Hi Jimmyb1234,

Press < Fn >< F3 > to disable or enable the Touchpad. Please try this and check if you are able to successfully disable the Touchpad.

The Fn F3 does has never worked that I know of. It may have worked early on while the touchpad was turning off like it should, but now that I'm having problems it does not work. During the period I started having touchpad problems there were no softwares or updates added the best I can tell. I don't even allow Microsoft updates after having problems with a few of those.

Hi Jimmyb1234,

I've loaded several software packages since I started having this problem and doing a system restore is not something I really want to do if I can avoid it. However, I have some new information. I have been doing a "restart" and sometimes the problem would go away for while and sometimes not. It seems though that if I do a complete power down then a power up, the touchpad works as designed and will turn off. So I guess the question might be what is the difference between a power down and a restart? Also, not matter if the touchpad is working or not, the key does not work!

UPDATE! I left my laptop on overnight as I normally do and
when I woke up the touchpad was working and would not turn off again. I did a
power down and when I restarted it the touchpad still would not turn off.
Another power down and restart and the touchpad was turned off. It doesn’t make
sense. Is this possibly something to do with which driver is loading first? I’m
obviously not smart enough to figure this out!

Hi Jimmyb1234,

To rectify this issue, please follow the below mentioned steps:

1) Click “Start”, type “Device Manager” and press enter.

2) In the “Device Manager” window, double click “Mouse and other pointing devices”.

3) Right click "Dell Touchpad", click "Uninstall", and ensure to check the box “Delete driver software for this device”.

4) Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.

5) Click “Start”, type “Programs and Features” and press enter.

6) In the “Programs and Features” window, right click “Quickset64”, click “Change/Uninstall”.

7) Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.

8) Restart the computer.

9) Use the following link to download the Touchpad driver: http://dell.to/14yV9ZC

10) Select Download file and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.

11) Restart the computer.

12) Use the following link to download the Dell Quickset Application: http://dell.to/1eBxTvu

13) Select Download file and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.

14) Restart the computer.

Check if the Touchpad can be disabled now using the combination of FN+F3 and post the results.   

Well, that was interesting. I must have had two drivers
loaded because after doing the device uninstall I still had working touchpad
software and a working touchpad, so I went into the software uninstall and
uninstalled it there also. After following all of your steps Now, no matter
what I’ve done so far the touchpad will NOT work. I’ve turned it on and off
with the touchpad software (with and without the USB mouse plugged in), rebooted
without the USB mouse plugged in, tried the key after rebooting
(with and without the USB mouse plugged in). Don’t get me wrong. A non-working
touchpad is MUCH better than one I can’t turn off. I now have a “Dell System
Detect” icon in the taskbar that I didn’t have before. Also, in the touchpad
software there is a checkbox for displaying an icon in the taskbar, which is
checked but no icon is there. I never had one before reinstalling the
drivers/software this time either. Is that a problem? Thanks for all your help
thus far.

Hi Jimmyb1234,

After uninstalling the touchpad drivers, Windows operating system will use the native touchpad drivers. Please refer this link for information about “Dell system Detect”: http://bit.ly/14J0osk

Hope this helps!

When I woke up this morning the touchpad was back on, and could not be turned off via software or the key. I powered down the laptop, then powered back up and the touchpad was off. As a writer I can't type with the touchpad on because my thumbs touch the touchpad while typing and mess things up. Is there a way to unwire the touchpad? There does not seem to be a software fix to this problem. From what I've read elsewhere on the internet this seems to be a real common problem and nowhere has anyone come up with a fix.

Hi Jimmyb1234,

Please follow the below mentioned steps and check:

1. Type device manager in the Charms Search box in Desktop mode. Click the device manager result, and the Device Manager window will pop up.
2. Expand Mice and other pointing devices.
3. Right-click the touchpad's entry. In the menu that pops up, click Disable.
4. Confirm your choice in the pop-up window.

Restart the computer and check the functionality of the touchpad.