I just upgraded the hard disk in my new Sony Vaio VGN-A297 to the Hitachi 7200rpm 60GB. (I'm currently in Europe hence the odd product number, but it's just the latest A-Series with 17" and Pentium M 1.8 etc)

I followed the instructions according to the post here:

http://www.user2user.info/forum/note...pic.php?t=2259

Yes, I know I have voided my warranty, but I really wanted a 7200 speed drive. Anyway I managed to get it all done (boy it's a nerve wracking process! cables and screws everywhere! Sony sure now how to hide things)

I put it all back together, reformatted the drive, installed XP and the Sony drivers etc, and everything works perfectly - EXCEPT the touchpad.

I'm wondering if maybe I damaged the cable when putting it back (it certainly is a fiddly thing to get back in).
I'm not sure I can see it in the device manager either. Under "Mice and other pointing devices" there are 2 entries for "HID compliant mouse" and one of these is my standard logitech USB mouse. I don't know what the other one is, but it won't let me update the driver with the Sony touchpad driver.

So everything else is working, I have the actual driver for the Sony touchpad available to install, but seemingly no touchpad to install it to.

Where did my touchpad go? Does anyone know how I can confirm if I have damaged the cable or if it is a driver problem?

I didn't have this problem when I first reinstalled XP when I first got the machine.

Help!

To put it simply: I'd whip it open again and double check that everything is plugged in the way it should. More than likely the touchpad ribbon probably wasn't pushed in far enough/disconnected.

Well I just took it apart again and checked everything. It all looks ok, I'm pretty sure it's all back exactly the way it was.

I pushed the ribbon cable for the touchpad quite firmly. But in order to do so I did bend it a little. I guess I may have damaged the cable in the process. It's hard to know with those ribbon cables. Theres no click or firm connection like with a drive connector or something. If you don't push far enough it won't connect, and if you push too hard it will break, and I don't know how to tell when.

I guess it's broken, but I wish I could know for sure.

That is so annoying!!! I have a nice new fast drive, but now no touchpad. I guess I hardly ever use the touchpad anyway, but it is still annoying. I'm sure I'll really need it one day.

Any ideas how I can confirm whether the cable is damaged rather than just not pushed in properly?

Find the make and manufacturer of the touchpad and download the drivers from them.

I'd be surprised if you broke the ribbon cable by bending it a little. Usually when you break something like that you know it. It's either visibly torn or you had an "Oh crap!!" moment while disassembling the system.

Seems much more likely the cable isn't seated properly in the ZIF socket. When you opened it back up did you actually remove the cable and re-insert it? Are you sure it isn't in backwards? Did you check the other end of the cable to make sure you didn't pull it out of the touchpad's socket? (not sure if this last one is even possible)

Good luck.

Try this: unplug your laptop and remove the battery. Then, hold down the power button for one full minute. this completely discharges the capacitors and always works on my Toshiba A75. if it doesn't work the first time try it again - touchpads seem more sensitive to static electricity than some of the other components on these laptops. please let us know if that works.