Laptop touch pad buttons acting up

[hypernova]

This problem has happened before, and I haven't figured out why, nor figured out definitively what I'm doing to fix it.

My laptop's mouse buttons act strange for no apparent reason.  After logging in (where everything works correctly), Windows loads, then and somehow the left button stops working correctly.  On the desktop, it takes on the function of the right button.  When Windows first loads, when I move the touchpad, the screen starts showing a selection box being drawn, like I'm holding down the left button.  When other windows are in focus, it doesn't do anything at all.  At no point does the right button do anything.  In addition, sometimes the Enter key on the keyboard doesn't even work, but only when the Start menu has been accessed.  Nope, I'm not kidding, it's that specific.  So I can't even use that to open things from the Start menu.

Earlier today, it happened twice.  I could only get rid of it the first time when I system restored it to a point a couple days ago.  It worked, then when I restarted it, it started again.  When I tried system restore, it didn't work correctly, no matter how many times I restarted.  So I decided to just roll back the system restores I did, and revert to when it started the fiasco today.  Figured I'd figure it out later.  Got tired of dealing with it.  So after it restarts, my wife starts using it.  And it works fine.  WTF.  Usually she's the bane of any electronic device at some point.

The only things I did today are reinstalled Sim City 2000 (it's Vista 64 bit), and checked with autoruns to see what was running when I had to reinstall everything.  (Vista said it couldn't find the Windows files about a week ago.)

This has happened in the past, but I managed to fix it.  I thought maybe a button was sticking, but that can't be it.  They both still work, and I can't recreate the problem by doing it myself by holding each button in and playing around with it.

What the heck is the problem?

[hypernova]

Well, after a few hours of fooling around, and getting completely stuck, I've determined its the touchpad buttons themselves, not the software.  The right button does not work at all, while the left button keeps reverting back to a right click function.

It fixes after I plug in an external mouse.  Sort of.  Right button still doesn't work, but it at least forces the left button to act normal.  Replacements on ebay run about 30-50 dollars with the shipping.

[Well Fed Games]

Happened to me with a Toshiba laptop a few years back, same thing, left button became right click. Mouse plugged into USB worked, of course that laptop had one working USB port 

[eds1275]

Well, after a few hours of fooling around, and getting completely stuck, I've determined its the touchpad buttons themselves, not the software.  The right button does not work at all, while the left button keeps reverting back to a right click function.

It fixes after I plug in an external mouse.  Sort of.  Right button still doesn't work, but it at least forces the left button to act normal.  Replacements on ebay run about 30-50 dollars with the shipping.

Sounds to me like the buttons are either gunky or perhaps the contacts are deformed. I'd pull it out and give it the eyeball exam. If it looks ok, meter it out and if you find any problems, hose it down with some contact cleaner. I had a washing machine that broke down. I pulled it apart, couldn't find a problem, and then put it back together and it worked for years afterward - I hope you have similar luck.

[hypernova]

I had a washing machine that broke down. I pulled it apart, couldn't find a problem, and then put it back together and it worked for years afterward - I hope you have similar luck.

I've had that happen with numerous electronic devices.  Took 'em apart, couldn't figure out the problem, put it back together, and bingo, works just fine.  Haven't cracked this open again yet to check it out, but I wouldn't be surprised if it worked afterwards.