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Disabling touchpad while using external usb mouse
I am not able to use a touchpad due to disability. I need to use an external mouse. How do I disable the touchpad? It is very annoying with the cursor moving all over the place when I hit the touchpad. Please help. Thank you
Peapod_j
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October 8th, 2005 08:00
My daughter has the same problem. I've tried to disable it using F2 during boot and chosen the correct mouse but the touchpad still operates.
I've also been through the control panel but if there is a disable setting for the touchpad neither I nor the reseller can find it.
Can anyone help please? The machine is an inspiration 4000.
Why doesn't Dell have the usual button near the touchpad to switch it off? If we had known the touchpad was so hard to turn off we would not have bought a Dell!
Squirrelly
124 Posts
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October 8th, 2005 10:00
Dear Joan,
A tech who came to my house to replace the fective keypad in my new Inspiron 6000 told me there is most definitely a way to disable the keypad. He said I should go online with Dell Tech Support, hardware, which is free, he said, and there they have detailed, easy-to-follow instructions on how to disable the keypad as well as instructions on how to re-enable it.
Hope this works for you,
Squirrelly
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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October 8th, 2005 13:00
Squirrelly
124 Posts
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October 9th, 2005 22:00
Dear Joan:
Sorry my suggestion didn't work and drove you crazy. I have one other idea: it's a totally free tech support hotline run by a computer magazine out west somewhere. I got the number from a friend and right now I can't lay my hands on it. I'm going to email my friend, ask him to re-send it to me. When I get it, I'll post it here for you.
Again--sorry my idea didn't work. I know what you've been through with the extreme frustration. I've been there too--and it always makes me thing I'm going to either turn into a complete madwoman in need of hospitalization in some psychiatric institute or a total drunk!! So far I've escaped both fates.
Later,
Squirrelly
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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October 10th, 2005 02:00
Squirrelly
124 Posts
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October 10th, 2005 12:00
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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October 10th, 2005 21:00
Thank you so much Squirrelly. I have to also take a moment to appreciate your humor. I cannot tell you how much I chuckle when I read some of your comments. They are most appreciated and better than a valium.
Will call them tomorrow if I can. Still trying to pass this kidney stone, which is almost as difficult as getting Tech assistance from Dell:)
This is what we did yesterday, my techie friend and I. We went to the Alps touchpad driver site and updated the driver
Input: Alps GlidePoint/StickPointer, Driver, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Multi Language, Multi System, v.5.4.102.12, A09 Release Date:05/12/2005 Description:Alps Touch Pad DriverTroublesniffer
14 Posts
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October 11th, 2005 20:00
Squirrelly
124 Posts
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October 24th, 2005 16:00
Hi Joan, I was just scrolling through the forum and saw you were considering a wireless mouse. From my own personal experience, I would say don't buy one. Certainly don't buy it from Dell. You may get a Dell; you may get a Kensington--regardless of whuich brand you ask them for. And the receiver--the piece that goes into the USB port--tends to be awfully fragile. Mine broke after 2 months and I had been extremely careful with it right from the start.
If you do eventually decide to get a wireless mouse for the convenience--got to Best Buy or Circuit City--or even Wal-Mart, though Wal-Mart's selection is rather limited--so you can see what you're buying, talk to someone who can give you some advice and information in American English, and you can determine before buying the mouse whether or not it's going to require kid glove handling. Also at Best Buy or Circuit City, I would imagine you'd get some kind of warranty. That way if it did break, you could return it without having to go through 983 hours of phone calls with Indians.
Squirrelly
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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November 7th, 2005 01:00
Squirrelly,
Squirrelly
124 Posts
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March 2nd, 2006 23:00
I was just scrolling through threads, reread all your messages, and wondered how you're doing with your touchpad and mouse.
Squirrelly
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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March 4th, 2006 17:00
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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March 4th, 2006 18:00
2. Assuming you have standard Windows XP choose "Windows 2000/XP v8.1.2"
3. You should be asked "Do you want to open or save this file?"
Choose open to make things easier on yourself, or if you wish save it to your computer for future use and double click the saved file to open it.
4. Once open, select "extract all files" (which should be located to the left)
5. An extraction wizard should show up, click "Next"
6. Click "Browse"
7. Click "Desktop"
8. Click the "Make New Folder" button
9. Click "OK"
10. Click "Next"
11. Ensure that the checkbox next to "Show extracted files" is checked and click "Finish"
12. A new window will appear which contain several files.
Locate a Red & White file named "Setup" and double click it to launch the install process. (This will begin the install for a program that will give you a Disable touchpad option)
13. If asked "The publisher could not be verified..." click "Run"
14. After a short process you will be presented with a welcome screen, click "Next >"
15. Read the important information, click "Next >"
16. Click "Next >" to start copying files
17. If asked to "restart your computer" do so to finish the installation.
18. At this point you may delete the newly created folder on your desktop.
19. Now here is the part where we actually disable the touch pad, remember the following steps as you will have to return to the same location to enable the touch pad.
a. Go to Start -> Settings -> and open up the Control Panel
b. Locate the mouse icon and double click it to open the Mouse Properties window.
c. There are lots of wonderful new settings here so feel free to poke around, but the one option we are interested in is located under the "Device Settings" Tab, click it.
d. Highlight the "Synaptics TouchPad VX.X" and click "Disable"
20. This is the most important step! Pat yourself on the back and have a well disserved drink on me!
Squirrelly
124 Posts
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March 4th, 2006 22:00
Glad to hear everything is going so well. And I will be printing out your instructions very soon.
Squirrelly
Troublesniffer
14 Posts
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March 6th, 2006 12:00