Three blue indicator lights on keyboard deck of my new Gateway 14.1
Ultra Slim laptop GWTC71427.

First 2 are the usual icons for Power and CapsLock but third is a small
box with an X in the upper section with a horizontal line under it and a
vertical line from the center of the line to the bottom of the box.

The same icon is in the lower right corner of the right hand Control key.

Would have RTFM but couldn't find one anywhere

So what is that little sucker?

On Sun, 8 Oct 2023 14:26:26 -0400, Capt'n Butler wrote:
> Three blue indicator lights on keyboard deck of my new Gateway 14.1
> Ultra Slim laptop GWTC71427.
>
> First 2 are the usual icons for Power and CapsLock but third is a small
> box with an X in the upper section with a horizontal line under it and a
> vertical line from the center of the line to the bottom of the box.

Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.

> The same icon is in the lower right corner of the right hand
> Control key.

What happens if you press Fn and the right Control key at the same
time? If I've guessed right, it disables or enables your touchpad.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On 10/8/23 2:59 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
> On Sun, 8 Oct 2023 14:26:26 -0400, Capt'n Butler wrote:
>> Three blue indicator lights on keyboard deck of my new Gateway 14.1
>> Ultra Slim laptop GWTC71427.
>>
>> First 2 are the usual icons for Power and CapsLock but third is a small
>> box with an X in the upper section with a horizontal line under it and a
>> vertical line from the center of the line to the bottom of the box.
>
> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>
>> The same icon is in the lower right corner of the right hand
>> Control key.
>
> What happens if you press Fn and the right Control key at the same
> time? If I've guessed right, it disables or enables your touchpad.
>

Yup, that's it-- enables/disables touch pad.

Thanks!

On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
> On Sun, 8 Oct 2023 14:26:26 -0400, Capt'n Butler wrote:
>> Three blue indicator lights on keyboard deck of my new Gateway 14.1
>> Ultra Slim laptop GWTC71427.
>>
>> First 2 are the usual icons for Power and CapsLock but third is a small
>> box with an X in the upper section with a horizontal line under it and a
>> vertical line from the center of the line to the bottom of the box.
>
> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.

I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
on a Lenovo laptop.

>> The same icon is in the lower right corner of the right hand
>> Control key.
>
> What happens if you press Fn and the right Control key at the same
> time? If I've guessed right, it disables or enables your touchpad.
>

--
78 days until the winter celebration (Monday, December 25, 2023 12:00 AM
for 1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Quantum mechanics is so counter-intuitive, physicists have never been
able to come up with a comfortable picture of how it works." Taner Edis,
Is Anybody Out There?

On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 08:48:52 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
> On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
> > Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>
> I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
> moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
> on a Lenovo laptop.

Wireless mouse here. But when I bought my laptop this spring I
splurged on a model with touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On Sun, 8 Oct 2023 18:49:16 -0400, Capt'n Butler wrote:
>
> On 10/8/23 2:59 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
> > On Sun, 8 Oct 2023 14:26:26 -0400, Capt'n Butler wrote:
> >> Three blue indicator lights on keyboard deck of my new Gateway 14.1
> >> Ultra Slim laptop GWTC71427.
> >>
> >> First 2 are the usual icons for Power and CapsLock but third is a small
> >> box with an X in the upper section with a horizontal line under it and a
> >> vertical line from the center of the line to the bottom of the box.
> >
> > Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
> >
> >> The same icon is in the lower right corner of the right hand
> >> Control key.
> >
> > What happens if you press Fn and the right Control key at the same
> > time? If I've guessed right, it disables or enables your touchpad.
> >
>
> Yup, that's it-- enables/disables touch pad.
>
> Thanks!

Happy to help, and thanks for letting us know!

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

Stan Brown wrote:

> when I bought my laptop this spring I splurged on a model with
> touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.

I bought two laptops nearly a year ago, one came with a touchscreen, I
immediately removed the driver for it ...

On Tue, 10 Oct 2023 01:34:50 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

> Stan Brown wrote:
>
>> when I bought my laptop this spring I splurged on a model with
>> touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>
> I bought two laptops nearly a year ago, one came with a touchscreen, I
> immediately removed the driver for it ...

Yes, the latest Dell laptop here came with a high pixel count touch
screen. The touch feature is just a nuisance that leads to greasy
marks on screen, and the HiDPD screen works ok in Windows but more
or less any Linux distro fails to scan properly. Even with this
display and driver set up to display a desktop properly, the
on-screen menus shown during bootup are so tiny one has to use a
magnifying glass to read them! Why anyone pays a premium for such a
display beats me.

On 10/10/23 05:58, mechanic wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Oct 2023 01:34:50 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> Stan Brown wrote:
>>
>>> when I bought my laptop this spring I splurged on a model with
>>> touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>>
>> I bought two laptops nearly a year ago, one came with a touchscreen, I
>> immediately removed the driver for it ...
>
> Yes, the latest Dell laptop here came with a high pixel count touch
> screen. The touch feature is just a nuisance that leads to greasy
> marks on screen,

Yes.

> and the HiDPD screen works ok in Windows but more
> or less any Linux distro fails to scan properly. Even with this
> display and driver set up to display a desktop properly, the
> on-screen menus shown during bootup are so tiny one has to use a
> magnifying glass to read them! Why anyone pays a premium for such a
> display beats me.

You might prefer to set a lower resolution with the same aspect ratio.

--
77 days until the winter celebration (Monday, December 25, 2023 12:00 AM
for 1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

Keep Christ out of Christmas

On Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:49:19 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:

>> and the HiDPD screen works ok in Windows but more
>> or less any Linux distro fails to scan properly. Even with this
>> display and driver set up to display a desktop properly, the
>> on-screen menus shown during bootup are so tiny one has to use a
>> magnifying glass to read them! Why anyone pays a premium for such a
>> display beats me.
>
> You might prefer to set a lower resolution with the same aspect ratio.

Easy enough within Windows, but how to do that before loading
Windows?

On 10/10/2023 18:02, mechanic wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:49:19 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>
>>> and the HiDPD screen works ok in Windows but more
>>> or less any Linux distro fails to scan properly. Even with this
>>> display and driver set up to display a desktop properly, the
>>> on-screen menus shown during bootup are so tiny one has to use a
>>> magnifying glass to read them! Why anyone pays a premium for such a
>>> display beats me.
>>
>> You might prefer to set a lower resolution with the same aspect ratio.
>
> Easy enough within Windows, but how to do that before loading
> Windows?
>
I have an Acer laptop with a 16" 4K screen. Don't know why but text
looks completely normal in the BIOS or before Windows loads. Also normal
in Win 11 which sets itself to its recommended 250% scale.

On 10/9/23 6:37 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
> On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 08:48:52 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>> On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
>
>>> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>>
>> I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
>> moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
>> on a Lenovo laptop.
>
> Wireless mouse here. But when I bought my laptop this spring I
> splurged on a model with touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>
>
Yeah, my new laptop has a touchscreen too. I thought it would be a
useless and unused feature...but I love it.

Same thing with the heated seats in my car. I live in the deep south and
When I was buying it, the sales weasel kept mentioning it. I thought
yup-- another useless automotive bloatware/feature-cram. But it's really
nice on those few chilly mornings!

--
Call me childish but beating the GPS/Nav arrival time is an extreme
sport to me

Capt'n Butler wrote:

> On 10/9/23 6:37 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
>> On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 08:48:52 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>> On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
>>
>>>> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>>>
>>> I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
>>> moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
>>> on a Lenovo laptop.
>>
>> Wireless mouse here. But when I bought my laptop this spring I
>> splurged on a model with touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>>
> Yeah, my new laptop has a touchscreen too. I thought it would be a
> useless and unused feature...but I love it.
>
> Same thing with the heated seats in my car. I live in the deep south and
> When I was buying it, the sales weasel kept mentioning it. I thought
> yup-- another useless automotive bloatware/feature-cram. But it's really
> nice on those few chilly mornings!

I remember saying the same about electric windows in cars - just another
useless thing to go wrong. I get in the car now, turn on the heater, heated
seats, heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, heated rear window,
aircon, and then when I'm moving I engage cruise control, hill descent
control down steep hills, the headlights come on automatically as do the
wipers etc. etc. Can't imagine doing without them.

--
Bob
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England

Heaven is where the police are British, the mechanics German, the cooks are
French, the lovers Italian, and all is organized by the Swiss.
Hell is where the police are German, the mechanics are French, the cooks
are British, the lovers are Swiss, and it's all organized by the Italians!

On 10/10/23 12:02, mechanic wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:49:19 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>
>>> and the HiDPD screen works ok in Windows but more
>>> or less any Linux distro fails to scan properly. Even with this
>>> display and driver set up to display a desktop properly, the
>>> on-screen menus shown during bootup are so tiny one has to use a
>>> magnifying glass to read them! Why anyone pays a premium for such a
>>> display beats me.
>>
>> You might prefer to set a lower resolution with the same aspect ratio.
>
> Easy enough within Windows, but how to do that before loading
> Windows?

Does the UEFI have a resolution setting? I don't think they usually do,
but its possible.

--
76 days until the winter celebration (Monday, December 25, 2023 12:00 AM
for 1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company." [Mark Twain]

On 10/11/2023 10:37 AM, Mark Lloyd wrote:
> On 10/10/23 12:02, mechanic wrote:
>> On Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:49:19 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>
>>>> and the HiDPD screen works ok in Windows but more
>>>> or less any Linux distro fails to scan properly. Even with this
>>>> display and driver set up to display a desktop properly, the
>>>> on-screen menus shown during bootup are so tiny one has to use a
>>>> magnifying glass to read them! Why anyone pays a premium for such a
>>>> display beats me.
>>>
>>> You might prefer to set a lower resolution with the same aspect ratio.
>>
>> Easy enough within Windows, but how to do that before loading
>> Windows?
>
> Does the UEFI have a resolution setting? I don't think they usually do, but its possible.
>

Your video card can have a UEFI (the GOP) BIOS, or it
can have a regular video card BIOS (VESA for want of a better name?).
There was a transition era, during which a card shipped with VESA,
but a downloadable file could make your card GOP capable.

[Picture]

https://i.postimg.cc/bwbN8sst/Check-UEFI-Video-Card-GOP-BIOS.gif

https://wiki.osdev.org/GOP

*******
Linux - boot line "nomodeset" presumably to avoid kernel mode setting (KMS).

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-ca/000123893/manual-nomodeset-kernel-boot-line-option-for-linux-booting

DRI is addressed a bit here.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/User:CodingKoopa/Direct_Rendering_Infrastructure

In the old days, "vga=786" on the kernel boot line, would define the runtime
resolution (it was useful for making VMs work which failed to do
anything even remotely intelligent). Using that option today, hardly
solves any problems. Perhaps in combination with "nomodeset" it might.

Colors bits 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1152x864 1280x1024 1600x1200
256 8 vga=769 vga=771 vga=773 vga=353 vga=775 vga=796
32000 ? vga=784 vga=787 vga=790 vga= ? vga=793 vga= ?
65000 16 vga=785 vga=788 vga=791 vga=355 vga=794 vga=798
16.7M 24 vga=786 vga=789 vga=792 vga=795 vga=799

*******

Both Windows and Linux make multiple mode changes to the video
interface.

When you see a juggling-balls graphic with ovals instead of circles,
it could be in some 4:3 mode, instead of a 5:4 native or 16:9 native.

*******

The best hardware device for this, might be a capture card. But with
the existence of HDCP, it is unclear whether spending big money on
this, would yield big rewards.

PC#1 --- HDMI ---------+ +------------------ PC#1 LCD screen
| |
HDMI-IN HDMI-OUT
+- -+
| Capture Card | PCIe
| (HDCP support is |-------- PC#2 --- PC#2 LCD screen
| not legal) | for monitoring
+-------------------+ captured output file

On an older card with YPrPb, you might have an easier time capturing
video from Windows, but such cards might only have XDDM (crusty old) drivers.

The depicted capture card uses "passthru video", a simple buffering
of the stream to drive the actual LCD. It is not intended to
modify what is sent. The Capture Card is not supposed to have
HDCP keys to intercept encrypted signals, nor is it intended
to accept Encrypted from the left and send Plaintext on the right
(which is a Movie Thief feature set). Devices which did this... were
stopped at Customs.

*******

I do not know the mode switch sequence of either Linux or Windows for this.

In both cases, there can be changes from release to release,
and if this stuff is not documented, I can't help you. Some Capture Cards
are not agile enough to capture all mode switches. On a sync change,
there could be frame(s) lost. When the video output on a video card changes,
this can affect the link clock rate, so you have to lock to the new rate
before capture happens, then detect the ENABLE status of the stream
to extract HSYNC/VSYNC functional equivalent. The monitor does this too.
The capture card needs to send an interrupt to the driver, for servicing
and DMA reconfigure. That means it is always a tiny bit slower than an LCD,
to get a stable picture.

The Windows screen appearance could also be influenced by whether
it is a CSM boot or a UEFI boot. That might make a tiny difference to
one of the mode switches.

Paul

On 10/11/2023 10:27 AM, Bob Henson wrote:
> Capt'n Butler wrote:
>
>> On 10/9/23 6:37 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
>>> On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 08:48:52 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>>> On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>>>>
>>>> I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
>>>> moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
>>>> on a Lenovo laptop.
>>>
>>> Wireless mouse here. But when I bought my laptop this spring I
>>> splurged on a model with touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>>>
>> Yeah, my new laptop has a touchscreen too. I thought it would be a
>> useless and unused feature...but I love it.
>>
>> Same thing with the heated seats in my car. I live in the deep south and
>> When I was buying it, the sales weasel kept mentioning it. I thought
>> yup-- another useless automotive bloatware/feature-cram. But it's really
>> nice on those few chilly mornings!
>
> I remember saying the same about electric windows in cars - just another
> useless thing to go wrong. I get in the car now, turn on the heater, heated
> seats, heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, heated rear window,
> aircon, and then when I'm moving I engage cruise control, hill descent
> control down steep hills, the headlights come on automatically as do the
> wipers etc. etc. Can't imagine doing without them.

But you will remember, the first electric windows really were dreadful.
They were "full of slack". They weren't reliable. And, you could
chop your kids neck in half with one. There is a degree of engineering
refinement there now.

Same with wipers, to an extent. People used to repair wipers, because
the mechanism would wear out prematurely. They can actually make
decent mechanisms now.

Take my hedge trimmer as another example. First hedge trimmer ?
Power train failure, where cam driving blade is sheared off.
Second hedge trimmer ? GD brushes wear out, and weasels don't
stock replacements at the branded shop (B&D/DeWalt). Take unit apart.
Gear train ? Made of exquisite metal, with not a mark of wear on it.
You could shave with the edges of the teeth cut in the metal. Yes,
if they want to, they really can make good gears. Not like the first trimmer.

Paul

On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:27:16 +0100, Bob Henson wrote:
> I remember saying the same about electric windows in cars - just another
> useless thing to go wrong. I get in the car now, turn on the heater, heated
> seats, heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, heated rear window,
> aircon, and then when I'm moving I engage cruise control, hill descent
> control down steep hills, the headlights come on automatically as do the
> wipers etc. etc. Can't imagine doing without them.
>

I've had auto-on headlights since my previous car, a 2006 Prius. But
my current car, a RAV4, has automatic high beams, and oh what a
pleasure that is. Previously, I had to turn high beams off and on
when approaching an oncoming car, and with all the curves in roads
around here it was hard to get that right. Now the car does it for
me. And unlike me, it never forgets or waits too long.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

Paul wrote:
> On 10/11/2023 10:27 AM, Bob Henson wrote:
>> Capt'n Butler wrote:
>>
>>> On 10/9/23 6:37 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 08:48:52 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>>>> On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
>>>>> moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
>>>>> on a Lenovo laptop.
>>>>
>>>> Wireless mouse here. But when I bought my laptop this spring I
>>>> splurged on a model with touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>>>>
>>> Yeah, my new laptop has a touchscreen too. I thought it would be a
>>> useless and unused feature...but I love it.
>>>
>>> Same thing with the heated seats in my car. I live in the deep south and
>>> When I was buying it, the sales weasel kept mentioning it. I thought
>>> yup-- another useless automotive bloatware/feature-cram. But it's really
>>> nice on those few chilly mornings!
>>
>> I remember saying the same about electric windows in cars - just another
>> useless thing to go wrong. I get in the car now, turn on the heater, heated
>> seats, heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, heated rear window,
>> aircon, and then when I'm moving I engage cruise control, hill descent
>> control down steep hills, the headlights come on automatically as do the
>> wipers etc. etc. Can't imagine doing without them.
>
> But you will remember, the first electric windows really were dreadful.
> They were "full of slack". They weren't reliable. And, you could
> chop your kids neck in half with one. There is a degree of engineering
> refinement there now.
>
> Same with wipers, to an extent. People used to repair wipers, because
> the mechanism would wear out prematurely. They can actually make
> decent mechanisms now.
>
> Take my hedge trimmer as another example. First hedge trimmer ?
> Power train failure, where cam driving blade is sheared off.
> Second hedge trimmer ? GD brushes wear out, and weasels don't
> stock replacements at the branded shop (B&D/DeWalt). Take unit apart.
> Gear train ? Made of exquisite metal, with not a mark of wear on it.
> You could shave with the edges of the teeth cut in the metal. Yes,
> if they want to, they really can make good gears. Not like the first trimmer.
>
> Paul
>

Smile on the segue redirect from electric windows to hedge trimmer.
- I used to have a few hedge trimmers(one gas, one electric). Finally
realized paying the yard crew the extra $20 was better.

--
....w¡ñ§±¤ñ

Paul wrote:

> On 10/11/2023 10:27 AM, Bob Henson wrote:
>> Capt'n Butler wrote:
>>
>>> On 10/9/23 6:37 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 08:48:52 -0500, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>>>> On 10/8/23 13:59, Stan Brown wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> Sounds like the touchpad, which I always disable on my laptop.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do too. I got tired of those that "press" a button when I'm just
>>>>> moving the pointer over it. I use a wireless mouse or the "finger stick"
>>>>> on a Lenovo laptop.
>>>>
>>>> Wireless mouse here. But when I bought my laptop this spring I
>>>> splurged on a model with touchscreen, and it's a joy to use.
>>>>
>>> Yeah, my new laptop has a touchscreen too. I thought it would be a
>>> useless and unused feature...but I love it.
>>>
>>> Same thing with the heated seats in my car. I live in the deep south and
>>> When I was buying it, the sales weasel kept mentioning it. I thought
>>> yup-- another useless automotive bloatware/feature-cram. But it's really
>>> nice on those few chilly mornings!
>>
>> I remember saying the same about electric windows in cars - just another
>> useless thing to go wrong. I get in the car now, turn on the heater, heated
>> seats, heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, heated rear window,
>> aircon, and then when I'm moving I engage cruise control, hill descent
>> control down steep hills, the headlights come on automatically as do the
>> wipers etc. etc. Can't imagine doing without them.
>
> But you will remember, the first electric windows really were dreadful.
> They were "full of slack". They weren't reliable. And, you could
> chop your kids neck in half with one. There is a degree of engineering
> refinement there now.
>
> Same with wipers, to an extent. People used to repair wipers, because
> the mechanism would wear out prematurely. They can actually make
> decent mechanisms now.

There has certainly been a huge increase in manufacturing standards. My old
BMW 5 series was the first I had with electric windows. They had so much
confidence in them (not) that they supplied a tool that fitted under a
blanking plug where the handle used to be so you could manually wind them
up and down if they failed. I had the car 16 years and they never failed,
mind you - nor did anything else.

--
Bob
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England

How do you get down from an elephants back? You don't, it comes from a
duck.

Stan Brown wrote:

> On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:27:16 +0100, Bob Henson wrote:
>> I remember saying the same about electric windows in cars - just another
>> useless thing to go wrong. I get in the car now, turn on the heater, heated
>> seats, heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, heated rear window,
>> aircon, and then when I'm moving I engage cruise control, hill descent
>> control down steep hills, the headlights come on automatically as do the
>> wipers etc. etc. Can't imagine doing without them.
>>
>
> I've had auto-on headlights since my previous car, a 2006 Prius. But
> my current car, a RAV4, has automatic high beams, and oh what a
> pleasure that is. Previously, I had to turn high beams off and on
> when approaching an oncoming car, and with all the curves in roads
> around here it was hard to get that right. Now the car does it for
> me. And unlike me, it never forgets or waits too long.

My last car had that facility, but my current one has dropped the high beam
setting and gone back to automatic on/off but not the high beam control. I
wonder if it was because on the last car the high beam setting was too
sensitive (and couldn't be altered) so the reflection of my own headlights
from very reflective road signs used to dip my headlights. Halfway round a
bend at speed, that wasn't funny.

--
Bob
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings.
The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
- Winston Churchill