how to disable docking port

[electrontek82]

This post is not about the windows aero and autodock features, it is about the actual physical port on the bottom of a laptop.

Does anyone know if there is a way to completely disable the docking port on the bottom of a dell laptop. when/if this laptop is ever placed on a docking station i want it to do nothing. I have checked Google extensively and have failed to come up with a solution. any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mellon Head]

You could go into Device Manager, find the docking port and right click and choose "Disable", or disable it under Properties, but chances are that as soon as you plugged it into a docking port it would reactivate.

It's worth a try though.

 

[electrontek82]

Thanks for the reply mellon head. I tried that but there is nothing listed in device manager that identifies the port, unless it has some cryptic name that I overlooked. I even tried docking and undocking while device manager was open trying to see what was showing up and I got nowhere. I will look again though.

 

[logicearth]

For the docking port to do anything it needs Dell's software. Do you have Dell's software installed? If not then that port is effectively disabled. But I'm curious, why?

 

[electrontek82]

logicearth,

I have tried that as well. i don't see any dell software other than touchpad and audio in the uninstall program section, or the icons in the lower right, or running in task manager. there are also no dell programs in the start menu.

As for why, I have recently had an issue with my workstation being used when im not present. Which normally wouldn't be a big deal but this particular person cant just use the setup the way it is, he moves the monitors, speakers and dvd drives around, tangles all the wires to hell and i have to come in and fix all that in the morning, everyday, otherwise i get hit on my station being not compliant with "5S standards". ive tried zip tying the wires to keep them from tangling and discouraging him moving everything, but he simply cuts them. His station is on a group laptop without a docking station that is always here and i have access to. so by me simply disabling the port im hoping he would give up and just use the laptop as-is. although i know he could just disconnect my docking station entirely and plug all the peripherals in separately i don't think he would bother. This really isn't all that big of a deal in all, but if i can fix the annoying problem by disabling the port with a few clicks then ill do it.