T43p neither trackpoint, nor trackpad work...

[solidpro]

Hi All

I have a T43p 14" with an odd problem. Neither the trackpoint on the keyboard, it's mouse buttons, nor the trackpad and it's mouse buttons work in any OS. I have checked the BIOS and both are set to 'automatic' (It's either Automatic or Disabled as an option). I've tried a different, working, palmrest with it's own trackpad and that doesn't work, and I've tried a different keyboard and that doesn't work. The trackpad in the palmrest + it's buttons and the trackpoint in the keyboard and it's buttons are on different ribbon cable connectors to the motherboard.

I have re-scanned Win2k and WinXP for pointing devices and it doesn't find anything. A USB mouse works fine and comes up as an HID-Compliant device under Mice in device manager.

So it seems the problem is mainboard related. Is there perhaps a fuse related to the mouse devices? Any other ideas!?

Thanks

[axur-delmeria]

Have you tried disconnecting the touchpad? The Trackpoint and touchpad share the same PS/2 port, which means that if either of them malfunctions, the other is affected.

[t43_guy]

Hi, I had a similar problem with my T43, in my case the touchpad worked fine but the trackpoint was intermittent. Both the touchpad and trackpoint are PS/2 pointing devices in the T43 and they are connected to a multiplexer which combines their signals into a single one that is input to the system, as if it were a single pointing device. You've already ruled out the software side, and your keyboard/palmrest are confirmed working so it's very likely that the problem indeed lies on the motherboard.

To fix my problem I had to replace the multiplexer IC which is a 16 pin device labeled as U24 on the board and it's located right next to the touchpad connector, if you're confident with soldering surface mount components you could try and replace it with another one from a donor board or try to source it from some electronics store. If you don't want to risk it too much then you can just heat it up with a soldering iron for ~2 minutes and there is a little chance that it might work again, indicating that it is in fact the problem.

Something else you can try is to clean the keyboard/touchpad connectors with isopropyl alcohol both on the board and the keyboard/touchpad side.

[kfzhu1229]

I have a T43p 14" with an odd problem. Neither the trackpoint on the keyboard, it's mouse buttons, nor the trackpad and it's mouse buttons work in any OS. I have checked the BIOS and both are set to 'automatic' (It's either Automatic or Disabled as an option). I've tried a different, working, palmrest with it's own trackpad and that doesn't work, and I've tried a different keyboard and that doesn't work. The trackpad in the palmrest + it's buttons and the trackpoint in the keyboard and it's buttons are on different ribbon cable connectors to the motherboard.

I have re-scanned Win2k and WinXP for pointing devices and it doesn't find anything. A USB mouse works fine and comes up as an HID-Compliant device under Mice in device manager.

Have you tried a different keyboard? If the trackpoint is not working on the keyboard or not connected, the touchpad on T4x will NOT be able to work just by itself and hence nothing will show up as a pointing device.
Then after this you may want to check if the trackpoint/keyboard fuses are good.

[theterminator93]

I second trying another keyboard. I've seen several times where various models will exhibit issues with the trackpad and trackpoint that are caused by some keyboard defect. A different keyboard (same trackpoint) and the issues are resolved. On models where the power button is not part of the keyboard, you can simply disconnect the keyboard test it.

[solidpro]

Hi

The T43 keyboard has the power button as part of the keyboard, which limits some testing.

If I unplug the trackpad though, the trackpoint and mouse buttons in the keyboard all work fine.
If I plug in a different T43 trackpad it kills both.

So basically, if both are connected, neither work. I can't easily test the keyboad's trackpoint being disconnected from boot up because I can't power it up.

So I basically left the trackpad disconnected (I never use it) and re-assembled the machine. Have no idea why connecting any of 2 trackpads kills the trackpoint and buttons...

Alex

[SMA]

Check that BIOS version and EC version matches.
You can see in the BIOS read me file, what version goes with what.
BIOS and EC are different downloads.
(Just a wild guess)