dell latitude 2100 webbooks - disable track pad

[goodhead]

we have a student here that has special needs and has a dell latitude 2100 webbook.

We need a way to turn off the track pad, cos it keeps interfering with his special software.

 

The only way i've seen is to use a dell utility that disables. Issue is that when a restricted user logs in the icon doesn't appear next to time. This icon allows and disallows the the pad.

 

So either i need a way to make this icon appear for all users or a another way to turn it off. I've looked in bios. couldn't see anythink there. Have tried various things in device man also.

 

Any ideas?

[Dom_]

Can you set it to the default user profile on the machine? Login as a local admin account and make the change, log out and overwrite the default user profile in docs and settings with the local admin profile.

[webman]

Is there a Fn + Function key to toggle the trackpad on and off?

[AngryTechnician]

Does it need to be off all the time while this student is using it, or perhaps only while typing? This might help if it's just while typing: Touchpad Blocker - software to automatically lock/disable touch pad while typing on notebook keyboard (credit to DaveP on this thread)

[goodhead]

thanks, all

I'll try some of the above suggestions.

[gjdb]

A Latitude D630 has a pointingstick, and it can be disabled with a registry key.

Maybe you could make a snapshot before and after you disable the pad with the Dell software and build a script which does disable/enable the pad.

 

The pointingstick registry key is:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Alps\Apoint\SelectDevice

"SelectDevice"=dword:00000039

 

This setting does disable the stick.

[rh91uk]

I will have a look when I get to work as we have some exactly the same.

 

However, what I have done for disabling other items (such as the toushcreen and webcam) is use DevCon from Microsoft and I'm sure you'll be able to do this for the pointing stick.

 

I posted my script/explanation on the below thread:

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/51527-uninstalling-driver.html#post478196

[AngryTechnician]

I've just remembered that Group Policy Preferences can disable devices on a per-user basis (see below for an example). I've not actually tried it per-user so you might have to experiment a bit and see if it re-enables properly for other users, but it would seem like an ideal solution.