Disabling a trackpad (old Dell Inspiron)

Shiminay

Howdy all, I never post here (never had reason to) so hello

I have an old Inspiron I use as a media machine plugged into the telly (as I mentioned in the other thread), but the trackpad is bollixed and it brings the cursor away on adventures when I'm trying to use it. I haven't been able to find anything within Windows (Win2K) to disable it so I was wondering if anyone knew how I'd take care of it?

Thanks in advance.

Ruu_Old

Did you try disabling the trackpad device under Device Manager in the System applet of Control Panel (I think)?

Shiminay

First place I looked, there was no sign of a trackpad in it which realy confused me. I thought it might be in the usual mouse place, but no to that. I'll take another look later incase I missed something.

majiktripp

Known issue with older Dell Inspiron models that wandering pointer syndrome, only fix is to cut the actual ribbon cable either to trackpad or the nipple...whichever you use less I guess but we generally disable the nipple pointer.

Shad0r

Kharn wrote:

the trackpad is bollixed and it brings the cursor away on adventures when I'm trying to use it.

ooohh oooooh oooooh. SNAP!

I've got one of those too...

Now where did I put them spuds?!

Shad0r

Oh actually Dav, sorry, to be a little bit more informative, I spent ages rooting around control panel trying to find a way to get it to stop without joy. I also spent funkin ages on the Dell support site, which is like a big jungle. (There's no muck in that jungle tho, so dont be goin and getting all excited)

In the end I installed the latest (synaptec, I think) pointing devices drivers/software and got a wireless USB mouse. It hasnt caused me any problems since.

Ruu_Old

majiktripp wrote:

Known issue with older Dell Inspiron models that wandering pointer syndrome, only fix is to cut the actual ribbon cable either to trackpad or the nipple...whichever you use less I guess but we generally disable the nipple pointer.

Yep, had a google aboot and saw that with a couple of models alright.

TerrorFirmer

majiktripp wrote:

Known issue with older Dell Inspiron models that wandering pointer syndrome, only fix is to cut the actual ribbon cable either to trackpad or the nipple...whichever you use less I guess but we generally disable the nipple pointer.

Could you not just pull out the ribbon, rather then cut it?

edit: Actually why bother, not like you'd ever need it again

Shiminay

Arrah balls

Well, I guess I'm gonna have to MUCK in and burst my "opening up a lappy to tinker with it" cherry (hey, fup you Neil ). Horay for adventures in IT