[solved] How can I disable the laptop touchpad & its mouse buttons?

[Member scruffyeagle]

I have a problem with my Dell “Latitude” laptop. Its built-in touchpad w/ mouse buttons gets in the way, while I’m typing on the keyboard. The lower ends of my thumbs occasionally contact the touchpad, and then the cursor on screen jumps somewhere else instead of remaining where I need it to be. (I use an external trackball as my mouse.)

Note, this isn’t the same laptop I’ve posted about before involving other issues. The other was in a Dell Precision laptop using a fully upgraded copy of Antix v19.3, and this one is in a Dell Latitude laptop using Antix v19.4.

If I could, I’d disable the touchpad from within the BIOS – but, this is a used (second-hand) machine, and some previous owner of the machine set an “Administrator password” which I don’t know the value of. The BIOS won’t let me change the settings of the machine’s components, without that password.

So, I’m wondering if there’s any method of over-riding the BIOS settings for the touchpad, to disable the touchpad via software within the Linux operating system. This, if at all possible, probably requires an expert understanding of the operating system, and coding.

Anybody have any ideas on how to disable the touchpad and its mouse buttons?
——————————

Here’s the output from inxi -Fxxxrz:

System:
Kernel: 4.9.0-264-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0
Desktop: IceWM 2.9.3 vt: 7 dm: SLiM 1.3.6
Distro: antiX-19.4_x64-full Grup Yorum 20 May 2021
base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
Machine:
Type: Portable System: Dell product: Latitude E6400 v: N/A
serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 8 serial: <filter>
Mobo: Dell model: 0U692R serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A34
date: 06/04/2013
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 57.7 Wh (127.1%) condition: 45.4/57.7 Wh (78.7%)
volts: 11.7 min: 11.1 model: Samsung SDI DELL PT43697 type: Li-ion
serial: <filter> status: Full
CPU:
Info: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo P8600 bits: 64 type: MCP
arch: Penryn rev: A cache: L2: 3 MiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 9575
Speed: 800 MHz min/max: 800/2401 MHz boost: enabled Core speeds (MHz):
1: 800 2: 800
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell
driver: i915 v: kernel bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:2a42 class-ID: 0300
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: loaded: intel
resolution: 1280×800~60Hz s-dpi: 96
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel GM45 Express v: 2.1 Mesa 18.3.6
direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel 82801I HD Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:293e class-ID: 0403
Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k4.9.0-264-antix.1-amd64-smp running: yes
Network:
Device-1: Intel 82567LM Gigabit Network vendor: Dell driver: e1000e
v: 3.2.6-k port: efe0 bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:10f5 class-ID: 0200
IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Device-2: Intel WiFi Link 5100 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 1100
bus-ID: 0c:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:4232 class-ID: 0280
IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter>
RAID:
Hardware-1: Intel 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] driver: ahci
v: 3.0 port: 6ea0 bus-ID: 00:1f.2 chip-ID: 8086.282a rev: 03
class-ID: 0104
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 1.14 TiB used: 5.72 GiB (0.5%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Toshiba model: MK2561GSYN size: 232.89 GiB
speed: 3.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: 0C scheme: MBR
ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: Western Digital
model: WD My Passport 0748 size: 931.48 GiB type: N/A serial: <filter>
rev: 1019 scheme: MBR
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 28.71 GiB used: 5.72 GiB (19.9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
Swap:
ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 9.77 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
priority: -1 dev: /dev/sda3
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0 C mobo: N/A sodimm: SODIMM C
Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0
Repos:
Packages: apt: 1963
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/antix.list
1: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/antix/buster buster main nonfree nosystemd
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/buster-backports.list
1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-backports main contrib non-free
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
1: deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ buster-updates main contrib non-free
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
1: deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ buster main contrib non-free
2: deb http://security.debian.org/ buster/updates main contrib non-free
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/onion.list
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list
Info:
Processes: 198 Uptime: 10h 3m wakeups: 5 Memory: 3.82 GiB
used: 1.22 GiB (31.9%) Init: SysVinit v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5
Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: Bash v: 5.0.3 running-in: roxterm
inxi: 3.3.06

• This topic was modified 1 year ago by christophe. Reason: solved

[Member rayluo]

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I haven’t tried disabling the touchpad completely, but you may try playing with different settings based on the Touchpad Synaptics document. Its “disabling touchpad when typing” may NOT be suitable for your description, so you can take a look into its “software toggle“.

The synaptics configuration file in antiX is at /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/synaptics.conf

[Member scruffyeagle]

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Thank you! I’ll snoop into this.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by scruffyeagle.

[Member ModdIt]

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unless I am much mistaken there are several methods to reset BIOS which result in admin password removal.

On some devices you can simply factory reset bios.Enter BIOS pressing F2 on start.
Press the “F9” key for default settings. May need “Alt + F” force settings to default or click “Load default”
Others:

Disconnect BIOS Battery, repeatedly press power button to drain all rest power, I would leave overnight,
reconnect battery, I would replace at same time, on dell the battery is usualy in a shrink tube pouch,
many times I have replaced in fresh shrink tube shrinking coiled soldered ends of connecting wire on to
the new battery. Tiny battery holders cost only a few cents for the better method.

Boot in to DOS mode enter the following commands and execute them will remove admin password: Shop uses win
XP boot disk.

-o 70 10
-o 71 ff
-q

[Member scruffyeagle]

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ModdIt wrote:

unless I am much mistaken there are several methods to reset BIOS which result in admin password removal.

On some devices you can simply factory reset bios.Enter BIOS pressing F2 on start.
Press the “F9” key for default settings. May need “Alt + F” force settings to default or click “Load default”
Others:

Disconnect BIOS Battery, repeatedly press power button to drain all rest power, I would leave overnight,
reconnect battery, I would replace at same time, on dell the battery is usualy in a shrink tube pouch,
many times I have replaced in fresh shrink tube shrinking coiled soldered ends of connecting wire on to
the new battery. Tiny battery holders cost only a few cents for the better method.

Boot in to DOS mode enter the following commands and execute them will remove admin password: Shop uses win
XP boot disk.

-o 70 10
-o 71 ff
-q

Thank you! I’m going to try the first one right away.

I’ve learned the hard way, that I should never try to solder on anything the least bit delicate. I ruin things that way. Sad, but true. Besides, I gave away my soldering iron to a friend who burned it out, about 6 months ago. Even if I can do it without soldering, I’d still need to figure out where the BIOS battery is. I suppose that one should remove the main battery before trying to drain charge with the power button?

Are the lines
“Shop uses win
XP boot disk”
commands to be typed in? (I see that in the quoted copy, it gets displayed differently – but you never know, what Windows might come up with…)

I do have Win11 in this machine as a dual-boot setup, so I could access DOS from that operating system. (In case the 1st method doesn’t do the trick.)

[Member sybok]

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Already discussed in the antiX forum and marked as solved:
https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/disable-touchpad-while-typing/

[Member ModdIt]

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Have to remove main battery, always before any repair changing drives memory modules etc.

Majority of laptops need back cover removal to replace board battery. Search in the net for specific model details.
For Dell usualy a real shop manual will be available.

Plenty of details in the net including how to boot win 10 to dos. DOS Commands on below site in case forum messed them.

https://www.passcope.com/how-to-remove-reset-bios-admin-password-on-dell-laptop/

Soldering on computers, be careful, I have a very old weller soldering station with a safety transformer.
Mains soldering iron may be unsafe and kill any electronics.
Should you ever work on modern vehicles it might set off airbags, cause very expensive damage and can even kill.
Modern vehicles are full of computers, embedded in the many controller boxes, entertainment system and telemetry
modules.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by ModdIt.

[Moderator christophe]

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Just a quick note if you are thinking of removing the bios (or Cmos) battery:

Best way to not break your laptop is to search your specific make & model, then watch at least one video on taking it apart. Even search “Dell latitude [model #] replace Cmos battery” perhaps (like I did recently).

You want to see where the Cmos battery is & how to reach it. The Dell laptops that I’ve had to open had the Cmos battery under the keyboard. But that could be different for your model.

And opening a laptop takes some instructions, because you need to know when to apply a bit of force, and when to be gentle. Or you could break something that you’ll need. There’s a lot of plastic and light metal parts that snap in together perfectly…

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by christophe.

confirmed antiX frugaler, since 2019

[Member ModdIt]

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If as the inxi suggests the Laptop is a Latitude E6400 then the BIOS battery is underneath the bottom cover.

https://www.parts-people.com/blog/2011/09/01/dell-latitude-e6400-cmos-battery-removal-and-installation/

First always search for a repair manual as I suggested in earlier post, I Fixit or spares part dealers are often
better than Amateuer videos on youtube. Dell provides manuals, for older models still easy to find in the net.

Pro repair shop videos are often a big help.

Sometimes same year and model number can have a different board revision and components in another place.
Always good to check cooling for dust and dirt as and when accessible during any repair or parts replacement.

Please, if replacing BIOS Battery buy a good replacement, the pouched batterys are less likely to cause board damage,
board mount types can leak and corrode board and nearby components.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by ModdIt.

[Moderator christophe]

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The unlocking of the bios may well be a tangential issue. Try the previous thread that sybok & rayluo referred to regarding the disabling of the touchpad. But having the bios unlocked is a very handy thing, obviously.

Sometimes you can find info on a “one-time” password that will work (I did this several months ago). It was free. (I also saw many such passwords for SALE on ebay, which I stayed away from as “sketchy.”

Regarding the password: if you find one that works, write it down & keep it. You’ll need it every time you want to change something else in bios, because it locks again after you save your changes. (That’s how it worked for me, on a Dell.)

Edit: Mine is a Dell e6400 too!
Perhaps this will work:
0sNc0b3Gz0upifS5

Note: the 0’s are zeros. Note also some are capital letters, others lower case.

There were several codes on the site I found (which I can’t recall the web address), so if mine does not work, search to see if you can find it. Again, it was free. I don’t recommend buying one.

So try that. See if it works, then copy it to a sticker on the bottom to keep it with the computer, if it works.

Last edit:

I see moddit wrote how to unlock the bios, too.

Boot in to DOS mode enter the following commands and execute them will remove admin password: …

-o 70 10
-o 71 ff
-q

Well, now you have a couple options if you go that route. 🙂
Let us know how it all turns out.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by christophe.

confirmed antiX frugaler, since 2019

[Member scruffyeagle]

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I finally was able to devote some time to this touchpad problem, the past 2 evenings. I learned that:

1) Disconnecting the coin battery overnight DID wipe the BIOS (the date & time needed to be reset), but the Admin password was still set. It must be stored elsewhere, off the BIOS chip; probably, in magnetic storage which doesn’t require current to maintain it.

Note, that this DID work in the Precision laptop, and I was able to deactivate the touchpad from within the BIOS. So far, no problems.

2) The BIOS “Lock” function in the Latitude prevents use of F9 & Alt-F.

3) I tried the Admin password “0sNc0b3Gz0upifS5”, but it didn’t work.

4) I have a Win XP HE installation disk, but this machine won’t boot off that in the optical drive; neither as BIOS boot priority, nor as F12 menu selection.

4) I created a bootable FREEDOS USB using “Rufus”, and then downloaded “DEBUGX” from the internet. I copied DEBUGX onto the FREEDOS USB. Rebooting into FREEDOS, I ran DEBUGX, and typed in the 3 commands.
-o 70 10
-o 71 ff
-q

There were no apparent problems or errors… But, rebooting the Latitude machine, I found the touchpad was still active in both Win10 pro & in AntiX v19.4. TYPING IN CODE DIDN’T WORK.

————————-

I saw a utility in Plasma Desktop, which seemed to claim that it could deactivate the touchpad entirely – but, this was in the middle of problems with a failing hard drive, and experimentation with different Linux OS’s, so I’m not sure whether this was found via Linux Mint, AntiX, or something else.
(Yes, I’ve replaced the hard drive in my Precision machine, and have set up a dual-boot using Win10p & Antix v21.4. So far, so good… with only 1 major glitch.) I’m not sure if I can easily track that touchpad deactivation utility down again. OR, if it can be ported out for use in AntiX.

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At the moment, it seems as if my only remaining option is to do some laptop surgery on the Latitude, and physically disconnect the touchpad’s power & data cable connector from the board.

[Member scruffyeagle]

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Neither of those worked. See my big reply…

[Member scruffyeagle]

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That’s not a solution in this case. That thread was focused on simply disabling touchpad while typing. But, I automatically rest my hands on the touchpad while arranging my hands for touch-typing. I need it entirely disabled.

See my big reply…

[Member scruffyeagle]

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It didn’t work. See my big reply…

[Member scruffyeagle]

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That software toggle seems to be the sort of thing I need – but, I’m still trying to figure out how to make use of what the page is telling me at

I posted a big reply, updating the thread in general about my current efforts.

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