Synaptics Touchpad

Hi

Up until a few days my touchpad was working fine but now its not responding at all.
Ive tried to solve this myself by uninstalling and reinstalling the Device Driver but its still not working.

Device: Synaptics Pointing Device - v8.2.19

Brand/Model Of Computer: Acer TravelMate 2490

PcPitstop Test (if it helps?): PcPitstop



Regards

Hello Manicd,

Good post with loads of information.

I had a look at your PCPitstop scan, good machine, clean, and no un-necessary software there. You obviously know how to do your housekeeping.

However, run CCleaner as there are some junk files there for clearance. How long is it since you have defragged your C:\Drive?

If you are not having problems with any drivers I suggest you do not take the Customized Tune Up Tips advice and upgrade your Device Drivers, but I do suggest you right click on My Computer > properties > hardware > device manager and see if there are any warnings there for attention. If not don't touch a thing.

After you do the suggested items, tell us if your touch pad is working again.

Post back if you need more information as we are happy to assist you.

kind regards,

Hi Tallin and thanks for the quick responses.

I had a look at your PCPitstop scan, good machine, clean, and no un-necessary software there. You obviously know how to do your housekeeping.

Haha thank you, I'm quite particular about keeping my computer running smoothly, posssibly to much & thats where I run into trouble .

How long is it since you have defragged your C:\Drive?

About a month ago. I analyzed the C:\Drive and it said "You do not need to defragment this volume", should I do it anyway?

As for the touchpad I checked the status of the device and it is working properly so I don't know what to do other than that, I think its broke



kind regards

Hi Manicd, Have you ruled out dust/debris working its way under your keyboard? I've noticed some instances of interference from AntiSpyware utilities when updating or changing drivers. It's a long shot, but you might benefit from turning off your Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware 2007, and SpywareBlaster, and then attempt to reinstall your touchpad driver. Don't forget to turn the above utilities back on after you've finished. Best Regards

Hi Doug Yeah my keyboard is pretty clean so I'm not sure its that??? Should I uninstall the driver first before reinstalling it?

Hi I have tried reinstalling the driver with the AntiSpyware utilities turned of but its still not working

Hello Manicd,

Yes I would defrag your drive again, what defragmenter do you use?

Running out of ideas to help you here, but you could try the following as it cannot do any harm and may help your touchpad problem.

Please post back and let us know you are progressing.

kind regards,
_________________

Backup/archive/copy

To be on the safe side I strongly recommend that before doing anything at all you check that your back up/archive/copy of all your important data, drivers, files, settings, work, etc is 100% up to date accurate and reproducible, (even if your back up is even only a day or so out of date, it's worth updating it now.)
Also don't forget to check that you have all your application Installation CD's to hand together with the product keys (including those for Windows itself)

Windows Protected System File Checker SFC

Start>Run
type:
sfc /scannow (note the space between c /)
Have your Win XP installation disc handy as if damaged files are found they will need to be copied across from your disc, if SFC can't find correct copies elsewhere.

Windows XP Installation disc not available or wrong Service Pack - SP1 when SP2 is needed

There are work- arounds to this problem but the easiest, by far is to borrow one and use that. It is perfectly OK to do this, for the purposes of running SFC,and if you ask around all your friends, you are likely to find someone who will be able to help you out.


SFC no disc, no friends able to help.
Well you will need to do it the harder way and as a registry edit will be required it is essential that you back up your registry before you do anything else. Then in the event of trouble it will be easier to repair your registry. Download ERUNT from here and take a moment to familiarise yourself with the programme and how to repair your registry with it if it should become necessary. At the same time it would be wise to create a System Restore point, post back here if you need instructions on how to do this.

For the alterations needed to run SFC If you go here you will find detailed instructions on the copying of files and the system changes you need to make. When you have followed all the instructions, reboot you machine and try to run SFC again, and please let us know how you go.


System Restore Point facility

Go to:
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools>System Restore
follow the onscreen directions.
Try to put your system back to a date before your troubles started.
see how you go.
Note 1 using this facility will normally preserve documents and data created by you in your My Documents folder, but some data files left on the desktop for example are at severe risk of being lost. For this reason it is recommended that before doing anything at all, you check that your back up/archive/copy of all your important data, files, settings, work, etc is 100% up to date accurate and reproducible, (even if your back up is even only a day or so out of date, its worth updating it now.)

Also don't forget to check that you have all your application Installation CD's to hand together with the product keys (including those for Windows itself)

Note 2 It is always important to have System Restore, protecting your boot drive (usually Drive C:) unless your trusted adviser specifically recommends turning it off for a short while.

Defragging a hard drive isn't going to fix a Touchpad problem. You can do this if you want but it's not going to help.

How does it behave in Safe Mode?
How does it behave if you use a Linux Live CD like Puppy Linux? It comes as an iso file that you download and save on your hard drive. You then create a bootable CD from it using your burner software. You can then boot the CD and run Linux. See if the Touch-pad works.

If yes then the problem is with XP, but I suspect it will not work and the problem is that the Touchpad is defective.

Good recommendations Ztruker. I was headed toward rebooting to SAFE Mode, but hadn't thought to try a Linus distro. Manicd - Also consider a "workaround" – Are you able to plug in a PS/2 or USB mouse. If you are able to do so, do either provide full functionality?

Hi Doug, Tallin, Ztrucker

For some bizzare and unknown reason my touchpad has decided to work again.
I was ready to go through the procedures suggested by Tallin when I logged of and accidently touched the touchpad and the cursor started to move
This has been one of a series of strange events that have been happening with my computer of late.
Another one is Firefox keeps on freezing up and only allowing me to open new tabs and not allow me to access the ones that are already open x3
The CPU in task manager has been at a 100% when this is happening and only dies down when closing firefox
Do you think this has something to do with the back up files on my D:\ Drive being damaged\corrupted? I have had to use the factory restore setting couple of times due to viruses and files have been missing before most notably this one:sndvol32.exe

Manicd - Also consider a "workaround" – Are you able to plug in a PS/2 or USB mouse.
If you are able to do so, do either provide full functionality?

Yeah my USB mouse has been operating fine throughout.
______________________________

Every time I have tried to back up my C:\ & D:\ with NTI's Backup NOW!4.5 to DVD+R (just in case something like this happens) it always says something like "Cannot back up all the files from D:\Drive?




Kind Regards

Hi Manicd,

Great news that your touchpad is back behaving itself. Just in passing if I connect a USB connected keyboard to my Laptop it automatically disables the touchpad. Do you think that was the cause?

Regarding your Firefox problem, have you done the suggested SFC scan in post #7. Worth doing in my opinion as this will check your OS file system as explained in this link

Post back if you need more information. Doug and Ztruker will also come by I am sure to suggest other options for you to try re your Firefox glitch.

Re your backups to D:\Drive, have you thought that if your primary HD fails they will go down with the failure unless your D:\Drive is an external HD? If it is external, and you have the ability to verify your backups as I do, have you done that to prove that they are not corrupt.

Post back and let us know how you are progressing,

kind regards.

Just in passing if I connect a USB connected keyboard to my Laptop it automatically disables the touchpad. Do you think that was the cause?

No, its never been a problem before?

Regarding your Firefox problem, have you done the suggested SFC scan in post #7. Worth doing in my opinion as this will check your OS file system as explained in this link

Yeah I will have to do it the hard way though as I don't have a Windows Xp disc - all that info is stored on the D:\Drive I think?

Post back if you need more information. Doug and Ztruker will also come by I am sure to suggest other options for you to try re your Firefox glitch.

Thank You

Re your backups to D:\Drive, have you thought that if your primary HD fails they will go down with the failure unless your D:\Drive is an external HD? If it is external, and you have the ability to verify your backups as I do, have you done that to prove that they are not corrupt.

I have a partition hard drive a C:\ & a D:\ ( D:\ is an internal one) so I have no idea that if my C:\ Drive failed it would effect D:\?????


kind regards.


PS I'm going to try that SFC scan now.

Hi Manicd, I am afraid as far as your backup is concerned if the D:\Drive is a partition on your primary HD which is your only Drive, you will loose the backups if that HD fails. ….ouch. If you would like suggestions regarding installing an External HD soley for you backups with Acronis or Ghost image software, feel free to ask. How did you get your Windows OS installed? Is it validated? and did your computer come with the OS already installed and no CD. That is illegal here in Australia to sell a computer with an OS already installed and not to supply the CD to the buyer……………thank goodness. Can you borrow a Windows OS CD from a pal? kind regards,

Hi Tallin

I am afraid as far as your backup is concerned if the D:\Drive is a partition on your primary HD which is your only Drive, you will loose the backups if that HD fails. ….ouch.

Thats not to clever

If you would like suggestions regarding installing an External HD soley for you backups with Acronis or Ghost image software, feel free to ask.

Thanks I will look into this.

How did you get your Windows OS installed? Is it validated? and did your computer come with the OS already installed and no CD. That is illegal here in Australia to sell a computer with an OS already installed and not to supply the CD to the buyer……………thank goodness.

I got my computer from a reputable company here in the Uk ( Wyvern Business Systems ) while studying at University. They loaned me the computer and I offered to buy the computer when I left Uni.
It is validated and there is a product key sticker on the underside of the computer - but no CD
Ive ask them before about the windows CD and they said that I didn't need it because the Os files where on the D:\ . Do you think I should ring them up and ask them again, demand it lol, as I did pay for the machine?
My Brothers mate has got a copy but it isn't legit
I run that SFC btw and it scanned but nothing happened?



kind regards

Hi Mancid, Yes I would gently demand it if it was me. The CD is yours and should have been included in the sale. The OS files as you would realise are absolutley no use to you if the HD fails. Don't touch the pirated OS, we do not help here if anyone has not got legitimate software. Do you mean the SFC SCAN went right through without asking for a OS CD? There would have been no report, but strange if it scanned without requesting the CD……….. Let us know further about the sfc scan enquiry. kind regards,