Non car question

[Guest]

Got a Dell Lattitude D600 and running XP

I find the small square pointer pad that is used when th emouse is not installed a pain in the @rse when i am typing and have the mouse plugged in anyway. As i inveriably touch it and the cursor move to another line and i end up typing where i dont want. ITS DRIVING ME UP THE WALL

Question

Is there a way to disable the pad other than throuing a £1000 lap top out the window?

 

[carlmthompson]

Errr....

Wow, a question I might know something about without incurring the wrath of the group[]

You can disable the mouse pad by following the instructions below - note if you don't have Administrator privileges, you'll have to get the geek in the corner at work to do it for you!:-
1) Start your Laptop and Log On.
2) Right Click on My Computer
3) Select "Properties"
4) Select the "Hardware" Tab
5) Press the "Device Manager" Button
6) Open the "Mice and Other Pointing devices" + arrow
7) Right click on the TouchPad item (it might be called something different but similar like "Synaptics PS/2 Port Tuochpad")
8) Select Disable.

Job done. Just don't forget to plug in a mouse or similar, as otherwise you'll have to learn the short cut keys [].

Added:- Sorry - have just read your post again - if you don't enable the touch pad before you close Windows down, it won't work the next time you start Windows, wether you have a mouse plugged in or not. There's no way to just enable it when it doesn't see a mouse (unless someone wants to correct me[])

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: carlmthompson

Errr....

Wow, a question I might know something about without incurring the wrath of the group[]

You can disable the mouse pad by following the instructions below - note if you don't have Administrator privileges, you'll have to get the geek in the corner at work to do it for you!:-
1) Start your Laptop and Log On.
2) Right Click on My Computer
3) Select "Properties"
4) Select the "Hardware" Tab
5) Press the "Device Manager" Button
6) Open the "Mice and Other Pointing devices" + arrow
7) Right click on the TouchPad item (it might be called something different but similar like "Synaptics PS/2 Port Tuochpad")
8) Select Disable.

Job done. Just don't forget to plug in a mouse or similar, as otherwise you'll have to learn the short cut keys [].

Added:- Sorry - have just read your post again - if you don't enable the touch pad before you close Windows down, it won't work the next time you start Windows, wether you have a mouse plugged in or not. There's no way to just enable it when it doesn't see a mouse (unless someone wants to correct me[])

THats great, just to clarify, i assume that the mouse will always work once the touch pad is disabled?

 

[carlmthompson]

Yes, as long as it's a USB mouse (the flat connection, not the round pin type PS2).

When you have a mouse connected, it will also say in the drop down devices menu under pointing devices, something along the lines "HID Compliant mouse".

It will also ask you to restart to confirm the changes - once you restart - hey presto, no mouse pad[]

 

[Guest]

Forgot to say had a look at that already, there is no toouchpad item under the mouse ans pointing devices. Just ps2 compatable mouse option. And yes the touchpad does work. Does this mean i dont have the access rights? If not how can i hack into them as my IT department as a waste of fecking oxygen and are getting outsourced some time soon.

 

[carlmthompson]

Hmmmm.

Okay, in that case, I would try and disble it in the bios (it isn't access rights, or you wouldn't be able to get to the menu in the first place.)

To access the Bios, you usually have to press a key a start up - usually Del or F2 on a Dell.

Once in the menus (hopefully as I'm shooting in the dark!), there should be an option to disable the Touchpad.

If there isn't an option in there, give me a shout before tomorrow night and I'll check our stock of Dell C600/610's at work - I think they're similar to what you have.

PS -outsourcing anything usually means you get the same crap service, only worse becuase somebody somewhere wants to make a profit - I know cause that's what I spend half my life trying to correct[:'(]

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: carlmthompson
PS -outsourcing anything usually means you get the same crap service, only worse becuase somebody somewhere wants to make a profit - I know cause that's what I spend half my life trying to correct[:'(]

You and me both mate; I thought we were going to get rid of the ex General Motors IT department but now it looks like we might be sticking with them. At least I get to improve my professional beating technique some more I guess.

 

[carlmthompson]

If you want tips, I am perfecting techniques, and intend to write a book called "dealing with the inert and inept".

 

[Guest]

With the risk of upsetting the apple cart, our department have a severe case of the tail wagging the dog, and seem to forget that its first and formost an engineering company and the IT department are a tool that we use to get our job done, our job which achtually brings in the fees.

About time they got a kick in the @rse and a little reminder.

Always craks me up going into there room and seeing all the laters OCD screens (this is 4 years ago) and various fancy bits of kit, mean while i struggled to get a decent mouse... Well what goes around comes around.

Anyway enought of my rant, thanks i will try the bios, if not maybe out the window will be the best option..

Or i could just plug in an ordinary keyboard, oh no wait a mo, i cant becasue IT dont give them out with lap tops, feckers.

 

[carlmthompson]

[/quote]

Always craks me up going into there room and seeing all the laters OCD screens (this is 4 years ago) and various fancy bits of kit, mean while i struggled to get a decent mouse... Well what goes around comes around.

That's because they're geeks.

You need to be firm with them, and threaten to beat them up[]

Believe me, the only thing outsourcing will achieve is that the IT department won't have new stuff as well.

 

[Fen]

We have a few who think it's still 1985, when the business users were lucky to have computers []

Personally I never forget it's making/selling wine & spirits that makes our money []

Thing is if you do get oursourced you'll keep the same people and the outsource provider will have to take them on, on the same package they are on now, unless they can show the positions are redundant.

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: carlmthompson
Believe me, the only thing outsourcing will achieve is that the IT department won't have new stuff as well.

Fantastically well put! Also, after a couple of years your employer will realise it's costing them more for a poorer service but it will cost even more to get out of the contract. In the meantime everything will take 5 times as long as it used to to do because there will be a round of "how much?", "roughly x", "OK, how much exactly?", "exactly x", "OK, who's paying?" before any actual IT gets done.

 

[Guest]

I woudnt suggest anyone on here is of the same standard as our guys.

By outsourcing i have no doubt that will actually men all the engineers will have to do more of the IT work, just means that the clients will get billed for more of our time.. lolss

And back on topic, cant get into the bios either!!!!!

 

[Mikie_gb]

Although my laptop is a toshiba, your Dell may have the same sort of control system. I control my screen, mouse, battery etc like this....

1. Start button
2. settings
3. Control panel
4. Mine has a 'Toshiba HW setup' button which is in addition to the 'system' icon. yours may be called "dell something' or another and there may be several of the icons attributed to dell.
5. Double click icon and there should be a tab Pointing devices. Mine has enable both, or auto select, which will disable the pad.

Failing that try gaffer tape and a bit of card[].

If you use a usb mouse, you should be able to plug and unplug it at will without restarting and unplugging the mouse will automatically reinstate the pad. Using a round plug mouse and doing that will cause the computer to freeze and will not unfreeze until reboot. Anoying.

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: Mikie_gb

Failing that try gaffer tape and a bit of card[].

I like Mikies proposal. Now shall we schedule a series of meetings so that our people can talk to your people and agree a first proposal regarding the time frame for the project. I will of course need costings and manpower projections [&:]

I need to get out of outsourcing.........oh hang on here come the folk from Bangalore, I soon will be [:-]

 

[Guest]

Job done got into the bios F2 and disabled it, shame mind i thought there might be a setting that would atumatically enable it if no mouse was detected but theres not. Still no touch pad now so thats the main thing.

Cheers everyone.

Better not tell my IT dept that i have been in the bios they will want the computer back for 3 days just to check i havnt altered the clock!!!!

 

[mik_ok]

ORIGINAL: slim_boy_fat

Got a Dell Lattitude D600 and running XP

Snap.

On mine ~ go to "control panel", then "mouse", then "Device select".

You can then select "stick", "stick and pad" or just "pad".

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: mik_ok

ORIGINAL: slim_boy_fat

Got a Dell Lattitude D600 and running XP

Snap.

On mine ~ go to "control panel", then "mouse", then "Device select".

You can then select "stick", "stick and pad" or just "pad".

Nice try Mik but there is no "device select"

Anyway sorted through the bios.

 

[mik_ok]

Which is "just weird".

I have the same flaptop and the same OS, but I do have that option. [&:]