Touchscreen Not Detecting in Windows 8 Pro OEM

Question

I have spoken to tech support about this issue, but so far it is unresolved. I wonder if anyone had any luck on this issue.

I'm running on a Latitude E6420 with the eGalax touchscreen. The touchscreen works properly under Windows 7, and when I reformat into that OS, it works fine. Based on Dell tech support's suggestion, I then performed an upgrade installation into Windows 8 Pro, but it was to no avail. I tried it both retaining nothing from the old OS and then retaining files, settings, and personal info - neither worked.

Clean installs of Windows 8 Pro also do not detect the touchscreen, of course.

The drivers for the touchscreen DO appear to be present. In the device manager under "Human Interface Devices", I have:

1) HID-complaint Device

2) HID-compliant Device

3) HID-compliant Device

4) Microsoft Input Configuration Device

5) USB Input Device

Examining the properties, all five drivers seem to be Microsoft drivers with version 6.2.9200.16384, dating from 6/21/2006. I believe that this setup is consistent with what tech support said they saw on their laptop with Windows 8.

Windows Update does not detect new drivers for any of these five items. Installing the eGalax application has done nothing (under any installation I've tried). But it's clearly a software issue because the touchscreen works perfectly under a fresh install of Windows 7.

I am running the latest BIOS firmware (A15), though the touchscreen also didn't work in versions A07 or A08 (the only I've tried other than A15).

I'm pulling my hair out here. My laptop IS supported by Dell for Windows 8, but the touchscreen just isn't working. Drivers probably aren't at fault, since mine are the same as Dell's.

Does anyone know what the issue could be?

Dan_4000 · Accepted Answer

RESOLVED.

The OEM version of Windows 8 Pro does not have drivers that work for the touchscreen. But getting it to work is pretty easy! You just need to download the drivers from the manufacturer's website. The TRICK here was actually FINDING the manufacturer's website.

Here is the website that lists the available drivers:

home.eeti.com.tw/.../Touch_Drives.html

Here is the driver, itself, that you should download and install the driver that is here:

home.eeti.com.tw/.../W7Driver.htm

I would caution that I am using the Latitude E6420. If you are using a different laptop, you may wish to give Dell tech support a ring just to make sure that the driver you are about to download is compatible with your hardware. YMMV.

When you install it, make sure that you check all the boxes that come up (including the PS/2 mouse one at the beginning). Select that you wish to calibrate the touchscreen on the next boot-up (though you can alter this behavior later once it's installed, I believe).

When it's installed, it may make system beeps when you use the touchscreen. This is an option in the touchscreen control software that you can turn off. There should be a shortcut on your desktop to eGalaxTouch. Open that and go to "settings" and disable the system beep.

Thank you to Linuel John Sangkal at Dell for solving this one! Truly a subject-matter expert. It took four people several hours, but Linuel figured it out in like 30 minutes or less. Many other people directed me to download the software from the Dell driver website, but that didn't really do anything. Installing the manufacturer's drivers fixed it all! I never would have found these drivers if it weren't for Linuel. Cheers!

Dan_4000 · Answer

I found a reference to the same problem here:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-hardware/dell-inspiron-duo-with-windows-8-oem-32-bit-touch/09480147-1816-4aa9-b21c-8ae07f40f6b2?page=2

The thread suggested that the OEM version of Windows 8 does not support touch capabilities for non-Microsoft certified hardware. I was not aware of any such limitation when I purchased the product, and Dell also seems to lack this information.

I would love to assume that Dell is planning to GET their hardware certified, since it clearly works with Windows 7. Could someone comment on what is going on with this issue? I don't want to have spent $130 just to have to turn around and spend it AGAIN to get touch capabilities. Is there a way to bypass this "protection" in the OEM version in the mean time until Dell (hopefully) sorts this out?

Dan_4000 · Answer

I just spoke at length with tech support again. Kudos to Dell - you guys have been extremely helpful.

By way of update, for anyone else in the community who is interested:

We went through my device manager, systematically updating every possible driver to the latest version. We checked for the latest Windows Updates, and we installed the latest version of the eGalax software ("HIDeGalaxTouch"). Nothing worked.

There are two notable differences between my computer (on which touch does not work) and the 6420 they were using (in which touch does work), and those differences are:

1) The 6420 they are using has an nVidia card in addition to the Intel integrated graphics. I strongly suspect that this is not the culprit, but it deserves investigation.

2) I am running the OEM version, they are not.

Based on my research earlier, the OEM version is set up to reject non-certified hardware. To certify the hardware, the manufacturer has to inject a bit of code (supplied by MS) into the firmware so that when you install, it detects that the hardware is Microsoft certified and allows it to operate. Because the touchscreen firmware is older, this will not work at present.

Dell Tech Support didn't know whether this was being worked on or not in the engineering department, but they're going to raise the question. If this is the problem, most likely the hardware vendor (eGalax, I guess?) will have to produce the firmware and supply it to Dell, who will then supply it to us. I'm not sure how long this process will take. It's possible that they have already received certification, and they just haven't gotten it out to us yet. Fingers crossed.

So on Dell's side, they have to get the third-party hardware vendor to get in touch with Microsoft, get a certification code, re-write the firmware to include this code, (test?), and then release the firmware to the users. Hence my worry that it could be a long time before I get my touchscreen working.

On Microsoft's side, I wonder if there is a way to disable this "functionality" on the OEM version. After I hear back from Dell tomorrow, I may pursue Microsoft and see if they can't help me out. It's... totally a long-shot, but what the hell.

Dan_4000 · Answer

Update: I chatted with Microsoft technical support this morning without much luck. They did state that hardware had to be Microsoft Certified, but claimed that the problem was out of their hands and that the hardware manufacturer would need to take action.

They stated that they would notify their engineering department of my issue, but weren't especially accommodating. When I pointed out that the touchscreen worked in the non-OEM version but didn't in the OEM version (and that this WAS, in fact, their fault because of their hardware restrictions in the OEM version), they alternately suggested:

1) The hardware manufacturer is to blame, and they need to release a new driver / firmware update to address the issue

2) I need to buy a different version of Windows.

This is irritating, since the touchscreen works in Windows 7 Home Premium OEM version and in the Windows 8 non-OEM version. I'm not forking out another couple hundred because they're locking out my hardware (which is quite new). So I guess the ball is in Dell's court now?

I suggested to Microsoft that they need to address this issue, since it's hurting the user experience and all, but I doubt they'll do anything. Fingers crossed that Dell can come through for me.

ChirdXtreme · Answer

Sorry to necro-post, but I have 2 questions:

1. Did you confirmed that the upgrade will retain touch screen functionality, as opposed to the OEM copy?

2. The links you provided are dead.

I have the same issue on my Dell Inspiron One 2320 and neither Microsoft nor Dell have been helpful at all. I just want to confirm before spending an additional $100 on an upgrade (I currently have an OEM copy) that this will solve the issue, since I would assume the driver you found won't work for my system (optical touch screen vs. capacitive in yours, I believe).

Dan_4000 · Answer

Wow, yeah no problem. It's been a while, though. In response to your questions:

1) I cannot confirm whether the upgrade will retain touch functionality whereas the OEM does not. I believe that is the case, but I don't have personal experience with it. YMMV. If you're like me, you'll find that upgrading tends to be a dirty process - installing fresh is a better option.

2) The "base" website is still the same. The current working link is: http://home.eeti.com.tw/DriverDownload.html.

As a note - although the new drivers did restore touch functionality in Windows 8, it still doesn't quite detect as a touch input - it detects as a mouse. The difference is just in the way the operating system responds to touch. It's a little messed up. At least, with the version of the driver that I have. There may be a newer version I don't have that will work completely.

I like Windows 8 - it has a few nice things that W7 doesn't have, although I don't know if the experience is really much different at all compared with Windows 7. But if you're worried about upgrading, I don't think you'll find that there's an ENORMOUS benefit.

Dan_4000 · Answer

Oh, sorry - I should have re-read your post. It took me forever and a day to get the link to the EETI driver site. If you call Dell and bother them for a while about getting a link to the touch-input device VENDOR's site you may be able to find the correct driver. It's also possible that EETI provides the driver, so you might check there. The touch device for my laptop is called eGalax-Touch or something like that.

I'm not sure if paying for the upgrade is going to fix it or if you're better off searching for the vendor's driver.

ledstixx · Answer

Hi, I have same problem on my new XFR E6420. I paid too much money for the device but still can't use the touchscreen on Windows 8. Could you solve the problem?

I checked the manufacturer's driver page but the driver is same with my old driver on Windows7. There is no update yet.

Dan_4000 · Answer

Wow, I was just looking at this old post randomly (haven't looked one time since my last post) and saw you posted this five days ago.

If you have the eGalax touchscreen, I would try their website for the latest drivers: http://home.eeti.com.tw/

They seem to have drivers specifically for Windows 8 now - it shouldn't be the same drivers as your Windows 7 box. This is the fix that worked for me. I have heard that Windows 8.1 also improves recognition of touchscreens - you can get it in the Windows store. I've had some mixed luck, however. Although my touchscreen is WORKING, Windows is not detecting it as a touchscreen. It acts like another mouse. So the way you interact with the OS is slightly different, unfortunately. Weirdly, though, the touchscreen worked perfectly when I used the windows menus to reformat. Then a week later, the touchscreen still works, it just works differently now. I'm not sure what changed.

If you don't have an eGalax touchscreen or you don't have any luck with the drivers straight from the manufacturer, I'm not sure what to tell you. I was on the phone with Dell for quite a while before I found someone who was really competent and could help me, so you may have to try that, unfortunately.

I would start with the drivers, then go for the 8.1 upgrade, then see where you're at.

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Touchscreen Not Detecting in Windows 8 Pro OEM

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