Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of dcastronw
dcastronw

asked on

What device under Device settings in Vista is the touchpad?

The touchpad stopped working.  I already looked in the Device Manager and only the external mouse shows up under Human Interface Device and Mouse and other pointers.  In Control Panel | Mouse, Device Settings tab is present but nothing shows up.  My idea is that if one of the System devices is related to the touchpad, that I can try a trick that has worked with other devices ...uninstall and scan to let the drivers be reloaded.  I've contacted HP and they've had me install driver software and also I've removed the battery and powered on with only AC.  The touchpad point is still not working.  I've set up a service repair to send it into them but I've determined that I can fix it.
Avatar of LeeTutor
LeeTutor
Flag of United States of America image

Well, it's very different on various computers.  Sometimes it is a tab in Mouse under Control Panel.  Sometimes it is a device listed under Human Interface Device.  Sometimes it is a setting in the Bios.  Sometimes, as on my Compaq Presario CQ60-206US, it is a button on the keyboard next to the touchpad.

You say that the computer is a Compaq Presario.  Compaq Presario what?  There are probably hundreds of different models...
Avatar of dcastronw
dcastronw

ASKER

Yeah, I've tried all those places except the BIOS.  I'll look there now.  It's a CQ50-139WM

Hardware (on the keyboard) button toggled ...no difference.

Tab in  Mouse under Control Panel shows a device name at the top but the options are blank below (I've attached a screen shot).

Human Interface Device and Mouse and other pointers under Device Manager don't show anything (once I unplug the external mouse).
SOLUTION
Avatar of ☠ MASQ ☠
☠ MASQ ☠

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
You probably already have the service manual
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01572022.pdf

In your original question "the external mouse shows up".  Have you tried the touchpad button after booting without the external mouse attached?
According to that pdf document that MASQUERAID gave a link for, there is a button for on or off on the touchpad.  The picture is on page 9.
The BIOS on this machine are really limited.  I didn't see anything related.  I also don't see any of the buttons in combination with the fn making a difference.  Yeah, I tried the mouse after shutting down, unplugging the external and booting back up.  I didn't look at the service manual.  I didn't have my aunt give it to me.  But, I will ...thanks for the link.

I feel like this gotta be something ...unless hardware truly just malfunction.
You can try to get the driver directly from Synaptics website :

http://www.synaptics.com/support/drivers

Download the install the Windows Vista 32-bit driver, then restart your PC for once and see if it works now.
Thanks, I tried the drivers directly from Synaptics website as well.

So ...about my original question ...does anyone know if there is a System device in Device Manager that is related to the pointers, mice, etc?  ...that I could try to uninstall and maybe reinstalling will catch the right driver files???
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Usually if there was something uninstalled like that ...performing a scan for or restarting will prompt the add/ hardware wizard.  i'm not getting that response.
Can you open a command prompt and do the below?

sfc /scannow

This will prompt Windows to check all system files and replace any corrupted/missing files with fresh copies.

So either the hardware is bad or the 'service' is disabled.  Here's a screen shot showing how to disable the touchpad using the Synaptics software.  I guess you are looking to do the reverse

image112-1-.png
Yeah, exactly.  In this window, although it says Synaptics Pointing Device - xxxxxx, there is nothing under Devices section.  I didn't know or think about a Service.
Have you had a look here as well:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=2093&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3804159

This is the official link for the laptop downloads, might have something useful in there.
I will look there a little later.  Thanks so much.  I'll report back about the Services and/or the laptop downloads page.
Are you positive there is no Hardware related lock key. usually FN+F3 or something along those lines. I am almost positive every manufacturer these days has a keystrole for enabling and disabling the touchpad. i have attatched an extract from the user guide on how to enable and disable the touchpad.
I hope this helps

KAVO
Touchpad.doc
Yeah, someone got me that earlier ...and I had been toggling that key back and forth. Thanks so much!