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How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

Seek assistance with all types of tech. - computer, phone, TV, heating controls etc.
Bouleversee
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How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237555

Postby Bouleversee » July 18th, 2019, 3:28 pm

I'm sure we have had a discussion about this before but I can't find it and I am being driven mad by my laptop suddenly highlighting and instantly deleting whole chunks of text I have just typed or inserting what I am typing into the middle of a previous sentence. It didn't use to happen when I first bought my computer so I can't help thinking there must be some key I can press to prevent this happening or if not one I can strive to avoid. It's hard enough to find time to type things once but I really can't keep doing it all over again. It seems to be related to when I pause for thought which one can't avoid doing occasionally. Interestingly, hasn't happened when typing this post. I use a mouse, by the way. Can anyone enlighten me?

kiloran
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237560

Postby kiloran » July 18th, 2019, 3:44 pm

I can't solve your problem but here's the previous thread
https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=12385

--kiloran

ReformedCharacter
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237567

Postby ReformedCharacter » July 18th, 2019, 3:57 pm

If your mouse is wireless (no cable attached) then it's probably worth changing the battery if only to rule that out. Is it possible that you are inadvertently moving the scroll wheel on the mouse or making contact with the touchpad (assuming your laptop has one)?

RC

James
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237568

Postby James » July 18th, 2019, 3:57 pm

Are your moving your hand across the trackpad while typing? I lay my hands flat across the keyboard and its a problem I have too. But fixable by using an external mouse, which you are, and then ensuring the trackpad is switched off in settings.

richfool
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237592

Postby richfool » July 18th, 2019, 5:05 pm

I use a remote wireless mouse in conjunction with my laptop, on a mouse mat.

James
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237601

Postby James » July 18th, 2019, 5:44 pm

richfool wrote:I use a remote wireless mouse in conjunction with my laptop, on a mouse mat.


Yes, I got that bit. But if like most laptops, it has a trackpad under your wrists when you're typing, that may still be active and causing your problem. If you drag your wrist/heel of your palm across it you'll highlight something and your next keystroke will delete that highlighting. It's worth trying to switch off the trackpad, to rule it out as the problem if nothing else.

Bouleversee
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237620

Postby Bouleversee » July 18th, 2019, 7:07 pm

Many thanks to all.

James: I had a look at settings on my HP laptop but couldn't see anything which seemed to fit. Can you give me any further clues. It's almost impossible not to touch the touchpad when typing or resting. I see that my left thumb is perilously close which may be something to do with the fact that I have arthritis in the 4th finger of my left hand and can't bend or straighten it completely. My right thumb is well clear when I type. My mouse is not wireless, by the way, and I do use a mousepad.

My thanks to Kiloran for finding the original thread whose title I couldn't remember and the search engine didn't respond to my alternative suggestions. Frighteningly, there was a lot of the content I couldn't remember either. I will make a note of the title as I have no doubt I will have to revisit it.

Itsallaguess
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237621

Postby Itsallaguess » July 18th, 2019, 7:16 pm

Bouleversee wrote:
My thanks to Kiloran for finding the original thread whose title I couldn't remember and the search engine didn't respond to my alternative suggestions.

Frighteningly, there was a lot of the content I couldn't remember either. I will make a note of the title as I have no doubt I will have to revisit it.


On that previous thread, I asked for the model number of your HP laptop and I'm not sure we got an answer.

Are you able to tell us the model number of your HP laptop?

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

UncleEbenezer
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237626

Postby UncleEbenezer » July 18th, 2019, 7:26 pm

If it's not a problem with your hand or clothing touching something unintended, an alternative is that something in the keyboard or trackpad is causing unintended inputs. That could be something like grease or fluff or a hair. Careful cleaning of all input parts should be worth a try if you haven't already.

mc2fool
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237636

Postby mc2fool » July 18th, 2019, 7:47 pm

Bouleversee wrote:I had a look at settings on my HP laptop but couldn't see anything which seemed to fit. Can you give me any further clues. It's almost impossible not to touch the touchpad when typing or resting.

Does your touchpad have a dimple at the top left of it, with a tiny light to the left of that (looks like just a small hole when it's off)?

My HP laptop (a Pavilion g6) does and double tapping on the dimple turns off the touchpad (and turns on the light). Double tapping again turns it back on again.

Bouleversee
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237717

Postby Bouleversee » July 19th, 2019, 10:32 am

Apols. for delay in replying.

It'sallaguess - It's a Pavilion Notebook and the Model No. appears to be 14-al015na (the last 2 letters jumped back into your name and had to be deleted and repeated!)

UncleEbenezer - I have to confess I have never cleaned it and tend to leave it open on my desk so it is rather dusty. :oops: Will switch it off and waft my vacuum nozzle over it. No idea how else to clean it or what you mean by input parts, I'm afraid.

mc2fool - no dimple on my touchpad.

AleisterCrowley
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237719

Postby AleisterCrowley » July 19th, 2019, 10:37 am

My HP EliteBook (ancient) still does this, as per linked thread
Never managed to turn off the trackpad

Bouleversee
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237723

Postby Bouleversee » July 19th, 2019, 10:50 am

AleisterCrowley wrote:My HP EliteBook (ancient) still does this, as per linked thread
Never managed to turn off the trackpad


I seem to remember you mentioning on another thread that you had crumbs on your keyboard. How many times have you cleaned your laptop and did you have the problem from the outset? Perhaps we are both suffering from the same problem.

UncleEbenezer
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237727

Postby UncleEbenezer » July 19th, 2019, 11:03 am

Bouleversee wrote: No idea how else to clean it or what you mean by input parts, I'm afraid.

It was a clumsy attempt to generalise whatever trackpads, joysticks, mice, touchscreens or any other pointing devices (not to mention keyboards) that may be built into or attached to the machine, whether you use them or not.

Attempt at generality motivated by your mention of a mouse and the implication that there might be (builtin) devices that you don't use but that are enabled.

As to how to clean, it might be worth going at it with a cloth. Probably good to use alcohol-based cleaning fluid rather than water to dampen cloth: I *think* meths would work, but I'd want to check that before applying just in case the stuff they put in meths to colour it has an effect.

mc2fool
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237729

Postby mc2fool » July 19th, 2019, 11:07 am

Bouleversee wrote:mc2fool - no dimple on my touchpad.

Ok, then turn off the touchpad though Windows.

Click Start and type touchpad and select Touchpad settings then click on Additional settings and then Disable.

If that fixes the problem then fine and if it doesn't at least you'll have eliminated accidentally touching the touchpad while typing as being the cause.

AleisterCrowley
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237732

Postby AleisterCrowley » July 19th, 2019, 11:36 am

I tested it and it's definitely the trackpad, particularly when I'm typing bottom left and my thumb overhangs it

kiloran
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237737

Postby kiloran » July 19th, 2019, 12:03 pm

I have a couple of HP Pavilion laptops (Windows 10) which I use with an external mouse (one wired, one wireless). I don't have any problems with the trackpad as described by Bouleversee and AC, but I've Googled and checked the HP documents and cannot see any way to disable the trackpad. Methods I've found by Googling do not correspond to what I see in practice.
The laptops appear to have an Elan Clickpad, not a Synaptics Touchpad.

One possible option is to go to Touchpad Settings and ensure it is set to low sensitivity. (type TOUCHPAD in your Windows searchbox)

--kiloran

Bouleversee
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237761

Postby Bouleversee » July 19th, 2019, 1:01 pm

Many thanks. I think I'll wait till my son visits tomorrow since I don't even know where my Windows search box is :roll:

kiloran
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237767

Postby kiloran » July 19th, 2019, 1:18 pm

Bouleversee wrote:Apols. for delay in replying.

It'sallaguess - It's a Pavilion Notebook and the Model No. appears to be 14-al015na (the last 2 letters jumped back into your name and had to be deleted and repeated!)

UncleEbenezer - I have to confess I have never cleaned it and tend to leave it open on my desk so it is rather dusty. :oops: Will switch it off and waft my vacuum nozzle over it. No idea how else to clean it or what you mean by input parts, I'm afraid.

mc2fool - no dimple on my touchpad.

According to this: https://support.hp.com/gb-en/document/c05201405
your laptop has an HP Imagepad

Here's another user with Imagepad problems similar to yours. https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook- ... -p/6415417
Maybe some ideas there could help?

It's not clear if your Imagepad is based on Synaptics or Elan or ????
Go to Touchpad Settings, then Additional Settings and that should give you a Mouse Properties window. Click on the Hardware tab, and that should show your Imagepad and your external mouse. Mine looks like this: https://imgur.com/fA5zKrn

Does yours show Elan, Synaptics or.......?

--kiloran

Itsallaguess
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Re: How to stop my computer moving or deleting my text

#237785

Postby Itsallaguess » July 19th, 2019, 2:07 pm

Bouleversee wrote:
It's a Pavilion Notebook and the Model No. appears to be 14-al015na


Thanks - here's a little utility called 'Touchfreeze' that is designed to freeze your laptop touchpad when you're typing on your keyboard -

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/touchfreeze.html

I think it's worth downloading that really quite small utility and seeing if that helps. You can easily un-install it if it doesn't improve matters.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess


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