ughbug007 said:

I bought this R14 in 2016 and have had the Cursed Cursor for at least 3 years, thanks for the tip to unplug the power supply, has really helped with managing this online school stuff we have to do now! 

I have always interpreted this issue to be a trackpad sensor issue, not a touchscreen issue, because when I watch the computer freak out the cursor jerks around constantly while clicking and I just always related it to the touchpad because the touch screen does not utilize or require the cursor, it is a component of the touchpad and the mouse, so if the cursor is moving itself around and clicking then I would say it's the touchpad that's malfunctioning. When I attempt to control the mouse during these episodes, the mouse can move the cursor but it's erratic because the touchpad is fighting for control. 

Of course, I don't really know anything, I'm just a user making observations. But what I thought was interesting is that we also have two Amazon Kindles (just the cheap ones, not HDX or kids version) and suddenly, after a software update, they BOTH started doing this same thing while plugged in. Except that the screen doesn't do it on it's own, it's when you touch it while plugged in, it duplicates the touch point all over the screen and starts selecting a bunch of *****. It's different because there is no cursor ready to recieve input as there is on the computer. So, there is an apparent issue with touch-screen/touchpad devices and the charging interfering with the sensors (?). It's frustrating as hell, all of the devices we're having trouble with are being used by kids for school and this really screws things up.  I came home last night and my computer had attempted to move internal files, opened about 15 old programs, 12 Microsoft Edge (ew) search pages, 8 PDF's and a slew of angry errors had occurred. I think it even updated my AVG....thanks?

Anyway. Does anyone have any thoughts about the trackpad being the source of the issue? 

Max77 said:

alenzie said:

I've had my R14 for about a year and am very happy with it overall, but the touchscreen has started acting up recently. It sometimes goes mad and looks as if a ghost is tapping all over it really fast! If the background was a picture of a lake, you would think it's animated and rain is falling on the water surface. The tap marks appear really fast and all over the screen, but they're more concentrated around the edges. It gets almost impossible to use the keyboard and/or the touchpad as the "taps" cancel every command/click before you can complete it. I have to shut down the laptop manually and power it on again to fix it, but this has been happening more often over the past week and I'm now concerned because the manual reset is affecting my data and my hard disk. Any suggestions?

An update to my comment from a few minutes ago.  I have used mine as a backup laptop on and off for several years...maybe 40 hours total use during that entire time.  It has intermittently had the same ghost touching on the screen which I have always been able to fix by wiping down the screen and touchpad and blowing out the keyboard or if I didn't have the patience to do any of that I'd just close it and open it up later and the issue would be resoled.  Until today...when none of that helped and I actually need to use the stupid thing.  So I unplugged the power/USB devices/etc, removed the battery and popped off the panel that covers the drive/memory and then unscrewed the 18 or so screws holding the back panel on and carefully popped it off.  I have done this to every laptop I have ever owned at some point because I am one of those people...and I am here to tell you that this laptop was nasty inside...full of dust/dirt/hair/etc that none of my everyday laptops have had.  In addition, there were hairlike strands of the green heat/flex tape all over the interior from when it was originally assembled.  I removed all of those and then gently blew the inside out with canned air...and was careful to not blow any moisture/etc inside.  Then I put the battery back in and fired it up...and the ghost touching is completely gone.  I reattached the back and drive panel by popping it back in place but I am going to wait on putting the screws back in until I feel like I am in the clear on the ghost touching.  I am guessing some of the dirt/debris/etc was contacting a circuit that involved the touchpad and interfering with it...specifically the green tape strands which were in the right location to do so.  Since I will be regularly using the laptop starting today I will post updates on if the fix lasted.  I am guessing that if any of the dirt/debris was the culprit and not just the tape it will become a problem again because the design of the laptop seems to cause dirt/etc to gather on the inside unlike my other devices.  Hope this helps.