Toughbook Touchscreen Problems
By Kefa Olang
Although the touchscreen on a Panasonic Toughbook laptop is sturdy, it won't work if the screen's drivers are missing or damaged. Damages to touchscreen drivers are caused by conflicts with peripheral USB devices, such as a mouse. They are also caused by operating system problems. If your Toughbook laptop's touchscreen isn't sensitive enough or isn't responding at all, Panasonic provides solutions to optimize the screen's performance.
Causes
On a Toughbook laptop, the touchscreen sometimes stops working if you install an external mouse. Some mouse drivers and software cause conflicts with the touchscreen. In some cases, the touchscreen also stops responding after reinstallion of the Windows operating system. If the computer is no longer capable of detecting the touchscreen, you must reinstall the device's software.
Integrated GPS
If you're using a GPS that's integrated with your Toughbook laptop, the device causes conflicts with the touchscreen. To resolve the problem, run and install the GPS Registry Patch "SKIPENUM.REG" located in C:\UTIL\GPS. Double-click the GPS folder to display the patch. Double-clicking and running the patch resolves the touchscreen problem.
Installing Touchscreen Drivers
If the touchscreen is still not working, reinstall the device's drivers. Before locating the drivers to install, you'll need the Toughbook's model number, which can be found on the bottom of the laptop. After writing down the model number, enter the information on the Panasonic download page to find the driver that will work with the touchscreen. Download the driver and follow the guided prompts to install it. When prompted, accept all the default settings on the installation wizard to improve the touchscreen's performance. When the installation process completes, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Tips, Recommendations and Warnings.
If the Toughbook's touchscreen problem persists, your laptop's hardware is most likely experiencing technical difficulty. Touchscreens are sensitive and should be handled with care, so contact Panasonic for additional troubleshooting and possible repairs. Disassembling the Toughbook and attempting to fix the problem yourself increases the chances of damaging the screen even further. In addition, unauthorized usage will violate and nullify a valid limited or extended warranty, which means you'll have to pay out-of-pocket for repairs.
References
Writer Bio
Kefa Olang has been writing articles online since April 2009. He has been published in the "Celebration of Young Poets" and has an associate degree in communication and media arts from Dutchess Community College, and a bachelor's degree in broadcasting and mass communication from the State University of New York, Oswego.