How can I calibrate the touch pad if it is so uncalbrated that I can open a terminal or select the calibration task?
Boot with a generic USB mouse attached. It will be recognized and will work at the same time as the touch pad. Select the tools tab, then the calibrate icon. Don’t use the mouse to calibrate! Calibration needs the values from touching the screen with a good stylus. Speaking of styli, get some Nintendo DS styluses. They are non-conductive and have a nice Teflon or poly tip.