Problems I need resolved

Ok, I am getting super frustrated with Windows 8.1 and I have no idea what to do. I have a Asus touch screen laptop. First off, when I had Windows 7, I could turn stuff off. With Windows 8.1, they seem to have said "Forget you, user!" and forced us to use Windows 8 they way THEY want us to use it with no customization possible.

Here is my dilemma. The touchscreen keyboard, the UAC, and the mouse. I have CONSTANTLY changed these to suit MY usage and Windows keeps resetting it back to how THEY want. With Windows 7 and previous OS' I was able to change these settings and they remained how I set them. Not so with Windows 8.

I turn off UAC because I don't want to click on a dialogue every time I install, change, update, etc. something. I have turned off the on screen keyboard. I have turned off tap to click because I hate accidentally tapping when I want to move the mouse.

Regarding UAC, Windows decides that's not how I want it and upon restarting or turning on my laptop at another time they turn it back on. Regarding the on screen keyboard, Windows decides to turn that thing back on even though I disabled it in Services. I turn off tap to click and Windows decides that it wants to turn it back on.

You can understand my frustration and I have no idea what to do. Microsoft has gone so far as to take away our rights as a user and I find that detestable and even a bit shady for a company.

If anyone has a permanent fix for these issues I would be forever grateful. Thank you.

I get a little funny when people use the term "our" and "everyone" etc. I don't have your problems and my rights are quite intact, my choices are mine.

Keyboard:

• Press the Windows key + W
• Type "services," and press Enter
• Scroll down to "Touch screen keyboard and handwriting panel"
• You can either right click and "Stop" or you can double-click and change it from "Automatic" startup to "Manual."

If that doesn't work, you have other problems.

UAC:

How to Change User Account Control (UAC) Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1
Tutorial by Brink

Other issues:

I get frustrated when people don't fill out their specs properly. What is your laptop Model? What mouse do you use? If you could fill out everything related to your issues it would be awesome dyrelogan cheers :thumb:

like most laptops today they have thier own settings controls you'll have to change those as well, far to much program duplication nowadays in yours its probobly ATK and smartscreen look in programmes control panel

Antspants, ok, I didn't know you wanted specifics about my laptop. It's the Asus Q501LA-BB15T03. Also, I did say that I went through services to turn off the keyboard. I did stop it. I did disable it. I turned my laptop back on and windows did turn it back on. UAC appears to be off now, but I haven't turned my laptop on today to see if it is still off. As for the mouse I use, I think I did clarify that it was a laptop so I am using the touchpad mouse that's built in with he unit.

This is the first computer I have ever owned that has decided to change things back to factory on its own whenever I shut down and turn it back on. I've never had this issue with any other computer. I knew 8 had its issues and that pretty much every review I have ever read in forums or about 8 itself were not good at all, but I wanted to upgrade my previous laptop and I figured I would have to learn the new OS at some point so I bought it anyways. It's been a love/hate relationship thus far.

I've skipped the start screen entirely and just yesterday I installed software to give me my start menu back that I have been used to since I have owned a windows machine. No, these issues have not arisen from this software, and I assure you that I haven't installed any questionable software that would compromise these everyday settings that appear to have a mind of their own. I hope the extra information has helped. Hope to get this resolved soon.

I have read in other forums that the touch keyboard does turn itself back on when apps or programs that use it are updated. I've also seen topics stating that the keyboard will turn itself back on regardless of how we set it. As for the mouse software, it is using gestures software that I think is put out by Asus and the only thing I can deduce as to why tap to click is turning itself back on is Asus is installing updates that reset the feature back to default. I don't know.

Good Job.

3rd party software is always a concern. Its a users choice to install it (or uninstall it if it was already there) 3rd party software that manipulates an OS can often indirectly cause issues. I'm not saying it has but its not brain surgery, its diving into registry keys and such, changing native behaviors.

ASUS Smart Gesture is a 3rd party software that as far as I can see comes with your laptop, and takes control of your touchpad etc,.. I would personally remove it, let windows take over, tweak the settings as you want them and see how it goes.

You could also try disabling automatic updates in the 3rd party ASUS Live Update Utility.
Take a look at what it is exactly the 3rd party Keyboard Device Filter Utility does and conclude if it may be causing issues. It might be the software that allows Fn + F9 to manipulate your touchpad.

Asus comes with allot of Bloatware, Microsoft provides an Operating System. Microsoft don't have total control over what companies like Asus do to your windows OS and what 3rd party software they put on it. I will openly say that Asus is probably one of the worst when it comes to bloatware, they add all this crap thinking it makes their laptops look robust and elite when all it does is hinder what is already a perfectly working system. Just reading the Asus manual for your laptop, which is as useless as tits on a bull (the manual), reminded me of how annoying Asus as a company can be.

If updating the above 3rd party software (manually) doesn't help your issues, uninstall it and see if that does.
I hope one of these suggestions works for you as I know how frustrating these issues can be.

Good luck with it and make sure you come back and let us know the results as it helps others.

cheers dyrelogan

P.S.
Excuse my bluntness, life is too short and you're obviously not a child..

I will definitely try your suggestions and come back here to render my verdict. The one thing I like about the smart gestures software, however, are all the features it provides. I like all the different gestures it provides like changing from start screen to desktop, switching screens with a swipe, etc. I personally do not like the entire pad being part of the mouse, especially when clicking because he mouse moves when you press down which has, many a time, moved the mouse pointer from buttons and links I wanted to click on. I usually plug in my Logitech trackball and use that, especially when I'll be using he mouse a lot. But, when I do use the mouse on the laptop I do like the gestures, I find them useful. Does microsoft have gestures ability? Perhaps their own software you might know of? As for the bloatware, Asus does have quite a few programs but I haven't really gotten down to deleting it yet.

I couldn't tell you about Win8 native swipe mate. I use a Logitech touchpad. Ive not tried it without Logitech software, I am sure someone in here will know though, a search maybe? Im cooking atm but I will have a look around also, when I can.

I actually have that Logitech pad. I bought it for my pc. Haven't used it in quite a while. Maybe I will try that. However, I installed the Logitech software on my previous laptop and ended up uninstalling it then discovered that some of the software was still on it causing a pop up issue. When I looked it up online, I found out that many were having the same problem and Logitech still had not fixed the issue, which had been happening for several years, and Logitech was unhelpful when responding to people. So, I am weary on installing the software on my new machine. But, I might install it again and see if it takes away the tap to click issue.