Strange behavior of the trackpad

[olivier.pantz]

Hello all,

I have a VAIO VGN-SZ4MN/B.

My trackpad has from time to time a very strange behavor. If so, it starts at the begining of the seesion and last til its end. In such cases, everything is "up side down":

When I drag my finger from the left to the right, the "arrow" (do not know the name in english - I'm french -
but I hope you understand what I mean by "arrow") goes to the left !!!
Similary, when I try to do upward, it goes downward !!!

Well, with time and pratice, I get used to it and I almost manage the mouse at if it was normal... but
it is far of being natural and quite annoying at the end.

Does anyone have had a same problem ? and figure out how to solve it ?
Any help will is very welcomed !!!
In advance: Thanks !!!

[Thalamus.]

Hi olivier.pantz,

your touchpad problem has been mentioned before but unfortunately as far as I am aware no solution was found..

Firstly I would suggest you contact Sony Vaio support, you can do this either by phone or via e-Support, use the following link to find the contact details: Sony Vaio Support

Sony Vaio Support should be aware of this issue..

Note though that it appears, from what I have read, that a full recovery of your Vaio does not resolve this issue..

After searching around it appears that the general thought is that this problem is caused by a software conflict..

I would suggest to start, try installing a newer version of the alps pointing device driver, use the following link: SZ series pointing device

Does that correct the problem?

If the problem continues try shutting your Vaio down, ( not sleep or hibernate) then turn off the wireless switch.

Reboot your Vaio and once all the start-up processes have loaded, turn on your wireless switch again.

Does that correct the problem?

[olivier.pantz]

Thank you Thalamus,

I have replaced my previous "Pointing" directory by the one you suggested and done a reboot.
For the moment, the behavior of the touchpad is normal, but as the "strange" one appears at random
(for now on, I didn't figure out under which conditions it appears), there is no warantly that
my problem is over. However, I cross my fingers. Anyway, if the problem is not solved, I will contact the
e-support for help.

Thanks a lot !

[Thalamus.]

You're welcome..

I have replaced my previous "Pointing" directory by the one you suggested and done a reboot.
For the moment, the behavior of the touchpad is normal

That's good news...

[olivier.pantz]

Bad news...
The reverse behavior is back again (since several days in fact...)
I found out that I'm not the only one to have this problem, but no solution...
On a long thread in have found on the subject, the only solution that seems to work is the wireless on/off
trick you suggested me Thalamus.
Some suggest to switch the wireless off before turning the computer off (others to switch it off after),
and to switch it on one's the boot is complet.
But it doesn't seem to work all the time...
According to this thread, osny is well aware of the problem but has no solution to propose !

[Thalamus.]

Hi olivier.pantz,

sorry to hear that your mouse is playing up again..

Did you contact Sony Vaio support.?

Could you answer these questions please.?

1) Do you have another mouse attached to your Vaio.?

2) Press the windows key+R to open the Run box type devmgmt.msc and press OK

Click Continue on the User Account Control window.

Expand Mice and Other pointing devices, what device(s) are listed.?

3) Is the touchpad icon visible in your system tray.?

4) Next goto Control Panel click Mouse properties..

In the Mouse properties window click the Miscellaneous tab and enable Display Icon in Task Bar, also whilst in the Mouse properties window please click the Function tab and check that both web assist and Use Scroll function are enabled, click apply and OK

Then place your finger on the top of the touchpad does it indicate on the top of touchpad icon in the system tray.?

Also check this for the bottom and right hand side please.?

[olivier.pantz]

Hy Thalamus,

1/ I have no other mouse plugged on my laptop
2/ The device is:
Alps pointing-device for VAIO
3/ Touchpad visible on my system tray
4/ All functions you listed are enabled...

Moreover, I just find a very long thread on this topic:

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7587_102-0.html?forumID=69&threadID=252612&messageID=2516190

It seems that sony is aware of the problem but of little help.
One user of the forum finally proposed to install a weird little programm: sakasamouse that reverse the mouse !!!
(reverse+reverse= correct behavior).

I am currently trying this "solution".

It is working more or less: when I opened the User Account Control window it gets back to reverse mode, but
it seems to work quite well otherwise.

Moreover, the left button of my touchpad doesn't work anymore.... but this is another problem.

[Thalamus.]

Hi olivier.pantz,

although I don't think this will make any difference but have you tried giving the touchpad a blast of compressed air..

Let me know the outcome of your sakasamouse test please.?

[Thalamus.]

Hi Olivier,

what was the outcome of your sakasamouse trial.?

[olivier.pantz]

Well, sakamouse is working quite well. Nevertheless, when performing a task that requires administration rights, it doesn't handle the mouse correctly anymore.
Since, I have contacted the esupport, and I have to admit they were quite helpful.
They advise me to uninstall completely mouse and keyboard drivers, then to reboot, while pressing the F2 key (and then F9 and F10 if I remember well..., I should check out the complete process). Finally, I end up with another driver for the touchpad (a mouse driver in fact).
So scrolling with touchpad does not work anymore (I didn't have report them this problem yet, I wanted to be sure that the reverse problem was over before: as it happend randomly, I had to test it for several days).
Currently, I have another problem with my touchpad: The right button doesn't work anymore (but this is not a consequence of the solution proposed by the esupport, it started before).
So I will have to contact them hoping that they will be able to propose me a solution.

Sorry to answer so lately, but I am currently quite busy. Moreover, only my wife is using the vaio and as she is much more forgiving than I am for her vaio sometimes strange behaviors, there is no urgency in the matter.

Anyway, I will keep you in touch with the following evens...
Thanks for your help,

Olivier.