Random Scrolling

[shavens]

My MacBook Air has suddenly begun scrolling dow on its own. I've reset PRAM but that didn't help. Bluetooth is off and my wireless mouse is off and far away. Thanks, Sam.

 

[honestone]

Need to know some things:

1. What exact MacBook Air model do you have? I have a mid 2013 13" MacBook Air, and I have never had this issue.

2. What exact Mac OS are you running? Also, did you upgrade to that Mac OS? And if so, how did you upgrade?

3. Have you ever done any disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, from a software perspective? You can actually do a fair amount of useful disk cleanup on your own, and there are some excellent programs available (both free and not free) that can help you with those tasks.

4. Are you making backups to an external device?

5. Have you recently upgraded any software on your machine?

6. Are you using a mouse? If you are, what brand/model?

 

[shavens]

Mid 2013
10.12.5
I've tried several
No
Yes
No, track pad

 

[shavens]

Than you. It's hard to reply because my MacBook keeps scrolling. Grr.

Should I take it to the Apple Store?

 

[honestone]

Mid 2013
10.12.5
I've tried several
No
Yes
No, track pad

First, what do you mean by "I tried several"?

Secondly, no backup is not good. It's imperative to have a recent backup in case something serious goes wrong.

Third, what software upgrade/upgrades have you done? If one of them was upgrading to Sierra:

A. What Mac OS did you upgrade from?

B. How exactly did you do the upgrade (you did not answer that when I originally asked)? Did Sierra just "overwrite" what was there? If so, it most likely would have been better to first Erase and Format your internal drive (I assume you have an SSD, like me?), then do a clean, fresh, "virgin" installation of Sierra, and then from a backup, use Migration Assistant to "migrate"/copy needed "stuff".

 

[honestone]

Than you. It's hard to reply because my MacBook keeps scrolling. Grr.

Should I take it to the Apple Store?

If you had a backup, there is a good to excellent chance that the problem could be resolved. Without a backup, though, it's difficult to say whether it's a software or hardware issue. Again, I have the exact same machine as you, and I have never experienced this issue. I do, though, 1) perform disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs frequently, 2) back up both of my machines to two separate hard drives, and 3) per4from a clean installation of the new Mac OS. And in fact, I also did an Erase and Format, clean installation, and migration, when OS 10.12.4 came out. That is, when I upgraded from 10.12.3 to 10.12.4, I did not just do an upgrade "in place".

One other thing: what about when you use a mouse? How does the machine function? I use Logitech mice with both of my Macs, and for the MacBook Air, I do not use the track pad much. I find it easier to use a mouse.

 

[shavens]

Good advice. Thank you.