Can you change the default for a Synaptics Touchpad to Disabled?
Hello
Deploying Lenovo laptops and I have been asked to set the default for the Synaptics touchpads to disabled. End users should be able to turn them back on if they desire.
I've ran queries against the registry and there are two settings changed in HKCU and if I manually (or via script) update them for existing users it disables the touchpad. I added the two keys to the Default user reg hive, by loading the hive and creating the keys - unfortunately they are not being copied to new user accounts or they are copied and then when Synapics loads, it overwrites the whole segment.
Any ideas on how I can make this work are appreciated.
Thanks
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Edit: this is the AutoIt code I tried using the AS method (see my Comment below with the results).
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadPS2")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadPS2", "EnableButtonAction", "REG_DWORD", "0x00000000")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadPS2", "DisableDevice", "REG_DWORD", "0x00000001")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadSMB2c")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadSMB2c", "DisableGestures", "REG_DWORD", "0x00000020")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadSMB2c", "DisableDevice", "REG_DWORD", "0x00000001")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTPCpl")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTPCpl", "LaunchControlTreeItemName", "REG_SZ", "")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTPCpl", "LaunchDeviceHandle", "REG_DWORD", "0x00000000")
Answers (2)
Use ActiveSetup, either with a script or with an MSI to configure the HKCU keys for each new user that logs on.
Maybe something is overriding the setting in the default user profile when the software is run for the first time as the user, so if you schedule your AS to run last it *should* be enough to apply the required setting.
Scheduling AS is based on the order it appears in the registry, so calling your AS key 'Zxxxxxxx' should put it as the last run as the majority will be product GUIDS.
Dunnpy
Comments:
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Thanks Dunnpy,
I had never used AS - thanks for the intro to it, it is a powerful tool. It works great for users that have an existing account, but not for new users.
For example -
-- UserA has already logged into the PC, touchpad has defaulted to enabled and is not altered. I configure AS to update the reg keys. UserA logs in again and AS runs and the touchpad is disabled and I can verify the keys have been modified.
-- UserB has never logged into the PC. I configure AS to update the reg keys. UserB logs in and AS runs. The touchpad is not disabled and none of the keys exist.
I created the AS key with the name "Z_Disable_Synaptics" - all others are numerical. I tested with a action "StubPath" of "notepad" and notepad pops for all users (new and existing). Then I changed the StubPath to point to my script (AutoIt code added to the OP compiled to exe) and get the results above.
Again - I think Synaptic is overwriting it later in the boot process. Since AS only moves on when a item has completed, I can't put a delay in a script or anything like that.
I would be happy to share more details, if you think I've simply done something wrong.
Thanks! - the1mavin 11 years ago-
There must be something that the software is doing to the user profile after your ActiveSetup is run, and cancelling it out.
You could just use regedit <regfile.reg> /s as your stub path - just to see if the AutoIT script is complicating matters.
You could also try putting something in Startup to disable it, but you might have the same problem with the software cancelling it out.
The final option would be to provide your users with two shortcuts, to whatever script method you chose, one to enable and the other to disable the touch pad. It won't be disabled by default, but it'll provide the functionility to the user to do it as an when required.
Dunnpy - dunnpy 11 years ago-
No luck using a .reg file either. The behavior is the same. It writes to the reg as expected, but the new user profiles don't reflect the settings.
I'm pretty confident the touchpad app is just starting after the reg settings are applied and overwriting our work.
Thanks - the1mavin 11 years ago
I believe that you have to disable the hardware in the BIOS, otherwise the OS will see the device, load the drivers and make it work. At least, that's what I remember doing to my W701 when I got it a few years ago.
Comments:
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Thanks. Unfortunately I need to have the driver installed so end-users can activate it if they want to. I just need the setting to be disabled in the Synaptics software, when they are deployed. We've found that the majority of users don't like them and will call help desk to assist with shutting them off if they go out active. If they go out deactivated it reduces the calls since fewer people call to have them enabled... - the1mavin 11 years ago
