Deactivating touchpad on Dell Inspiron

[Andrew Perry]

I recently reinstalled XP Pro on my Inspiron, but since
the touchpad/stick control applet is a Dell application
(and I can't find the OEM system disc - I installed from a
new Pro disc, rather than the Home sysdisc) I can't
currently switch off the touchpad.

For some reason, the touchpad keeps moving the system
caret whenever I type; presumably I somehow touch the pad,
but I can't work out why it keeps doing it.

Is there any way of deactivating the touchpad? It doesn't
show up in Device Manager, but it thinks there's a PS/2
mouse plugged in as well as my USB Intellimouse.

 

[I'm Dan]

I recently reinstalled XP Pro on my Inspiron, but since
the touchpad/stick control applet is a Dell application
(and I can't find the OEM system disc - I installed from a
new Pro disc, rather than the Home sysdisc) I can't
currently switch off the touchpad.

For some reason, the touchpad keeps moving the system
caret whenever I type; presumably I somehow touch the pad,
but I can't work out why it keeps doing it.

Is there any way of deactivating the touchpad? It doesn't
show up in Device Manager, but it thinks there's a PS/2
mouse plugged in as well as my USB Intellimouse.

Go to support.dell.com, enter your service tag code, go to downloads
section, and get Dell's XP touchpad driver. It will have settings for
changing the sensitivity of the touchpad (as well as a number of other
operating characteristics). If your Inspiron has both a touchpad and
stick, I think there's also a setting in Dell's touchpad control panel
to enable/disable either one.