A Computer Question
 

I have a Gateway laptop MX8734, 32 bit, using Vista. I would like to disable the click function on the mouse pad - leaving just the bars for clicking. I've searched all thru the mouse page in Control Panel with no luck. Do any of you computer guys know of a way to do this? If you do, you'll be prolonging the life of my nervous system.

If you want to disable your mouse pad, just throw it in the trash.

The only thing I can think of is to disable the whole mouse touch pad thing via the BIOS if you can and then use an external USB / PS2 mouse instead... is that what you're getting at?

I think he wants to disable the "tap the mousepad for click"

why I do not understand as you don't have to double tap the mousepad for double click. just use the clicker buttons

Don't know about that model, but on Dells and IBM's you have to disable the entire touchpad in the BIOS, I don't think you can just disable the touch window and leave the buttons operational. I do it routinely because if you use an attached mouse every time you sweep your thumb over the window when you type it drives you nuts, the sweep window moves things around unexpectedly on you.

Exactly!

As Jolly says, you slide your finger across the pad to only move the pointer and all kinds of unwanted things happen.

On my Dell laptop, you just uncheck "tap to click".

What drives me nuts is the scroll area on the touchpads of the HP laptops. I have found no way to turn that off, but, two layers of electrical tape over it takes care of the problem.

I've had no issues typing on my laptop.

Ah ha then you have the perfect hand and finger position for typing then - congratulations! Most of use usually inadvertently make the mouse move...

I finally found it. It's well hidden in the mouse page in control panel. What a relief!

...or you could get a USB mouse.