Laptop touchpad and external USB mouse at same time?

[jrichrds]

I have both Logitech and Microsoft USB mice. If I install either Logitech Mouseware or Microsoft Intellipoint, I lose any special functionality of my laptop's touchpad (such as the right-most part of the touchpad acting as the scroll function). If I don't install the Logitech or Microsoft software, I lose functionality in my USB mice, such as the extra buttons and being able to assign the buttons to certain functions.

What I hoped for was that since the touchpad is a PS/2 device and the external mouse is USB, the two can peacefully coexist with their respective drivers and software. I haven't been able to do this so far. Installing the Logitech/Microsoft software causes the touchpad options to disappear, and the touchpad to be reassigned as a standard PS/2 mouse.

Anyone have better luck than me?

 

[corkyg]

It really depends on the BIOS in most laptops. Some allow BOTH devices to be used, some auto cut the touchpad if a mouse is connected. Frankly, the touchpads suck because when ever your hands touch them while typing, it causes erratic cursor movement and jumping. I have had 5 laptops and only use touchpads for quick and dirty emergencies. Regular rodents rule.

 

[prosaic]

It has been my understanding, imprecise though that may be, that the "decision" as to whether one mouse, the other mouse, or both are recognized by the OS is determined by the BIOS setup at boot time. But, AFAIK, that ONLY applies to the combination of PS/2 mice and built-in pointing devices like the Touchpad. I think that, once that initial decision is made, then it's up to the drivers with the OS mediating. I don't know of any internal pointing devices that can be auto-disabled by the BIOS upon detection of a USB-connected pointing device. But the ability to select internal / external / both is pretty much a given on all notebooks that have PS/2 connectors. Moreover, I don't think I know of any cases where an MS allows special functions of more than one proprietary pointing device driver to be operant simultaneously. NOTE: I am NOT saying that multiple pointing devices cannot operate on the same system simultaneously. I'm just saying that special features aren't available on more than one-at-a-time. I'd be willing to bet that it's possible. It's just that I haven't seen it being done. It would (probably) require VERY close co-ordination between the people writing the drivers for the pointing devices. Obviously, I could be full of poo. But I have been using a lot of different kinds of notebooks for a long time on a lot of different operating systems, and I haven't seen a exception so far.

- prosaic

 

[Kevin]

My sisters' Inspiron 8200 has the Touchpad and Eraser Head,. I hate both so when I was configuring it for her, I plugged in a USB mouse and all three worked. The USB mouse I used though doesn't have specific drivers though...