Laptop is an advent 4401.

So, I've got problems with my touchpad, in as much as it doesn't work. To make it work I have to go into the device manager and uninstall the 'Synaptics PS/2 Port Pointing Device', then restart and it works fine. Only problem is Windows automatically detects it when you restart and the next time you restart it finishes the installation and then the touchpad doesn't work again.

I can't disable, only uninstall. I can disable it through the mouse options in Control Panel but that doesn't make any difference. I've tried using updated synaptic touchpad drivers and none at all (just the generic one's Windows installs), even did a fresh install of XP (I'm giving it to my dad anyway), but that didn't make any difference either.

The BIOS is pretty limited and there is nothing resembling legacy USB support so I can't turn that off.

I also found two files under Driver Details through Device manager; C:..WINDOWS..system32..drivers..i8042prt.sys and C:..WINDOWS..system32..drivers..mouclass.sys, deleted both of those files (just to see if it would make any difference), but it didn't do anything. As soon as you restart it doesn't work again.

I'm getting around it at the moment by disabling the plug and play service, but that's not a fix (my dad will be mainly using it for watching movies and tv on the go, so needs the plug and play functionality for external devices).

The laptop is fairly new (a few months), and I haven't even been using it (the touchpad) for like 2-3 months, it's been on my desk being used with synergy and my normal mouse/keyboard. I only noticed it didn't work when I went to take it somewhere the other day and I couldn't use the touchpad.

That's why I wasn't too bothered about reinstalling XP, as I thought maybe the synergy installation had messed with it somehow, but even after a fresh install it's the same.

The touchpad works, just not when Windows installs what it wants to to get it to work, if I could somehow stop just the auto update for the touchpad it would be fine.

Any thoughts?

Yes, confirm all your Drivers are up to date
Have a look here for that: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic117607.html

Edit: oh I missed that : "advent 4401" I'll edit again

Hmm. Found this only on quick search: http://support.thetechguys.com/layout.aspx?ID={6ec3d13c-dc6b-4cd5-b897-d707f40b9e90}&CatID={1179e22e-ff9a-49e2-b417-e077ef0bca62}

They seem to have an Unofficial forum too: http://www.w00tw00t.co.uk/support/

You usually get the option to select a choice that says 'do not use this device (disable)' in the device properties section.

Do you see that?

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If the Synaptic drivers show in add/remove, remove them. Anything related.

I've removed all the drivers and everything related .

When? Now? Before?

Before, there is currently no synaptics touchpad driver installed.

So, with no drivers other than the Windows generic ones, you still have this problem?

See, you said 'the next time you restart it finishes the installation and then the touchpad doesn't work again' so I am not sure what installation it is finishing if the only drivers available are the generic XP ones.

Ok, here's exactly what happens.

Boot up the laptop, touchpad doesn't work, go to Device manager and uninstall 'PS/2 compatible mouse', restart the laptop and the touchpad works. However, you get the 'Windows has detected and installed new hardware...' nonsense in the system tray pop up, 'Your device may not work properly until you restart your computer...', or words to that effect. And it asks you to restart, after that restart the touchpad doesn't work again.

The only way I have got it to work is to uninstall 'PS/2 compatible mouse', then disable the plug and play service (to prevent it from auto detecting), and THEN restart the laptop, and the touchpad then works fine and nothing is detected, you can restart as much as you want. But this obviously cripples all everything else that depends on plug and play, which is no good.

And you tried 'update driver'?

Yes, I have.

OK - then try a 'rollback' and see what happens.

Already tried that too, no good.

Try a pnp set to manual in Admin Services.

Already tried that too, still detects and installs the hardware.

Try rolling back to this driver http://www.pct.com.tw/en/Support.asp?id=135 It is mainly a fix for scrolling issues with synaptics touchpads (alot of newer versions can have trouble for some people but not others) but is worth a try in you're case as nothing else seems to be working

The requested page could not be found.

The link you provided goes to a page, but the link on that page gives the above response.

After a reboot, if you press FN+F7 does it work?

No, that's one of the brightness function keys.