Elan Touchpad Not Working Correctly

[LouisaB]

My touchpad has been acting up since at least November last year and has been getting progressively worse. 

I find that it will open things when I move the cursor over them, it drags things around that I don't want to move, it will try to select things that I don't want to, it will close things if I even hover over the option.  It has got to the stage now where it is making the computer unusable.

I have checked the drivers are up to date. They are.

I have reinstalled it several times. Still the same issue. 

I have altered the touchpad sensitivity settings and it is the same on every setting.

I have tried the troubleshooting on the computer and the diagnostics, but it just tells me it is working fine.

I have tried calling HP tech support with regard to potentially getting a replacement touchpad but have had no success.  I was told the computer would have to go to be repaired.  I need the computer for work and this is not an option.  I did ask if they could tell me the model of the touchpad or if I could order one from them, but was told they could do neither. 

Unfortunately I also can't get into the laptop to see if it has the model on it either, because this particular model is made needlessly hard to get inside of.  

I have had to work with an external mouse to get anything done, but then have the additional problem that I can't disable the touchpad since there is no option to do so in any of the places where you would normally find this option. 

Can anyone advise as to what I can do to get this touchpad to start working properly again. 

The computer is out of warranty so that is not an option.