Updated Info for Trackpad / Keyboard Issues

I just wanted to set up a thread that consolidated what info we have now, making it easier to get it all:

1) http://pcaudio.ath.cx/stuff/G73_KBTP_Fix.zip

This package contains a BIOS + ATK Package update (1.0.0008) + Synaptic driver. It's recommended you reset the BIOS after flashing to defaults to insure CMOS reset. Many report it successfully solves keyboard lag issues, and some trackpad issues.

2) Some have reported success with their trackpads by opening the case, and moving all the yellow tape surrounding the pad. The idea was that it's possible the tape is collecting a static charge, and causing the trackpad to spaz out.

3) Some have had success inserting a shim to keep the outer cover from contacting the edges of the trackpad. Contact from palms resting on top may cause trackpad to go wonky.

4) A user from asusrog reported that he solved his trackpad issue by upgrading the driver for a chipset controller. As seen here:



This device controls the PS/2 port. He mentioned that his system had a driver dated back to 2006, and the Intel INF updates have never updated it. The image above lists the current version from Intel, and I had it installed by forcing the INF installer to force update all drivers with the -overall command. You can get an installer that does this automatically on my Driver & Application page.

You can also get the single installer here, but I would HIGHLY recommend using the -overall installer since it will update everything to the same build version.

 

I always thought it was a hardware issue for me because when it would happen i could put hard pressure on the corner of the laptop and it would go away. I recently opened it up to clean and i pressed down all over the back of the touchpad and it hasnt acted up since, strange I know. I just thought i would just let everyone know about my experience .

!!!NO MY TOUCHPAD IS NOT DIRTY AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE CLEANED!!!

 

I got something similar, after a disassembly everything works flawlessly. It worked fine for a couple of months after i purchased it too. I'll be on the lookout for the issue to reappear.

 

After looking the touch pad over a few more times I decided to pull it off and clean under it. I found a short piece of yellow tape that was contacting the underside of the sensor. After removing that piece of tape and putting all the other components back together it seems to be working as it should have been all along.

 

Excellent post Chastity (as usual) I just wanted to add:
Someone posted that clearing all icons from the desktop solved the TP woes in windows 7. Can we dispel this notion now, or is this viable?

 

I think HellCry would be able to dispel that notion,

@Krashkource : thanks for the heads up!

 

JOSEA: No. Clearing up the desktop of all icons does NOT resolve the issue. I don't have any ICON in my desktop. But i do have some gadgets. Removing the gadgets dint help either. I'm too scared to open up my laptop cuz in India, service sucks bigtime (atleast it does in kerala, where I'm from). I live with it cuz i don't use the touchpad. I use a mouse and I've disabled the touchpad (not in the bios though).

 

So, I have been having intermittant issues with my touchpad since I got it. The only times they were present were when putting pressure with my palm on the right side of the palmrest, and if there was ANY moisture on my finger touching the touchpad. After some theorizing and reading this thread, I got an idea. If it's raining outside and you try to use your touchscreen smartphone (capacitive screen, not resistive), you will find that it doesnt work properly. The moisture messes with the way the screen reads our touch, which I believe is by our electric current in our fingers. I could be wrong. Anyway- most touchpads are the same capacitive interface, and sensitive to static interference and such. If it were a driver problem for me, it wouldnt be a controlled issue (recreating the problem by pressure or moisture). If my hand was sweaty at all (eww gross! lol), I would get unresponsive, laggy, jumpy pointer control, and no scroll. Under dry circumstances, no scroll issue was recreated by applying pressure to the right of the touchpad. Also, palmcheck is so buggy that I disabled it.
The problem- poor shielding on the underside of the touchpad, making it way more sensitive to outside interference, and static interference from within when pressure is applied.
The fix- I opened my laptop, removed the flimsy metal shielding from the underside of the touchpad, covered the entire touchpad area with electrical tape (cleanly done, of course), put the shielding back in place and then cover that with electrical tape as well. There is plenty of room, and there is no bulging after reassembly.
The result- I used to either A) deal with a jumpy mouse, poor interface, and iffy scroll, especially when typing, or B) disable palmcheck, lower sensitivity, and mildly reduce the issues, or just disable the touchpad and use my usb mouse. NOW, I have complete responsiveness, functional palmcheck, no jumpy mouse, put a couple drops of water on my touch pad and ran my finger around (still works!), and I simply cannot recreate the pressure related touchpad problem.
Sorry if the fix has been posted elswhere, I havent seen one so I thought I would share.
Hope this helps!
NBR rocks!
P.S.- I'm using the stock touchpad driver, bios 2.13 >:]

 

I had disassembled my laptop and removed the yellow sticky tape from under the touchpad (tore the silver static protector a bit in the process but stuck it back like it was supposed to be) but forgot to clean the area with alcohol to get rid of the gum. The touchpad worked flawlessly for a couple of weeks. Then slowly, it stopped registering a couple of my touches but the cursor wasn't jumpy or unresponsive. Today, the cursor was acting so crazy it was like it had a mind of it's own. Could it be because i didn't clean the underside with alcohol? Or is it that removing the yellow tapes (I got two strips of tape) was not a solution for me?

@ fallen368: Did you take any pictures of how you've taped up the underside of your touchpad? I'm desperate to try anything except flashing my BIOS cuz i cannot afford to brick my laptop at any cost.

 

It's the glue, not the tape, that is causing the interference, so yes, you'll need to open it again and remove the glue.

 

The next time I have it apart, I will take pics. It worked great for a while, but now when my laptop wakes from sleep, the touchpad doesnt respond, rebooting sometimes helps. I have a wireless logitech usb mouse that I use. Funny, I always have to remove the usb transmitter for the mouse before the touchpad comes back on. Never used to have this problem. This last time, even that didnt help. Wouldnt come back until I updated the driver. Just now updated the chipset driver. I've always run the stock touchpad driver without issue after my fix. But I just reinstalled, due to a new hdd. I dont recall updating the chipset driver.......maybe thats my problem.

 

So, I'm having issues with my touchpad. It started out fine with no issues when I did the mod. When I did the mod, I had accidentally cut into the touchpad ribbon cable across all etchings, though not through it. It still worked great. I had taken apart my laptop to solder in an led to test for a lighting mod I'm working on. I put it back together and I go to use the trackpad and it doesnt respond. I reset, reset, and reset again. So, I take it apart. I noticed that the etching on the ribbon had been moved around enough to break all the way through. So, I cut it off right there, scraped the plastic off the etching, making new contact points. Worked great. Then, the next day it is hibernating and when I wake it up, the touchpad doesnt work again, neither do the buttons, and the fn+f9 does nothing. So, a reset worked. The same thing this morning. Only a reset didnt work. A reset while not having the usb nub for my wireless mouse worked though. Later today, even that didnt work, but a driver update brought it back. Just got off work, no response, no matter what. Tried all the previous things, except the driver, cuz it's already updated. Now, I don't think that the driver or the usb nub have anything to do with my problem. I think it's the ribbon cable repair job I did. BUT, I thought I would share with all of you to see if I can get any insight. Sadly, it is 2 am here, and I work a double shift the next two days, so I wont be able to tear it down and resolve this until Tuesday. Lame. Any ideas besides the possibility of a bad cable? I'm thinking about getting a new palmrest anyway, since mine is a little worn. Cant seem to find a cable online.

*UPDATE*
Just learned I MAY be a little obsessive compulsive. It's been 20 minutes, and I decided to take it apart. The ribbon sits right under the right mouse button, and I didn't allow for enough slack and clicking the button seems to have made the ribbon sit in the slot diagonally. So, with a little readjusting and proper placement, it works great again.....for now.

 

Those Intel driver updates are leading to a dead end where my browsers cannot find the page...

 

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...ng&OSVersion=Windows 7, 64-bit*&DownloadType=

 

In your case I wonder if Chastity's solution #2 and ## would have worked as well.