Windows Vista

[scots_lass]

My neighbour has just come in with her laptop running Vista. It has the annoying feature that when the mouse pointer is sitting over an option, it will magically open that option/window etc without her having to click the mouse. Is this something that is configurable somewhere because it is scaring the daylights out of her (new computer user + elderly + first computer). I have had a look in the control panel but can't see anything that looks as though it will stop it. Help!

 

[rusky]

It sounds like the touchpad is set to open when you tap it.

Should be under mouse settings in control panel but as I don't have a laptop with Vista on I can't be more specific.

You may also find it if there's a touchpad system tray utility.

 

[661-Pete]

I've had trouble with the touchpad being too eager to interpret a light brush with the fingertips as a deliberate click. One of the reasons I loathe and detest touchpads.

On some laptops, you can disable this function. On others you can't. I think it depends on the manufacturer and the BIOS. Not on the Windows version.

If I have to use a laptop, the first thing I'll do is get an ordinary mouse and plug it in to one of the USBs. Then I keep my fingers well away from the pad thereafter.