The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Simultaneous use of trackpad and keyboard

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by Slusho, Sep 22, 2011.

  1. Slusho

    Slusho Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Is there a way to enable this? I've looked in the settings and found nothing. On a gaming PC, not being able to move the mouse (when using the trackpad) and use the keyboard makes it so you have to have a mouse to play games. I can't walk and look at the same time in Minecraft!
     
  2. fred2028

    fred2028 Sexy member

    Reputations:
    196
    Messages:
    2,205
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I can use keyboard and trackpad simultaneously fine in my games ... Portal, Portal 2, Counter Strike, Crysis 2, DiRT 3, ...
     
  3. kimjo42

    kimjo42 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    23
    Messages:
    209
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    The only time I can't use the trackpad is when the mouse is plugged in.

    There is a setting where you can enable mouse AND trackpad, or one or the other, but you should be able to always use the keyboard, unless it's faulty?
     
  4. Slusho

    Slusho Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Every time I hold down a key on the keyboard the trackpad refuses to do anything. I did install an update to the trackpad (off of synaptics' website which included scrybe but I disabled that) but I think this was plaguing me before that.
     
  5. Croatoan

    Croatoan Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    187
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    there is a setting under properties of the trackpad that disables the trackpad when a usb mouse is plugged in.

    I would ensure that this little tick box is not checked. Mine is as I'd hatee the trackpad interfering when gaming.

    There is also somewhere in command centre that has the same option. I dont know why as its actually done at synaptics driver level.
     
  6. fred2028

    fred2028 Sexy member

    Reputations:
    196
    Messages:
    2,205
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I dunno if this affects anything but get the latest Synaptics drivers from Synaptics' site. Then do a Windows Update.
     
  7. Slusho

    Slusho Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Nothing's working. And I switched off "hide cursor when typing" but in word it still hides it. Maybe word always does it regardless?
     
  8. sulliboys

    sulliboys Guest

    Reputations:
    0
    Same problem here when playing minecraft. Very annoying. I play intense games with a mouse (odviouslty) such as bbc2 or cod 4
     
  9. justinmpierson

    justinmpierson Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    10
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    No problems playing minecraft on mine... could it be the palm check option that disables the touchpad when typing if it detects too much on the touchpad? Try turning it off.
     
  10. Slusho

    Slusho Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Yeah that didn't work either. Should I contact Synaptics or Dell?
     
  11. Jollybean

    Jollybean Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    did you ever solve this?
     
  12. Wattser93

    Wattser93 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    182
    Messages:
    193
    Likes Received:
    31
    Trophy Points:
    41
    It's the palm check. I had the same issue when playing Indie games (I use a mouse for most everything) and disabling the palm check fixed it.