I have a Panasonic ToughBook CF29 laptop. The issue I am having is a floating cursor. The cursor seems like it is on a rubber band. Stretches and comes back to the same place. The only way I can control the cursor is by holding down the left click button. This is really plucking my nerves. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Im not sure if the Toughbooks come with the little button cursor on the keyboard, but I do know that the dells I work on with the same problem, there is usually dirt making the cursor stick and move.

Even if it isnt the little curosor button, try taking some compressed air to it.

 

The Toughbook has a mouse pad. It doesn't have a button. I even tried a usb mouse and it still does the same thing.

 

Trying looking in the control panel for the touch pad or mouse options,

Have you done any spyware or virus scans lately?

 

The control panel has the touch pad options. I have tried to configure the mouse options but the cursor just moves and bounces back to right corner. The computer is scanned and is only used on secured networks. This is actually a work computer and I would hate to have to send it out. It also has a touch screen. I could not even adjust the touch screen.

 

Now the touch screen, normally, if you poke a certain spot on the screen, the cursor would jump to that spot, right? Sounds like to me something on the touch screen has failed.

Try to get to the control panel, and switch it to classic view, then go to system, device manager, open up human interface devices and mice and other pointing devices, and see if you can find the touch screen, and disable it. If you can't , then I think it needs to be sent in

You should be able to use the windows key to open up the start menu, use the arrow keys and enter to get to the control panel, then keep hitting tab until it highlights or selects switch to classic view, and then you can hit enter to switch the view. Press tab again until you get back into the main control panel window, and navigate using the arrow keys to System, then hit enter. Hit the arrow keys until the hardware tab is opened up, then hit tab again until device manager is selected, and hit enter. From there you can navigate just using the arrow keys, press the right arrow to expand an item to check it out.

It might also help to touch or poke the area of the screen where the mouse keeps jumping too

 

Ian,

Thanks for the help. I can get into the classic view of the control panel. There is no way that I see to disable the touchpad/touchscreen. I have also tried touching the screen where the mouse jumps to and that rectifies the problem for about 15 sec. It then moves to the other corner.

I ran a test from the mouse and other devices and the screen looks like an etch a sketch. Little dot and then lines to the upper and lower right hand corners. This just started Thursday and does not happen all the time. It is so intermittent that it is driving me nuts. Most of my work is done on the computer and I can be typing and then the mouse moves and hits another application.

Thanks again for your reply.

 

You might be able to disable the touchpad in the BIOS. Try that and use the mouse.

Maybe go to the mfgr. website and get updated drivers for the touchpad.

 

That is just a little over my head. I will just wait and see if Tech Support can help me. If not, I will reluctantly send it out for repair.

 

When you first turn the computer on, before windows starts to load, does any where on the splash screen say "Press *key* to enter setup" ? Of course replace *key* with whatever it says.

If it does, remember which key it said, turn off your laptop, and turn it back on. The moment you turn it back on, start hitting the key repeatedly. It will bring you into a special setup program, and should tell you how to navigate at the bottom of the screen. Look until you find the disable touch screen option. Disable it, then it should tell you at the bottom of the screen how to save and exit.

 

Thanks for the step by step Ian. I disabled the touch screen in the bios. The touch screen is dead now. The real test is tomorrow when I will be on that computer for 8 hrs.

Thanks again. Will keep you posted.

 

So the cursor back to normal?

Cool beans.

 

It appears to be back to normal. I will see tomorrow when I am on it all day. I will miss having the touch screen but not as much as I would miss the computer if I sent it out.

Thanks again.

 

Good for you. Now you have some breathing room to contact Panasonic and get some tech help. It stinks to be without a machine you've come to rely upon.

Touch screens are nice for kiosks and information areas, but I've never had a use for them. I don't much like touchpads, either, but I'll put up with it when I don't want to drag the mouse out of the bag and take up more space.

Glad it worked.

 

"I will miss having the touch screen but not as much as I would miss the computer if I sent it out."

Don't forget to BACK UP YOUR DATA, just in case you eventually do need to send it out.