Trackpad Problems

First of all, let me start out by saying that I am not an idiot, especially when it comes to computers. I am working on my degree in Computer Science at the University of Michigan, so I've tried everything I know how to fix this problem and it has me pulling my hair out.

Here is a list of the problems I am having:
1. Whenever I left-click on my desktop, whether it be in an open space, or on an icon, it registers it as a right-click. It also does the same when using the start menu. It seems to do this under any Windows Explorer based window. Other than on the desktop, it does this randomly.
2. Randomly, the taskbar becomes unclickable.
3. I have completely lost my ability to right click anywhere on my computer.
4. Although this never happened at first, it now seems that whenever I have a window open and I go to interact with it, it automatically changes the focus of the screen back to the desktop, but still leaves the window open, making it impossible to do almost anything. The only way I have found to get around this is by using my keyboard to navigate around, which all works just fine. I am currently using Safe Mode, which seems to fix this problem, and this problem alone.
5. While use Google Chrome, I have lost the ability to right-click completely, and I have lost the ability to click on the tabs to change them (I must use CTRL+TAB to navgate through tabs. Neither using my trackpad or my left mouse key works.) ALthough I can still click the X to close the page and the New Tab button works just fine. I cannot click on the address bar at all to change the web address, although I can hit F6 to select it and then change it. I also cannot access the "Other Bookmarks" menu or the options menu at all. The back, forward, and refresh buttons all work like they should. When using Internet Explorer, none of these problems exist.
6. At random times, the right click menu pops up.
7. I cannot use my trackpad to select things, I must use the left mouse button to drag to select.
8. I can no longer use the very right edge of my trackpad to scroll anywhere on my computer. In the trackpad setting where you can set the zones on the pad for this, it recognizes that it is being touched, but does not work at all.


I have tried everything I know to attempt to fix this. I have checked every setting known to man that has to do with my trackpad, and none of it has changed. I have tried a system restore, and I have run multiple virus scans, all with no luck.

I am on a Toshiba Satellite running Windows 7.

I am just hoping someone will have had this problem before and has found a solution. I need this computer for school and this is getting in the way of my work.

 

I've searched the mouse settings up and down and everything is how it should be. However, I don't have an external mouse that I can try to test out, and if I don't absolutely have to, I'd rather not have to go out and buy one just to test it out.

 

Has the laptop been taken apart recently? If so it is possible that the pad ribbon was not reconnected properly. If you remove the keyboard you should be able to see the end section of pad ribbon, that is the section that connects to the mobo...(The ribbon is about 5mm wide). Might be worth checking this out anyway.

Do follow Dragnets advice and plug in an external mouse. They are very cheap to buy...you could maybe borrow one from a friend or neighbour?

 

An Update: I am truly flabbergasted now, as I went out and bought an external mouse, and there was no change to my problems. So, I decided I was going to finally take the plunge and upgrade to windows 8 and found that this would be a great time since if it was some kind of malware, upgrading would fix the problem. I did a clean install of windows 8 successfully and the problem is still there, even with an external mouse plugged in. I really don't understand what it could be.

I checked all of the connectors under the keyboard and they all appear to be in good condition, but I have no clue what else to do.

 

Yes, all of them, that I can recall, are still happening.

I didn't migrate any of my settings, or files for that matter, I specifically made sure it was a clean, fresh install. I even messed around with the settings after the install to see if it migrated the settings anyways and they all seemed to be in their default and surely wasn't how I had them.I have tried disabling the trackpad before with no luck, but I am now going to completely disable and delete the drivers and see if that works, brb.

 

Well, apparently, I am not allowed to disable or uninstall my trackpad. After everytime I try, it says it must restart the computer, and after the restart, it has done absolutely nothing at all.

 

After re installing synaptic and disabling the trackpad, still no luck. Another hard part of this is still, at random times, it seems to magically fix itself, and then just randomly goes back.

 

I've tried looking for a decent diagram of underneath the keyboard, but with no luck, might you know where to find one?

 

I don't know the model number however this video may help. Excellent video.
Toshiba Satellite Laptop.
Hope this helps.





I have found a one stop site on the net for videos on laptop repair.

http://www.laptopinventory.com/

 

Hi, if I may add, there is also a very good site full of various descriptions and photo's to help in general laptop repairs here :-

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/

I am also of the opinion there must be some form of hardware fault involved as the operating system re-install has ruled out a software or driver problem.

Nev.