Funny cursor behavior

Helen Feddema,

How are you doing?

I am not sure the exact reason for this, but most likely it is an add-in that came with your dell laptop. Similar to those put in on HP computers or by other large manufactures. These add-ins might add some features like controlling video's or dvd's, but honestly, I never use them, but that is just me.

You could search through your installed programs and delete any that you won't use, perhaps a multimedia application.

Personally, I like to remove all software that comes from the manufacture and just start with Windows, then add "exactly (and only)" what I want to use, so I don't have an suprises, but that is just me.

Perhaps someone will have more experience with this issue in particular.

Hope this helps,
Kevin

Hello Helen Feddema,
I've seen it .... it is one of the settings on the touchpad options. I've got it on the tip of my tongue but cannot remember what it is called.... it happens in some screens where you can move sideways when you have the click button of the mouse or the touchpad depressed..... it think....not sure it was something like: enable visual guidance ... or something similar... visual confirmation or visual assist...
Hope this helps....

Hello Helen Feddema :-)
Can you post a picture of it ?

I think BitsBytesandMore is correct -- this happens when using the touchpad (I can't use the mouse because of a problem with IntelliPoint, posted separately).  I will try to capture an image of it (have to install Screen Capture or some other app first)

Helen.... you probably have the touchpad's icon on the system tray. Right click on it and scour through the properties and tabs. I can't remember if it was Enable Visual Assist or something by those lines (actually .... it might have been in the mouse settings) ....
What I do remember is that once I enabled it, when I was on a screen that had more information than what the size of the Window was displaying horizontally..... they would appear to pop (like 2 sideways arrows).....
Bits...

You can just use "Prnt Scrn" for the screenshot, one tap on the key and crop out what you don't want and it's done. If you just want to get a screenshot of the "in Focus" window then it would be Alt-PrntScrn...

I tried PrintScreen first, but it didn't capture the cursor.  This cursor is very elusive, and disappears as soon as I take my finger off the touchpad.  Screen Shot didn't work either, but I will keep trying.  I looked at all the touchpad settings, and couldn't find it there.

No problem... the screenshot is not the issue here.
Can you confirm if it looks like 2 arrows pointing to the left and right right next to the cursor?

I tried to Install Collage Complete, but it wouldn't install (no surprise, it is quite old).  The cursor looks like a little black rectangle with two triangles pointing out from it, either to the sides or up and down.

It does sometimes appear within a window, where maybe it is used to scroll internally.  But I have also seen it in other locations.  Whatever, I just want to eliminate it, or at least turn it off unless I need it.

This ranks up with the Object Model Guardian in the Useless and Annoying category of features.

But where is it in the touchpad settings?  I couldn't find it there.

Is it Enable Scrolling?  I just turned that off, and I am testing now.

No -- I just saw the cursor

I reopened the Touchpad settings window, and Enable Scrolling was checked again -- I unchecked it again.

I think that's it -- I have been moving the cursor all over, and I haven't seen that cursor yet.

Hello Helen .... I had to go into the shop to check on all the computers that were ready to pickup to find it..... finally did. I see you already closed the question. I hope this was it but I am not sure.
The one I'm talking about is an ALPS touchpad and interestingly enough, when I click on the icon on the system tray, it comes up as a window called  "MOUSE Properties" . The Tab is  the Function Tab and the option that generates the triangles is called "Enable Visual Feedback" .....
I tried to verify on the Dell website but I was unable to find a Dell Studio 55 (there is a 1555).
I wanted to confirm if your Dell had come with a Synaptic's TouchPad or an ALPS TouchPad (this might explain why they are named differently if it still works for you). On the ALPS, the Enable Scrolling is a different function and there is also another one more called Web Assist.
Well .... I appreciate the feedback and the points. Keep me posted if the problem does come back.
Bits ...