#*%$@ Laptop mouse pad!! How do you turn it off??

Need some help guys

Ever since I bought my Laptop last year I have been trying to turn the built-in mouse pad off.
I have an external mouse so I don't need it.

The problem comes in when I try post a message/type a letter, rename a file etc...
When I type my, hand sometimes touches it and it moves the cursor somewhere else in the passage I'm working on.

Needless to say, the sentence I'm typing usually ends up looking like this:

"I use an external mouse Ever since I have been trying to turn the built-in mouse pad off I bought my Laptop last year so I don't need it."

you get the picture...

So I guess what I'm trying to say is: Is there any way to turn the thing off?

Thank you,

Gareth...

ps. I use Windows XP Home

Garth,
Look in the Control panel under Mouse. Click on Device settings. Your Touchpad should show up there in the Devices listing. High light the device, now you should be able to click on the Disable button. If for some reason it is not listed there, Contol Panel/System/Device Manager scroll down to Moue and Other pointing Devices. Click to expand and your touchpad should be in there. If it is not then you do not have one
From there you *could* uninstall the drivers but then if you wanted the pad later you might be stuck finding them. Most laptops have a *Hot* key to press to turn on and off the pad. Mine is "Fn*F7*

Well thats what I thought but I have never been able to find it in either of those places.

In Device Manager I have a Keyboard called "Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard" which kind of makes me think that the keyboard and mouse are the same device and I'll never ever get them separated...

...and your touchpad should be in there. If it is not then you do not have one

LOL!

I've got a few hot keys as well but none of them do the trick...

I'm stumped...

If all else fails I could stick some tape over it...

Gareth,
What make and model is it? (laptop). I love a challenge

IanD wrote:
Gareth,
What make and model is it? (laptop). I love a challenge

Time

Knock yourself out...

M700 or Traveller A430?

Time Traveller AR XP2600+

Gareth,
Re-boot and get into the BIOS. There should be a "switch" to run the unit on mouse only/mouse and touchpad/touchpad only.
Failing that, Stanley #3 ballpeen hammer applied to center of pad will achieve success.

Tried that too.
Problem is that Time, in their infinite wisdom, have installed their own BIOS setup called PhoenixBIOS. It is very "User Friendly" with none of that confusing gobbledegook their users don't understand and would therefore never want to change.

Needless to say I don't have that option... man this sux!!!

IanD wrote:
Failing that, Stanley #3 ballpeen hammer applied to center of pad will achieve success.

Hmmm... it's not sounding like such a bad idea at the moment...

Geez, I've run out of options. Very strange that they did the install with desktop keyboard drivers. Of course you could always open it up and try a little wire snipping
Sorry could not be of more help.

Thats OK. Help is always appreciated

One thing is for sure, when I replace my laptop, I wont buy TIME...

For now I'll just have to keep speaking like Yoda...

Appreciated is help always.

Hey, do you think if I type it in backasswards it will come out right?

I've got the same problem and in my Bios there's an option to switch off the pointer device. In the Bios it's off but that's all, it still works so f*** the Bios .

Just tape your credit card over the mouse pad. Servces two purposes...covers your pad and you'll have the CC handily available the next time you feel like ordering something from B&H.

But, if you want the oppostie effect, ie you DON'T want to buy anymore photo equipments, replace tape with super glue and glue CC face down over pad.