Annoying trackpad freeze on MacBook

Question

Trackpad usually works, but sometimes stops responding for around 5 seconds and then suddenly starts working again. Seems to happen when I switch between typing and moving + button-clicking and also when I do a lot of double-clicking. Tried turning off the "Ignore accidental trackpad input". Apple replaced the keyboard/mouse under warranty. Problem remains. Any ideas?

White non-unibody Late-2008 13" MacBook - fully up-to-date OS. Doesn't seem to matter if it is plugged in or not. Updated to Snow Leopard - seems to have made it worse.

Solution 1

Applying even a little pressure to the left palm rest creates this condition. Apple replaced the top case again and this time it seems to have corrected the problem, although, it looks like they may have added a spacer on the left palm rest to "fix" it.

Solution 2

If you have a unibody Macbook, Apple released a firmware upgrade for the trackpad a while ago that is supposed to fix this issue. It is available via Software Update.

If you aren't using a unibody Macbook, you can try putting the palm of your hand over the trackpad for 5 seconds to restart it.

Solution 3

You may be running into the "Ignore Accidental Input" feature of the trackpad. It is an option in the Trackpad preferences. It tends to ignore all but the center of the trackpad shortly after you start typing.

Here is an apple article on it (screen shot is out of date, I believe):

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2302?viewlocale=en_US

Solution 4

Not much chance of this being your problem, but there have been some reports of the battery swelling and exerting pressure on the trackpad from below and causing problems. If you have a swollen or deformed battery, get a replacement.

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Comments

[Arjan]

When they replaced it, did they actually say something was broken?

[Arjan]

And anything plugged in to the USB ports? The trackpad is said to be connected to one of those, according to "The MacBook. All USB Ports Are Not Equal" at wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/05/the-macbook-all

[Hafthor]

@Arjan, they didn't say either way. I think they just blindly replaced it. Nothing plugged in to the other USB ports. Thx.

[ChrisF]

Given this was a bounty question has has been accepted it might be worth creating a new question with the new problem. Reference this one and explain why it's not a duplicate.

[Arjan]

Does the problem occur no matter what application you use? How did you install Snow Leopard? I assume you just upgraded (which, I guess, could leave troublesome software in place) or did you happen to use "Erase and Install" (as described at support.apple.com/kb/HT3910)? (As an aside: from what I've heard, re-installing 10.6 is always a "Archive and Install" now.)

[arathorn]

@John T: Do you have a link to an Apple doc describing that trackpad reset procedure? I've heard of it before, but never run across any official docs on it.

[John T]

It's been around since the good old powerbooks. Can't find much documentation but it's suggested here in step 3: support.apple.com/kb/TA22966

[Hafthor]

@John T: Tried that reset procedure, no help. But thx for trying.

[Hafthor]

thx, but no effect.

[Nippysaurus]

Yeah I tried it once and it made the problem worse >.< (the problem I had was machine wouldn't charge or get power from the magsafe. turned out to be a loose connection).

[Hafthor]

Thx. As mentioned in the question, I've tried disabling this to no effect.

[Arjan]

@Nippysaurus, you tried it once and it made the problem worse, and then you advised someone to try the same...? ;-)

[Nippysaurus]

@Arjan van Bentem, yep. In my case nothing could help, the hardware had taken some damage and needed repairs. There is no way that doing this will damage an undamaged machine.

[harrymc]

Also check this article : macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/…