how do i turn this off?

Turn the touch pointer on or off (From Windows Help and Support on the far right of your pop up when you click on the Start button):

If touch input is available on your computer, you can use the touch pointer to accomplish tasks that are difficult to perform with just your finger, such as targeting small objects on the screen. You can turn on the touch pointer when you need it and turn it off when you don't. For example, you can turn on the touch pointer to tap the Close button on a window and turn it off to browse through e-mail messages.

To turn the touch pointer on or off in Control Panel
Tap to open Pen and Input Devices.

Tap the Touch tab.

Under Touch Pointer, select or clear the Show the touch pointer when I’m interacting with items on the screen check box.

To turn the touch pointer on or off from the taskbar
Use your finger to press and hold the Windows taskbar.

Point to Toolbars, and then tap Touch Pointer.

To turn the touch pointer on or off, tap the Touch Pointer icon on the taskbar.

Failing that, just bang it with a hammer. That'll learn it.

I am so waiting for an answer for this question! I am having the same problem. It's hell on my manuscript writing

Do you have an "advanced" tab when you go into Mouse in the Control Panel? That's one way to get to the TouchPad. (Then go to Advance Feature settings to change it from OCD to just mouse.)

Check your task bar-- do you have a touchpad icon? I have one of those hiding by the clock. Mine opens the Mouse Properties menu (same one that comes up in the Control Panel). I run XP on a Toby Satellite.

Vista's a whole 'nother animal, apparently. There's a tab for 'hardware', Clair, in the 'Mouse' area, and one can get to the 'touchpad' from there, but the only option is to 'disable' - it doesn't just let you turn it 'on' or 'off'. I've got a Toshiba Satellite laptop, Niv... what do you have? That may help.

What about Mouse--> Device Settings?

There's GOT to be a way somewhere... it's just hiding. Sneak up on it!

Niv-- What tabs and buttons do you have in Mouse?

Ol' Boy suggests it might be done in the BIOS... but if you're not strong in the power-on-fu, I wouldn't go to the Dark Side.

Okay looking on your task bar...also called start bar...right next to the clock.

See all those icons there? One of those should be a touch pad Icon. hover your mouse (don't click!) and see if you can find it. It'll look like a box or a box with two small rectangles under it. Sometimes they flash. I've seen them be blue and gray.

Now right click on it. Go to options. It might have an exit but if you choose exit you'll have to do it every time you open windows.

Under options you should be able to disable it.

Somethings that might help: what kind of laptop do you have?

Look at your keyboard. Do you have blue colored symbols on the function (F) keys (the color might not be blue but it usually is)?

Okay, now you should also have a key down in the same row as your spacebar that is labeled "Fn" in blue.

Look at the blue symbols/icons on the function keys for one that has a verticle bar like this | then a rectangle followed by another verticle bar. Mine is over the F4 key.

Hold down the Fn key and press the key I described above. that should turn off your touchpad. Repeat the operation to turn it back on.

I've a Toshiba Satellite too.
Try Start-> Settings-> Control Panel-> Mouse
--last tab: Device Settings--Synaptics Touch Pad (sez mine) and hit the Settings Button
Under that you'll have a list:
Overview
Tapping -- set tap zones there
Buttons --set left and right buttons
Virtual Scrolling --set for long distance, reagion and actions
Pointer Motion -- Edge motion for constrained, slow, sticky borders and refresh rate
Sensitivity --palm check & touch sensitivity

You can set to disable and or set for having the little icons in the lower right.

Nivarion, do you have either a plug-in or wireless mouse? You'll need one. I just checked my Toshiba Satellite and it has the 'Touchpad' icon in the tray near the clock. (My HP notebook used the Fn key as I posted earlier). I think you will need to have a working mouse to make this icon work (how would you turn it back on??)
I just right clicked on the icon, selected 'Turn Off touchpad' with the wireless mouse, and now it's off.

RJK said:

Nivarion, do you have either a plug-in or wireless mouse? You'll need one. I just checked my Toshiba Satellite and it has the 'Touchpad' icon in the tray near the clock. (My HP notebook used the Fn key as I posted earlier). I think you will need to have a working mouse to make this icon work (how would you turn it back on??)
I just right clicked on the icon, selected 'Turn Off touchpad' with the wireless mouse, and now it's off.

Click to expand...

If somehow you ever manage to turn off your only mouse without a back up:

Crtl + esc to bring up the start menu.

Use the arrow keys to highlight Control Panel, hit enter

Use the arrow keys to highlight mouse / mouse controls / trackpad / whatever the manufacturer choose to called if it's different from the os standard, click enter.

Use tab and arrow keys to navigate. Usually a dotted line box will appear when something is selected...even radio and check boxes. Hitting enter when thing is selected activates it. When you're done tab / use arrow keys to highlight apply or ok. Then your pointer should work.

I've totally had that happen.

Good stuff to know Tirjasdyn. You get a rep point for that.

I used to have problems with the touch pad when I was typing as well. I found I didn't have to turn it OFF, just reduce the sensitivity. Mine was so sensitive, that I didn't even have to touch it. Heron's instructions work for my Dell, too. Try changing the sensitivity first before turning it off.

Sometimes these beasties have minds of their own. The only cure is to kill them and bring them back to life.

My PC knows I have the power and the will to do it, so it behaves, mostly.