Do you want to disable the touchpad when you plug in a USB mouse?

So, I was thinking, the Dell laptop I have from work disables the mouse when I plug in a USB mouse. Why don't other notebook manufacturers do the same? It's the same software and same touchpad device, is it not? Well, just for the hell of it, I decided I'd try install the Dell touchpad drivers on my Gateway P-7811FX...

Holy crap it worked!

1) Go to Dell's support site and choose a laptop.
2) Next, download the appropriate driver for the Touchpad that corresponds to the operating system you're running
3) Go into Add/Remove programs and remove the current Synaptics software.
4) Reboot (you're touchpad should still work afterwards. If not, have a USB mouse in hand).
5) Install Dell's driver.

I'm running Vista 64-bit, so I used this link: http://support.dell.com/support/dow...1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=17&fileid=255212

For those of you running Vista 32-bit, try this: http://support.dell.com/support/dow...7&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=17&fileid=238839

Let me know if anyone else got theirs to work.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/Eurasianman/Touchpad.jpg

 

Whats the point of disabling?

 

So that the touchpad doesn't interfere with anything.

 

There are some people who buy laptops to game on. It's near impossible to game on the touchpad, so people plug in USB mouses, however, when they do that, they like the touchpad to automatically disable.

I mean, think about it... why would you want 2 pointing devices enabled at the same time?

Also, why is Dell the only one that supports this feature???

 

i like mine, theres a toggle option and it does help to have it off

 

i was thinking about doing this and then i realized that when i game im hooked up to my mouse/keyboard/monitor

anywhere i take my laptop thats not my desk (i.e. class) can't really use a mouse so yeah. but if i didnt use external keyboard/monitor i would probably go for this.

 

I don't bother using the touchpad or the laptop's keyboard. USB mouse and keyboard for me. (Y)

 

why not just use a desktop?

i like to disable the touch pad cause sometimes i'll hit during a game, but then when i dont have anything to set my mouse on i have to use the keyboard to navigate and enable it.so this would be useful.

 

Umm, Apple does this too.

 

HP does one better and has a button to disable the touchpad

 

I never owned an Apple, did not know they did that.

HP does not count. They have an on/off button above the touchpad. What Dell does is automatically turn the touchpad off as soon as a USB mouse is connected.

I guess I'm the only one that actually found this useful.

 

Yeah, actually my G1s has a button to disable it. But I think we're talking automatic here.

 

i would say most people who buy notebooks and then use them as desktop replacements (like me) need the portability for some reason. i personally take this to class for notes, and i would also like the option of working on anything wherever i want (as opposed to this desktop ive had forever, have to be at my desk to do work)

and then you have people like vicious over at the asus section who take their laptops to work everyday and want some gaming power behind it for whenever you have time

 

the regular synaptics touchpad manager doesn't allow this?

Dell is using synaptics, just some different software for the manager

i turn off the touchpad when the mouse in plugged in as well, it's convenient.

 

This also works when connecting a bluetooth mouse up:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3932864#post3932864

 

Great info Eura. Not sure why people feel the need to argue about it....

+rep.

 

HP offers an on/off touchpad button which gives the user the choice to disable it or leave in enabled. My dads 1520 doesnt do that though, i wonder why...

 

I almost never use my touchpad. I just leave it disabled all the time and use a USB mouse because when the touchpad is on I find myself consistently bumping it with my wrist when I type.

 

On a Dell, you have to use the Dell Touchpad application-Open Mouse control panel, click the Dell Touchpad tab then click the large icon. When the touchpad app opens, click "Device Select" then check the box at the bottom marked "Disable touchpad...."

 

I wanted to disable the touchpad on my toshiba x305 didn't see it in mouse or touch pad properties. So I asked in I think Toshiba forum and Gregory suggested pressing fn+f9 to enable/disable. So simple and a lot more convenient if you do find you need the touch pad and don't want to unplug mouse. Don't know if it works for other models try it though.

 

Note: Different notebook manufacturers implement different ways of disabling the touchpad. HP has a button above the touchpad. Dell does it through software (which is what I linked). Toshiba does it through an FN (fucntion) + another key. Gateway, AFAIK, doesn't have a simple way of doing this other than going into the mouse properties and disabling it manually.

 

I have yet to see/use a notebook that does not have a toggle on/off option for the touchpad. I do not know for sure if they had an automatic setting.

First of all tho good proper typing has you hovering you hands over the keyboard so you would never touch it. I leave it on, on purpose for that reason to modivate me to try to keep some of the proper form I learned in typing class as a kid. It not only lets you type faster but it prevents all the bad stuff like carpel tunnel.

Also if for any reason the notebook you are using does not have a option to turn it off or on, I have heard great things about a program called TouchFreeze, its freeware and it somehow knows when your typing and wont let the touchpad effect you.

many EEE users are using it and love it, since we use our touchpads ALOT.

 

Yep! It's pretty neat too. The touchpad disables when I pull the MOGO x54 out of the expresscard slot and re-enables when I put the MOGO back in. Even if I had a button I'd probably prefer this automatic method over the additional step of pressing a button.

Did I rep you for this? Because it's one of the best finds I've used so far.

FYI, I had to uninstall my factory touchpad drivers first because they were more recent than the ones for the Dell. I don't know if it was mentioned before but it's worth noting.

 

You did rep WarlordOne. Thanks

 

I'm honestly not sure why people are arguing the simple fact that the P-7811FX DOES NOT HAVE AN EASY WAY OF DISABLING THE FEATURE.

Honestly, I've left it disabled since the day I bought it, I always have my USB mouse at hand and ready. However, seems like a great feature for people who have to take their laptop to school/work and don't have room for a mouse.. and then take it home to play games on.

P.s. If you play a FPS with a TouchPad, let me know so I can show you how dumb that is. -.-;

 

I actually have been pwned in Counter Strike 1.6 by someone using the touchpad

 

Well.. I guess that's better than getting owned with someone with a rollerball. :\

 

Yep! Works perfectly.

 

Glad to hear

 

Thank you SO MUCH. I have a HP DV2000 running on XP. I always forget to turn off the touchpad until my thumb hits it and makes my cursor jump. With this driver I don't have to think about it, it is done.
I installed it and it works great.

 

Just FYI if you have a Synaptics TouchPad you can just download their latest driver off their site and it will have the option to disable the Touchpad automatically when a USB pointing device is plugged in. Yes that applies to P-7811FX and no it is not Dell only.

http://www.synaptics.com/support/drive.cfm

Dell uses Synaptics drivers. Not even the newest ones either. 10.1.8 is out and the Dell link is 10.1.2

 

Thanks man!

+1

 

That's funny. It NEVER worked for me no matter what laptop I used. Even if it was a Dell laptop.

 

If you have a Synaptics TouchPad it should work. Worked fine for all the notebooks Iv had other than my current Dell XT. I dont think that uses Synpatics however.

 

I think this is a wonderful idea. My girlfriends parents have to disable tapping because they are always hitting the touchpad. And they use a wireless USB mouse.
I use a razor death adder mouse for gaming but i don't seem to ever have issues with the touchpad.

Thanks again!

 

Your welcome.

Glad some people are finding this useful

 

Does not work for everyone.

Example: Me.

BTW, Eurasianman, you can use snipping tool to post screenshots of just the dell tool rather then posting an image of your whole screen. Of course if you wanted to post a ss of your whole screen...who am I to stop you =)

 

I did that for clarity to show everyone that it was done on a Gateway notebook

 

usualy when im browsing the web i use my touchpad even when the mouse is plugged in, that way my hands are right there on the keyboard anyways when im about to type.

but heres a flash back, anyone remeber the little button they used to put between the h j n keys that you could use to control the cursor? thoes were nice once you got used to the gritty feeling it got after a month of use, they proved to be handy when speed typing and you had to click some where else.

 

Just think of us Thinkpad users running 3 pointing devices at the same time!

I don't see the problem, none of them cause me any problems and I find all three have different advantages so I constantly switch between all three when I am working. I would be lost without my touchpad scroll, mouse access while typing from the nub, and real mouse for fast and accurate movement.

To answer your actual question, Lenovo/Thinkpad includes a driver that you can set all different things to happen; I would assume that it has a 'disable with external mouse' setting. There is the Fn+F8 combo that brings up the mode switch so you can run different pre-set settings quickly, so it’s like the HP in that respect I guess.

P.S. If you count the 6-axis mouse and/or joystick I can end up with up to 4 pointing devices at once. Too bad I have never plugged in both the joystick and 6-axis mouse at the same time so I could claim five.

 

Where can I find the option to disable the touchpad?

I downloaded the latest driver from the synaptics page and cant find this option anywhere on my Vaio...

 

Provided that you're using Windows XP, it should be Control Pannel > mouse

 

You know when I am using my MS BT 5000 on my 1530, I have never disabled my touchpad... I don't know if that's good or bad...but it has never, been a problem for me!


Cin

 

Thanks OP!

 

There is a program out there call NoTouchpad.com that will setup a hotkey to enable/disable your touchpad. It only works with Synaptics touchpads

 

I downloaded the new Synaptic drivers, where do I find the option to disable the pad with a USB mouse?

 

That's just it. For some odd reason, AFAIK, if you download the actual Synaptic drivers for the mouse pad, there is no option. That's why I linked the Synaptic driver from the Dell website.

 

It didn't work on my P-7801u. The driver loads ok, it just doesn't disable the trackpad when a mouse is plugged in.

 

What's the point of disabling a touchpad when you plug in the mouse besides saving minimal amount of power.

 

My thumb inadvertently hits the trackpad when gaming.