TJohns.co

Around mid-December, Microsoft rolled out an update to Windows 10.  This update/upgrade causes a very big degradation issue for users that have USB mice.  If you have a USB mouse, you probably disable your touchpad when using it.  Otherwise, you end up having to re-write emails or anything else where you have to type.  Being a developer, it causes serious issues in code when the cursor jumps when writing code.  I've checked multiple websites for fixes to this issue.

Some fixes include going to the control panel, going to settings, etc.  But none of these fixes work because the necessary tabs are no longer there.  There is also another fix that involves changing a registry entry.  When I went to try this fix, I found the registry key was no longer there.  So, none of these fixes work.

My last step before physically cutting the wire to the touchpad was to call Microsoft.  After 45 minutes of the tech support trying to find a way to do this, they found that the latest upgrade/update removed the option... completely.  There is not even an icon in the system tray anymore.  They finally said they were sorry and there was no solution to this issue.  They said they opened a ticket and would have a 'meeting' to discuss whether this was an issue or not because they haven't heard from other parties complaining about it.

Therefore, if you're having the same issue, according to Microsoft... the only way to resolve it is to open up your machine and CUT the wires to your touchpad.

I should mention that I'm one of the less than 50% of PC users that have a Dell PC in which the keyboard shortcut for disabling the touch pad was not included.  Thanks Dell!  Oh, and thanks, Microsoft!

Cut the cord...

UPDATE:

I was able to get the icon back in the system tray.  I did this by going to the Dell website, downloading, and installing the touchpad driver again.  It's ridiculous that Microsoft don't know that the new Windows update removes or corrupts this driver.  The Dell 'auto detect' feature, for some reason, doesn't detect this.  You have to go to the tab with the drivers and manually download/install it.  If you use the 'auto detect' feature, it will detect the chipset needs updated though.  My guess is that's another driver that the Windows upgrade removed.

Other issues I've found is.... 'How do you want to open this program' dialog upon startup.  Have no idea what it's trying to open.  I think it was Chrome trying to execute on startup as this brings up another issue.  Every time I restarted the computer I was prompted when opening Chrome that it was not the default browser.  Clicking 'make default' would only work until the computer was restarted again.  I had to go into the settings>default apps and manually set Chrome as the default browser to alleviate both this issue and the 'open with' dialog issue.

Does Microsoft not test Windows upgrades/updates anymore???

UPDATE (FOR DELL INSPIRON NOTEBOOKS):

Open the control panel and click on 'mouse'.
 
Once in the mouse settings (from control panel), click the 'dell touchpad' tab.  It will show a big image of the touchpad with a link under it, 'touchpad settings'.  Click that and it will open the graphical Dell Touchpad dialog.  Here's the part I had trouble finding.  On the top of that, there is an image of the touchpad and an image of a mouse beside it.  There doesn't seem to be any indication that they are clickable, but if you click the image of the mouse, you'll then see the option to disable the touchpad when a USB mouse is connected.

So, it seems the options are back after re-installing drivers that Windows should have notified needed updated after the December 2015 Windows update.

UPDATE 3/6/2016

Just a bunch of idiots working at Microsoft I guess.... It happened AGAIN with another Windows update.  They must have their heads up their a55es or something.  Once again, I had to manually re-install the Dell touchpad driver from Dell's website and go through this all over again.  I guess the only way to avoid this would be to turn Microsoft Updates off.   I feel like invoicing them for an hour's work every time they do this.

UPDATE 4/29/2016

I can't say it enough... Microsoft engineers are ignorant idiots for uninstalling my factory drivers and installing their crappy drivers that force the mouse pad settings to stop working.  Yes, it happened again with another Windows Update.  Once again, I'm re-installing the Dell drivers.  I guess I'll just have to do that every time Windows updates.

Links: Dell Drivers

Latest Dell Touchpad Driver (for Inspiron 5545) as of 4/29/2016

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