Mouse drift is a common problem on Dell laptops. The issue is characterized by the mouse cursor floating, or "drifting," across the screen without the use touching the laptop's mouse or trackpad. The only time this is known to happen, however, is when a USB mouse is attached the computer. The cause of the drifting cursor is essentially a power struggle between the USB mouse and the laptop's trackpad. To fix the error, you will need to change some settings in your computer's BIOS.
Instructions
Video of the Day
Step 1
Make sure your USB mouse is firmly connected to a USB port on the computer.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Save all data and exit every program.
Step 3
Restart your computer.
Step 4
Press F2 repeatedly as soon as the Dell logo appears on the screen. If the computer continues to boot into Windows, you did not press F2 in time. Restart your computer again, and repeatedly press F2 to enter the system BIOS.
Step 5
Press the Alt and P keys on your keyboard simultaneously until you find the "Pointing Device" heading. Depending on the model number of your Latitude, this setting should be on the third or fourth page.
Step 6
Use your up and down arrow keys to highlight the "PS/2-Touchpad" option.
Step 7
Press the right arrow key on your keyboard to change the setting from "PS/2-Touchpad" to "PS/2."
Step 8
Press the "Esc" key on your keyboard to close the BIOS.
Step 9
Choose the "Save and exit" option when exiting the settings.
Step 10
Reboot the computer.