My work laptop is now running Windows 7 (previously XP). Under XP the touchpad was setup so that dragging your finger at the right/bottom edge of the pad operated the vertical/horizontal scroll bar in the active window.
But that's not happening any more - couldn't see anything in the Mouse settings in Control Panel. Is there a driver missing?
Last edited by: Focus on Wed 10 Oct 12 at 22:49
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You need to install the driver for the touchpad. I am a little surprised the install from the IT guys didn't include this.
Without make/model none of us can look up what software needs to be installed - but you need additional software. What you describe sounds similar to the touch pad on the MiLs Samsung laptop.
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Thanks - I'm trying the Dell UK support site...
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Mmm... it's installed something called SetPoint. But the only setting it appears to have is whether to show the SetPoint icon in the notification area. Must be missing something somewhere...
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Set point is the mouse control suite for logitech mice, you need to be looking for something to do with "synapsis" (who probably make the touchpad)
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>> Set point is the mouse control suite for logitech mice, you need to be looking
>> for something to do with "synapsis" (who probably make the touchpad)
Will do...
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>> >> for something to do with "synapsis" (who probably make the touchpad)
>>
>> Will do...
...nothing obvious in the service-tag specific list of drivers, and every time I search for synaptics I get a website error :(
Downloading direct from the Synaptics website...
Last edited by: Focus on Thu 11 Oct 12 at 09:08
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Let the IT support peole sort it out. Chances are that if they get hold of it again for any reason the software will be lost as part of the standard build.
The actual operation of scrolling via the touchpad will vary by make. My Asus needs two fingers dragged across the touchpad. The old HP had an area at the side for scrolling. No idea how the Dell works, perhaps you need to try a different action rather than just dragging one finger?
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>> Let the IT support peole sort it out. Chances are that if they get hold
>> of it again for any reason the software will be lost as part of the
>> standard build.
I believe they have a standard image which they just copy onto a disk, but my machine is relatively non-standard. If I was in the office I would mention it to them, although they're overworked/understaffed at the moment.
>> The actual operation of scrolling via the touchpad will vary by make.
But the touchpad hasn't changed, so I assume I should be able to use the same actions I used when it was running XP.
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Can you get to these "Dell Touchpad" settings?
www.askdavetaylor.com/how_to_change_vista_dell_trackpad_touchpad_settings_preferences.html
Last edited by: John H on Thu 11 Oct 12 at 10:21
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I can't bear touchpads.
Suggest you buy a small wireless optical mouse so you can move the curser with a degree of accuracy and speed.
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>> Suggest you buy a small wireless optical mouse so you can move the curser with
>> a degree of accuracy and speed.
Got one, which is fine in the office and on the kitchen table, but impractical on the train and lounge sofa.
Currently hunting down an Alps driver, which I think stands the best chance of working, although there are long threads on other forums about Vostro/Alps issues.
Touchpad does not appear in the Mouse control dialogue.
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>> which I think stands the best chance of working,
...and if it doesn't, it's not the end of the world - basic functionality is ok.
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>> ...and if it doesn't, it's not the end of the world - basic functionality is ok.
The Alps driver seems to have done the trick - the Mouse control dialogue now has various options for the touchpad, including scrolling. Thanks guys.
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>> The Alps driver seems to have done the trick
Beat me to it. I was just going to say that Dell use Alps pads rather than Synaptics ones. Dell do have the driver on their site, but they're usually a release or two behind the vanilla one.
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>> Dell do have the [Alps] driver on their site, but they're usually
>> a release or two behind the vanilla one.
I was just looking at the list of available downloads for my machine, and it wasn't there - perhaps because of the problems discussed at length in that thread I linked to. But no problems so far.
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>> I was just going to say that Dell use Alps pads rather than Synaptics ones.
Ah yes - I was mis-informed by my previously reliable source. Can't get the staff :)
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you get what you pay for.
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>> But the touchpad hasn't changed, so I assume I should be able to use the
>> same actions I used when it was running XP.
>>
Doh! I'll write out 100 times "I must read the opening post more thoroughly" :-(
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I can't abide the touchpad system. I always use a mouse on my laptop and turn off the touchpad.
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the only place it makes any sense or works is on a macbook.
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Is it different to the touchpad on a laptop then? I assumed that they were all awful.
I dislike the things but I guess they're better than that little red nipple thing the IBMs used to have in the middle of the keyboard. That really was a pain.
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>> Is it different to the touchpad on a laptop then? I assumed that they were
>> all awful.
Yeah, because its multitouch, multi gesture, multifunction it works much more intuitively and is like a touch screen (without touching the screen) As opposed to the windows thing, where it tries to be just like a mouse - and trying to be a mouse is where it falls apart. And the mac one ignores your wrist or base of thumb when it touches it!
>> I dislike the things but I guess they're better than that little red nipple thing
>> the IBMs used to have in the middle of the keyboard. That really was a
>> pain.
I quite liked the trackpoint. preferred it to a touchpad.
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>>I quite liked the trackpoint. preferred it to a touchpad.
Oooo no.
Which one was it that used to have the trackball? They were quite good until they got fluff in them.
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Dells had one for a while, and Compaq dabbled with them.
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>> the only place it makes any sense or works is on a macbook.
...and trains (well makes sense anyway).
Last edited by: Focus on Sat 13 Oct 12 at 13:27
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Actually I do have occasional problems with the touchpad under Windows 7 - it was the same under XP, and it might be the problems discussed in those other threads. Basically the pointer becomes unresponsive - not completely, but it's almost impossible to drag it around. Very irritating. But if you tap the touchpad a few times it goes back to normal. It does feel like a software (ie. driver) problem rather than hardware.
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Laptop touchpad settings, Windows 7 - rtj70
