How to "disable" touch pad to use a mouse on laptop?????

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For dd's birthday, someone has bought her a mouse (rather cutely in the guise of a mouse) for her mum's laptop..BUT..when putting the mouse through the USB port it doesn't affect the control - it is still through the touchpad, as if nothing is different.

How does one change over to control by the mouse??

it is a Dell (def) Inspiron( it seems).

any ideas, please??

thanks.

Weird. We have a Dell Inspiron (pile of crap I hate it) and we have a mouse for the dc. We just plug it in and go. Do you have to add it to 'devices' in my computer before it will work?

Sometimes, you have to plug a mouse in before you switch the PC on for it to 'see' it. Try that.

with mouse plugged in mine (also dell) can be controlled by either.

yes, maureen - did plug mouse in before switch on - nada.

Oh OK. Worth a try. Have you got another mouse you could try with? Maybe its the mouse that's faulty.

no, LL - laptops are "separated" as it were. I will probably have to play wit hthe Device Manager, if Inspirons have such a thing though that mau be down to the OP system..... Dd was looking forwards to it, so it needs sorting a.s.a.p.!!

Think the function button and f9 has something to do with disabling the touch pad bit on ours - its a fujutsu though.... good luck!

LL - I am assuming it's xp - will check and do this tomorrow evening..thank you.