Computer Keyboard Hacks to Fix UI Problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter berkeman
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Computer Keyboard
Click For Summary
Users are experiencing significant issues with touchpad sensitivity and the placement of the Num Lock key on Windows 7 and 10 laptops. Many find that the touchpad is overly sensitive, causing accidental cursor movements and text deletions, with limited options for disabling or adjusting sensitivity in newer operating systems. Some users have resorted to physical hacks, such as using ESD pads, while others suggest BIOS settings or software solutions like AutoHotKey to manage touchpad functionality and remap keys. The inconsistency in touchpad settings across different laptop brands complicates the issue, as some models offer better control options than others. Overall, there is a demand for more effective solutions to manage touchpad sensitivity and keyboard layout design.
berkeman
Admin
Messages
69,298
Reaction score
24,521
TL;DR
What hacks have you used to bypass UI problems? Are there better solutions?
With Win7 and Win10 laptops, the UI has some serious issues, IMO. I've had several work and personal laptops with super sensitive touchpads, and lately the Num Lock key has proved problematic.

On my older laptops, I was able to use the Control Panel to disable the touchpad so that it would not send me off into oblivion when my palm brushed it, but with the latest Windows operating systems that does not seem to be an option. I can turn down the touchpad sensitivity, but even at the minimum setting, I still end up vectoring off to the corners of my document and deleting random text (which is really time consuming to recover from) if my palm brushes the dang touchpad.

And having the Num Lock key right next to the Backspace key seems like a poor keyboard design to me, since a slight overstep on Backspace can disable the Num Lock, which then results in you vectoring off into hyperspace the next time you try to type a number, and can also result in random deletions of text in a document that you are working on.

At least on my HP laptop I can mouse down to the status bar to see if my NumLock is still turned on, but on my wife's work laptop (she is working from home) we have not been able to find such a status indicator.

So, I've "engineered" some workaround physical hacks for now (ESD pads over the touchpads and keyboard guards over the problematic NumLock key). But there has to be a better way. A coworker suggests that there is a Bios disable for the touchpad thing, but I haven't tried that path yet...
 

Attachments

  • 1030201813a.jpg
    1030201813a.jpg
    101.6 KB · Views: 220
  • 1016201808a.jpg
    1016201808a.jpg
    94.5 KB · Views: 216
  • 1016201808.jpg
    1016201808.jpg
    94.1 KB · Views: 192
Last edited:
Computer science news on Phys.org
I can use the touchpad switch under W10 on Lenovo. I haven't figured out how deep into the system I can get with AutoHotKey, but I used it on an older machine to replace a broken 'e'-key, and now I still use it to disable caps lock, and the overwrite function of 'insert'.

Edit: Of course you can always use the engineers' solution:

1604114533394.jpeg


Just make sure to cover the touchpad with some paper first.

Edit Edit: And now that you have asked, I set the Num block on always active.
 
Last edited:
berkeman said:
On my older laptops, I was able to use the Control Panel to disable the touchpad so that it would not send me off into oblivion when my palm brushed it, but with the latest Windows operating systems that does not seem to be an option.
I have a newish Dell laptop running Win 10. I have a wireless mouse for it and have no use for the touch pad. The Settings app can be used to turn off the touchpad. Look under Devices --> Touchpad.
 
  • Like
Likes anorlunda
Mark44 said:
I have a newish Dell laptop running Win 10. I have a wireless mouse for it and have no use for the touch pad. The Settings app can be used to turn off the touchpad. Look under Devices --> Touchpad.
Mine is a newish HP laptop running Win 10 also. In the Touchpad Settings, all I can do is turn it down to Low Sensitivity. I haven't found an On/Off switch yet. Does your Touchpad Settings window look like this?

1604158303473.png
 
fresh_42 said:
Edit Edit: And now that you have asked, I set the Num block on always active.
How did you do that?
 
berkeman said:
How did you do that?
I redirected NumLock to Space via AutoHotKey

SetNumLockState, On
Return
NumLock::
Space:
Return

For the really rare case that I want to use it as arrows, I could simply pause the script.
 
  • Informative
Likes berkeman
Regarding the touchpad settings, here's what are shown in Settings for my Dell Vostro laptop. Since your HP laptop doesn't seem to show the same things, maybe there's something you can jigger in Control Panel.
Touchpad.png
 
  • Informative
Likes berkeman
Mine looks like
1604159761012.png
 
But does yours have a "ya/nein" switch?
 
  • #10
berkeman said:
But does yours have a "ya/nein" switch?
No, it has only a strictly positive sensitivity switch: low, middle, high, highest. However, it came with a separate machine software to handle settings like energy consumption, mouse, camera etc. Unfortunately it only links to the MS setup page under the point touchpad. But I have a function key to switch it off.
 
  • #11
berkeman said:
I haven't found an On/Off switch yet.
What's under Related settings. . . this ?

1604164417396.png


Enable or Disable Double Tap to Enable or Disable Touchpad in Windows | Tutorials

Also, check out the Related Tutorials. . .

PS:
I use a desktop, so I don't even have a setting for a Touchpad, but I am a

member of that Forum, and https://www.tenforums.com/members/brink.html seems to know his stuff. . . . :smile:Oh, one more thing, my Wife has an HP laptop, but I'm not allowed close to it,

and I do MEAN close !. . :oops: . :DD

.
 
Last edited:
  • #12
That leads to settings where I can deactivate the touchpad. Not as convenient as a switch at the top level, but it should work.
 
  • #13
On my ASUS laptop, touchpad settings does have on/off. It must be configurable by your laptop manufacturer.
 
  • #15
OCR said:
What's under Related settings. . . this ?

View attachment 271941

Enable or Disable Double Tap to Enable or Disable Touchpad in Windows | Tutorials

Also, check out the Related Tutorials. . .

PS:
I use a desktop, so I don't even have a setting for a Touchpad, but I am a

member of that Forum, and https://www.tenforums.com/members/brink.html seems to know his stuff. . . . :smile:Oh, one more thing, my Wife has an HP laptop, but I'm not allowed close to it,

and I do MEAN CLOSE !. . :oops: . :DD

.
Good thought, but it looks like the Advanced settings under my Touchpad settings takes me to my mouse settings. (Dang, I'd be cursing out HP at this point, but I worked for them for a number of years, so will resist that urge...)

1604170452732.png
 
Last edited:
  • #16
Last resort: Open up the case and unplug the d**n thing!
 
  • Wow
Likes berkeman

Similar threads

How do I fix my laptop keyboard not typing certain letters?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
8K
Requesting suggestions for languages, libraries, and architectures for parallel (and sometimes non parallel) numerical and scientific computations
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
4K
BRS: PKI Cryptosystems for SA/Ms: A Tutorial
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K