BlackBerry Forums Support Community

madmarcano · 08-31-2009, 02:49 PM

I have problems with the trackball, it does not move to the right side just to the left or up and down what can I do to solve this situation?

BBNumber1 · 08-31-2009, 05:10 PM

You should be able to get it working by pressing Firmly and moving the Track ball to the right several times.

I also clean my Trackball periodically with a Cuetip and rubbing Alcohol. To do this, I remove the battery, put a small amount of rubbing alcohol on the Cuetip (just enough to make it damp) and roll the trackball by rubbing the Cuetip firmly back and forth across it.

madmarcano · 08-31-2009, 05:16 PM

Thanks, It works!

Dubdub · 08-31-2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmarcano

I have problems with the trackball, it does not move to the right side just to the left or up and down what can I do to solve this situation?

A quick tip - don't carry it in your pocket. Dirt and lint is hiding in your pockets and that is what gets between the track ball and the contacts.

sockfootball21 · 08-31-2009, 10:22 PM

I just bought a new housing for my bold and it came with a new trackball. I threw it in but It kept gettin stuck. I took it out and put in the orignal one in.
Is it just a cheap trackball or should I try and rubbing alochol thing.

dynamic121588 · 08-31-2009, 10:43 PM

try the alcohol and if that doesnt work then switch it for the oem ball

Thon_D · 09-01-2009, 01:26 PM

The rubbing alcohol works, but our IT guys showed me a great trick that really helped my trackball. Put a tiny, tiny tiny, tiny (See where I'm going here?) tiny drop of hand sanitizer on your finger tip, or thumb tip if you use your thumb to move the track ball. Roll the track ball around and around until it stops feeling sticky from the hand sanitizer. Your trackball should work better.

Your mileage may vary depending on the age of and amount of crud embedded in the track ball well. I do carry my bb in my pocket, and I am well aware of the amount of lint that accumulates, but this trick worked very well for me.

The reason that this seems to work is because hand sanitizer has a huge amount of alcohol in it to help it do what it does. In fact there are documented cases of kids getting drunk and ending up with alcohol poisoning from licking the hand sanitizer off of their own hands.
snopes.com: Hand Sanitizer Alcohol Poisoning

arabcamel · 09-01-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thon_D

The rubbing alcohol works, but our IT guys showed me a great trick that really helped my trackball. Put a tiny, tiny tiny, tiny (See where I'm going here?) tiny drop of hand sanitizer on your finger tip, or thumb tip if you use your thumb to move the track ball. Roll the track ball around and around until it stops feeling sticky from the hand sanitizer. Your trackball should work better.

Your mileage may vary depending on the age of and amount of crud embedded in the track ball well. I do carry my bb in my pocket, and I am well aware of the amount of lint that accumulates, but this trick worked very well for me.

The reason that this seems to work is because hand sanitizer has a huge amount of alcohol in it to help it do what it does. In fact there are documented cases of kids getting drunk and ending up with alcohol poisoning from licking the hand sanitizer off of their own hands.
snopes.com: Hand Sanitizer Alcohol Poisoning

Rubbing alcohol comes in different concentrations, the one I have is 70% alcohol. As a microbiologist, 70% alcohol is more than enough to kill bacteria. As far as the trackball, I use it on my phone and it works wonders. Hand sanitizer may work, but I don't like the idea of putting a gel substance in my phone where as I know the rubbing alcohol will evaporate very quickly.

Also, keep in mind that www.snopes.com is a rumor website....

Thon_D · 09-01-2009, 06:34 PM

I agree that it probably isn't the best idea to put a gel into the track ball well. But if you don't have any rubbing alcohol handy, the sanitizer would be a good first option. It would be best to then clean it again with the rubbing alcohol as a follow up to really clean the track ball and the trackball well very thoroughly.

Dubdub · 09-01-2009, 07:06 PM

Vodka also works well (but don't ask).

BBNumber1 · 09-02-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubdub

Vodka also works well (but don't ask).

Done that too, in a pinch...

omegadan · 09-03-2009, 12:40 PM

Thanks for this thread and all of the posts. I recently had to send my blackberry for repairs because the trackball stopped working and these are useful tips for maintaining by Bold in good condition when I get it back.

Wildfire532FB · 09-06-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBNumber1

You should be able to get it working by pressing Firmly and moving the Track ball to the right several times.

I also clean my Trackball periodically with a Cuetip and rubbing Alcohol. To do this, I remove the battery, put a small amount of rubbing alcohol on the Cuetip (just enough to make it damp) and roll the trackball by rubbing the Cuetip firmly back and forth across it.

you clean the track ball from behind the battery?

MidnightDraven · 09-06-2009, 10:09 AM

no, you need to remove the battery so no power is going to the device when you put (albeit small amount) of liquid on it

jaui · 09-07-2009, 10:28 PM

hi all!

i have a different problem with my trackball... i used to have the sticky side to side problem, and i did the alcohol thing and it worked!

but nowww... clicking is the problem. every time i click, it double clicks on whatever i'm clicking on. it kind of sucks because it takes twice as long to do things and sends empty messages when i don't want to. any idea what the problem is with a trackball that is too sensitive while clicking?

ChrisLuce · 01-07-2010, 10:22 AM

Thin_D,

WOW, my trackball would not scroll down but would work side to side and up. I did as you instructed and it worked. I was so mad because I could not check my messages. This was a life saver!! Thanks!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thon_D

The rubbing alcohol works, but our IT guys showed me a great trick that really helped my trackball. Put a tiny, tiny tiny, tiny (See where I'm going here?) tiny drop of hand sanitizer on your finger tip, or thumb tip if you use your thumb to move the track ball. Roll the track ball around and around until it stops feeling sticky from the hand sanitizer. Your trackball should work better.

Your mileage may vary depending on the age of and amount of crud embedded in the track ball well. I do carry my bb in my pocket, and I am well aware of the amount of lint that accumulates, but this trick worked very well for me.

The reason that this seems to work is because hand sanitizer has a huge amount of alcohol in it to help it do what it does. In fact there are documented cases of kids getting drunk and ending up with alcohol poisoning from licking the hand sanitizer off of their own hands.
snopes.com: Hand Sanitizer Alcohol Poisoning