management Controller.
7. If you're using a Bluetooth trackpad or mouse, investigate potential sources of interference, including USB 3 devices.
8. A swollen battery in a portable computer can impinge on the trackpad from below and cause erratic behavior. If you have trouble clicking the trackpad, this is likely the reason. The battery must be replaced without delay.
9. A defective peripheral device or a damaged cable can cause the built-in trackpad of a MacBook to behave erratically. If you're using any wired peripherals, disconnect them one at a time and test.
10. There's also a report of erratic cursor movements caused by an external display that was connected but not turned on.
11. If none of the above applies, or if you have another reason to think that your computer is being remotely controlled, remove it from the network by turning off Wi-Fi (or your Wi-Fi access point), disconnecting from a Bluetooth network link, and unplugging the Ethernet cable or USB modem, whichever is applicable. If the cursor movements stop at once, you should suspect an intrusion.
12. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine and/or external trackpad tested.

Mouse pointer jumping around screen!

hey guys, iv had my iMac for around a year now and only recently iv noticed that the mouse pointer just jumps randomly across the screen when i move it, like ill be moving the mouse to the right and itll jump across half the screen to the left.
It happens at least once an hour or something like that and only seems to happen when im move the mouse quite quickly. im using a laser wired mighty mouse that come with my 20" iMac which is around a year old, thanks.

Hello again Beanie_,
Is yours, the iMac, the 2.4Ghz version? My own iMac does this " trick " every now and then. There are several threads about the issue here in Apple Discussions and a veritable mountain of information inside Google.
Regards once more and now, I trust, you will see why I asked my 1st question!
Ian.

Mouse pointer jumping

Hello,
since yesterday the mouse pointer drives me crazy ! During moving it is jumping in a "3 steps forward, 1 step back" fashion, the length of the jumps being proportional to the speed of the moving.
This ist true for all my pointing devices: Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse, Mighty Mouse. So it does not seem to be a hardware problem of the peripheral devices or the bluetooth connection.
Interestingly the Mouse works well during the booting sequence of the iMac until about 10 seconds after all icons have appeared on the desktop. Then the stuttering suddenly starts.
So it seems to me that some kind of software driver or whatever might be causing the problem.
Booting the machine in secured mode does not change the situation, resetting PRAM/NVRAM not either.
I am running an iMac 21,5" late 2010 with Mountain Lion 10.8.2.
I do not recall running any kind of updates during the last few days, but you never know what a Mac does when you are not watching ....
Does anyone experience the same problems ?
Helplessly
sc0001

Ok,
problem fixed. Monitoring system.log during boot sequence revealed that the pointer starts jumping at the moment when a screen sharing session is established from my MacMini Server. I forgot to close the session two days ago ...
After closing the session everything is ok now ... :-)
sc0001

Mouse pointer jumping around and dock icon graphics tops breaking up

i been noticing my mac acting funny, at 1st i dismissed it as no big deal but now it has become more frequent. instead of happening occasionally its happening constantly. my mac has been in the exact same location since i owned it and my mouse surface hasnt changed. theres no debris i can see in the mouses eye. its like the computer is freezing then releasing the pointer. i cant even guess about why the dock icon graphic tops are breaking up. i ran my permissions and all is fine there. anyone else know what it could be? thanks for any help.

sweet the dock icons are full again. so far so good about the mouse. i forgot a couple months back i deleted my system folder(duh) and never reinstalled the techtool. i guess i paniced thinking something malicious was attacking my comp. sorry for assuming the worst. thanks for setting me straight.

Mouse Pointer Jumps to Screen Corners

Greetings,
I have been having this problem since I got my G5 a month ago. Some times I'll be moving the mouse and all of a sudden the pointer on the screen will jump to either the top right corner or bottom left corner of the screen even though I'm no where near those areas. I am using the mighty mouse and keyboard that came with the computer.
Can anyone tell me why this is happening? It's very annoying.
Also, sometimes the pointer will change to that rainbow animated circle and I won't be able to use the computer for a couple of seconds. Does anyone know what that might be as well?
Thanks in advance,
Russ

Mouse jumping to corners is usually a reflection problem with the laser, use a different pad/whatever. Clean the lense.
The SBBOD (spinning beachball of death) can be caused by numerous reasons.
The program your using, the network your using, the internet, a slow/filled boot drive, too little or bad RAM, bad OS/app install or migration assistant screwups.
The networks stuff you can find out right away if it's the cause by disconnecting and rebooting.
A backup with a DU>erase w/zero from the installer disk, followed by a fresh install, update and install of apps from fresh cd's (not migration assistant)0 with files from backup, will do wonders.
A stock Quad is powerful CPU wise, but if it doesn't have enough RAM, and/or the boot drive is too big and filled up, Mac OS X performance will suffer terribly and these things will cause bottlenecks.
I have a performance text download you can take a look at, I don't see Spinning Beachballs
click here
Clone your boot drive instructions
http://homepage.mac.com/hogfish/Personal6.html

Mouse pointer has gone mad on NB100

Started a download from the iTunes store, came back 30 minutes later to find my mouse pointer jumping erratically in a vertical direction. Had to disable the synaptics pointing device driver and plug in a USB mouse. After rebooting and restarting the mouse driver it appeared to work mostly correctly again until today where it's doing the same thing.
Has anybody else experienced this? I'm coming to the conclusion that the touchpad and keyboard on this device are just very poor indeed.

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. I uninstalled the Synaptic driver and installed the Microsoft one. Still does it, although it is intermittent. When it happens, if I tap the touchpad in the right place it stops. So, it does look like there is something wrong with my touchpad.
Once I back my HD up I am going to revert back to the original factory install. If it still does it then - and I'm fairly sure it will - I guess it's off to Toshiba to get repaired.
I wouldn't mind so much had it not been for the fact that the netbook has had very little use indeed - maybe as little as 100 hours in total as I tend to only use it when on holiday / visiting the parents.

Tap clicking touchpad causes mouse pointer to move (ALPS)

Usually when tap clicking on a touchpad, any pointer movements are suppressed as a tap is detected. This does not happen on my Arch machine. Whenever I tap click, the mouse pointer jumps several pixels in some direction.
How can I stop this?
(Arch is fully updated and since kernel 3.3 my touchpad is detected as "AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad".)

$ synclient -l
Parameter settings:
LeftEdge = 300
RightEdge = 1700
TopEdge = 210
BottomEdge = 1190
FingerLow = 12
FingerHigh = 15
FingerPress = 128
MaxTapTime = 180
MaxTapMove = 107
MaxDoubleTapTime = 180
SingleTapTimeout = 180
ClickTime = 100
FastTaps = 0
EmulateMidButtonTime = 75
EmulateTwoFingerMinZ = 141
EmulateTwoFingerMinW = 7
VertScrollDelta = 48
HorizScrollDelta = 48
VertEdgeScroll = 0
HorizEdgeScroll = 0
CornerCoasting = 0
VertTwoFingerScroll = 1
HorizTwoFingerScroll = 1
MinSpeed = 1
MaxSpeed = 1.75
AccelFactor = 0.0819336
TrackstickSpeed = 40
EdgeMotionMinZ = 15
EdgeMotionMaxZ = 80
EdgeMotionMinSpeed = 1
EdgeMotionMaxSpeed = 195
EdgeMotionUseAlways = 0
TouchpadOff = 0
LockedDrags = 0
LockedDragTimeout = 5000
RTCornerButton = 0
RBCornerButton = 0
LTCornerButton = 0
LBCornerButton = 0
TapButton1 = 1
TapButton2 = 2
TapButton3 = 3
ClickFinger1 = 1
ClickFinger2 = 1
ClickFinger3 = 1
CircularScrolling = 0
CircScrollDelta = 0.1
CircScrollTrigger = 0
CircularPad = 0
PalmDetect = 0
PalmMinWidth = 10
PalmMinZ = 100
CoastingSpeed = 20
CoastingFriction = 50
PressureMotionMinZ = 15
PressureMotionMaxZ = 80
PressureMotionMinFactor = 1
PressureMotionMaxFactor = 1
GrabEventDevice = 1
TapAndDragGesture = 1
AreaLeftEdge = 0
AreaRightEdge = 0
AreaTopEdge = 0
AreaBottomEdge = 0
HorizHysteresis = 12
VertHysteresis = 12
ClickPad = 0

Mouse pointer jumping - help

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for