Windows 7 and the wacom cursor: Fixing that annoying radar animation in the latest Windows
Okay, so I recently installed Windows 7, which quite honestly is not much different than Windows Vista. Don't get me wrong, I'm one of the 5 people in the universe who didn't have a problem with Vista. It was rock solid for me and super fast. So far, Windows 7 has been Vista with an updated skin and instead of having a Taskbar and a Quick Launch area, they mushed them together and made a hybrid of the two.
Seriously, no difference. For the record, I did go from Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional. I don't know what all the other stupid versions had. Fuck Ultimate, who needs Windows even more bloated than it is?
But where was I? Oh yeah...
The Problem
Nehoo, like Vista, when you install Windows 7 and use a Wacom Tablet, Windows has some inbuilt Tablet PC functions, I don't know what they do because I don't have a Tablet PC, but all I know is they are super fucking annoying when you first try to use your Wacom in Photoshop.
It's that annoying radar circle animation that goes "Baloooop" everytime you touch the pen to the Wacom tablet, slowing down response time in Photoshop, causing a complete mess and it makes drawing or sketching directly into the computer almost impossible.
Maybe if you have a Tablet PC, Microsoft provides you with amazing touch screen capabilities, but I wouldn't know but I don't care. Either way, I don't know why it has to fuck up a Wacom Tablet in the process.
The Solution
Searching around a bit, and what worked for me was a combination of things.
- First I tried to go to the Control Panel and click on my Pen and Touch settings. Disable both the Press and hold action and the Start Tablet PC Input Panel
- Next, in the same window under the Flicks tab, uncheck the Use flicks to perform common actions quickly and easily. Press OK to save and close.
- Next go to the Programs and Features option in the Control Panel. Select the Turn Windows feature on or off option on the left of the window. A new window will open with all the Windows features.
- Scroll down to Tablet PC Components and uncheck the option. Apply the changes. Windows will do some crap and then ask you to restart for the changes to take effect. Restart and you're done.
I don't know if I'm doing it wrong or what, but that is what it took me to make the Wacom usable. I remember doing something similar in Windows Vista but it wasn't as complicated, I think it was in Tablet PC Settings in the control panel but that dick jackshit for me in Windows 7.
If it still doesn't work...
Courtesy of whitebug in the comments section, if the above still doesn't fix your problem, try the following:
You need to go to Run (Windows Key + R) type in msconfig and hit Enter. On the pop up go to Services tab. Sort the services by name to make it easier to find. look for Table PC Input Sevice and uncheck it. Leave all other Wacom services as it is. Click OK and restart. I hope this helps...
Another way to disable the Tablet PC Services...
Courtesy of Mark P:
- Go to your Windows Services by either...
- Going to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services
- Or press Windows Key + R to bring up your "Run" Command box and enter services.msc and press Ok or hit Enter
- Double click Tablet PC Input Services on the list of services (usually in alphabetical order) don't worry, there will be a lot of services in the list
- Under the General tab (open by default), press the Stop button to stop the service if it's running
- Finally, on the Startup Type choose Disable
- Press OK and close the Control Panel windows
What is this?
My name is Kris Robinson, this is where I blog about art, computers, illustration, design, work, life and other stuff... basically anything that pops into my head.
Comments
Anonymous
3 weeks agoHaving done all the above instructions, it temporarily solved the problem. After each reboot it worked well, until certain applications were launched, which somehow triggered the 'radar' animation and the drag delay.
IN ADDITION to the above instructions, THIS solved my problem:
Go to device manager, select 'Human Interface Devices' and disable WacomVirtualHID.
I haven't seen the rings/delays ever since.
Anonymous
4 weeks agoThank you very much!
Anonymous
4 weeks agoThank you very much!
Anonymous
2 months agoThe only thing that worked for me was to manually get rid of C:\Windows\System32\wisptis.exe.
For reason unknown my OS installation was running two instances of this piece of ... and btw none of those was possible to kill in task manager. Regarding the circles, changing stuff in Pen&Touch did nothing. Stopping tablet related services either did nothing or disabled the tablet altogether. My Home Premium edition had no Local groups editor.
So far the system and the tablet seem to work normaly without wisptis.exe, so I hope the process had no other purpose except to drive tablet users nuts.
Kris Robinson
2 months agoSorry, not sure what that was about.
Anonymous
2 months agoI didn't frickin' say Anonymous. Your comment form is also bad for my blood pressure.
Red Sandro
2 months agoThank you.
I figured most of the stuff out myself, but recently, probably after some lousy Windows Update, I couldn't use any pen button as right-click anymore.
Disabling the service in services.msc did the trick. Goddamn Windows bad for my blood pressure. I think I will die in pain when Win8/Metro comes out.
Raul Bueno
4 months agoThanks a lot! I had to translate the names and commands for portuguese (took a while) but it worked.
It is because stuff like that I'm thinking to move to mac os...
Again, thanks for the post.
Manugon
6 months agoI think the first step in your solution is enough, at least it was for me. Thanks!
Ashlee
7 months agoThank you so much! I was working with Flash CS5 and it kept showing that radar thing everytime I did something. You saved me a lot of time! :)
Joaco
8 months agoThanks a lot!
Deeptoad
12 months agoUnder the heading "Another Way to Disable Tablet PC" -- this one worked and it was the only one that worked.
To the author: May the forces of evil become lost on the way to your house. THANK YOU.
That ring was enough to make one want to slap their mother.
Marek
1 years agothank you!
thegray
1 years agoSorry about the confusing post below.
I spent a few hours tumbling around with this problem. I found that going through the Tablet PC Input Service, this method only worked until I rebooI spent a few hours tumbling around with this problem. I found that going through the Tablet PC Input Service, this method only worked until I rebooted. For those of you who have the same issue, read further... Apparently this feature stems from a Windows native application called WISP. The physical location is C:\Windows\System32\wisptis.exe By disabling this file, you will never have to think about the splash again -
Although, you may find it tricky to alter system files in Win7 without first dealing with trustedinstaller to gain file permissions.
I simply booted into Linux, located wisptis.exe, renamed it, and rebooted Windows. Problem solved. Forever.ted. For those of you who have the same issue, read further... Apparently this feature stems from a Windows native application called WISP. The physical location is C:\Windows\System32\wisptis.exe By disabling this file, you will never have to think about the splash again -
Although, you may find it tricky to alter system files in Win7 without first dealing with trustedinstaller to gain file permissions.
I simply booted into Linux, located wisptis.exe, renamed it, and rebooted Windows. Problem solved. Forever.
Kane
1 years agoThank you so much for sharing this. I just upgraded to Windows 7 and was going round in circles installing all different driver releases to no avail, then I found your post and I sorted it within seconds. You should have a Paypal button for donations on this page!
Kris Robinson
1 years ago@Ginette: Cool beans. x)
Ginette
1 years agothank friggin you! i didn't realize it was the tablet.. i've been going nuts trying to find out where to turn that shit off! google search words were cracking me up because I wasn't finding any results..then I used the grammar you used and VOILA! I found it! LOL!!
Oliver
1 years agoPerfect, exactly what I need to make windows 7 work.
Mel
1 years agoHello! I used to have this problem and I had fixed it in the past, but it doesn't seem to work anymore! I tried the very last one and whenever I click the stop button My pen tablet doesn't move correctly, It's hard to explain just how it acts but it isn't working right, I hope to get help with this too if it's not much bother, thanks!
Kris Robinson
1 years agoThanks Abbey and MarkP... Mark, I've added your solution to the post as well.
Abbey
1 years agoTREMENDOUS help. thank you very much!!
MarkP
1 years agoAnother Win7 great workaround solution for this crap radial circle is to go to Run>services.msc>(double click Tablet Pc Input Services Properties)...
and then on General Tab quickly CLICK the STOP button.
finally, on the Startup Type choose DISABLE!
MarkP
1 years agoAnother great workaround solution for this crap radial circle is to go to Run>services.msc>(double click Tablet Pc Input Services Properties)...
and then on General Tab quickly CLICK the STOP button.
finally, on the Startup Type choose DISABLE!
philtre
1 years agoI think this is a Windows "feature" for tablet PCs. You can turn it off in the Local Group Policy Editor:
1. Run gpedit.msc (Start>Run... or directly in the search bar of the start menu) which opens the Local Group Policy Editor
2. Go to User Configuration > Windows Components > Tablet PC > Cursors
3. Double-click "Turn off pen feedback" and choose "Enabled"
4. Click OK and poof, the circles are history
Kris Robinson
1 years ago@Anonychris: Thanks for the input.
Anonychris
2 yearss agoI don't know about Windows 7, but in Vista I found if you go to Pen and Input Devices and click on the Pointer Options tab, you can disable the little circles (Which are called "Dynamic Feedback") by unchecking the boxes.
Mark Perkins
2 yearss agoThe use of the msconfig run worked for me.
Now I'm clear to go.
Many thanks
AK
2 yearss agoThank fook for that. It's even more annoying when trying to use Maya...
Lor
2 yearss agoOMG!!! Thank you so much! I was going insane with that stupid damn circle slowing down my work in photoshop! I'm so happy I decided to google "annoying circle wacom tablet"!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Fen
2 yearss agoFinally a solution to a problem I have been having for the longest while now. I've been searching all over the place for this. Win 7 is great - but this aspect has been a real let down.
livingroom furniture
Freddy Bear
2 yearss agoHey there,
Just wanted to come in a moment to tell you about my experience with one of the most annoying problems I've ever come across and which nearly made me decide to throw out the window my brand new Dell Precision pc with Windows 7 and run to a mac store to finally make the switch.
I've suffered tremendous loss of time trying to get the annoying circle on each click out of my system and have finally found the solution. As the steps explained earlier in this post didn't work for me, I uninstalled the latest wacom driver available for windows 7 and installed a different version, namely pro612-5_int. Now my windows 7 machine and Intuos 1 tablet work together in perfect harmony.
Cheers,
Freddy Bear
Julie Chen
2 yearss agoHalle-f'n-lujah!
The Windows Forum doesn't say jack about solving this issue. I knew I couldn't be alone. Thank you!
Kris Robinson
2 yearss agoThanks whitebug, I added your suggestions to the post to make it easier to find...
whitebug
2 yearss agoif for some of you didnt work after trying this like me.. you need to go to 'RUN' type in 'msconfig'. on the pop up go to 'services' tab. Sort the services by name to make it easier to find. look for 'Table PC Input Sevice' and uncheck that. leave all other wacom services as it is. click OK and restart. hope this helps..
Kris Robinson
2 yearss agoHmmm sorry bru, let me know if you fix your problemo, I'll update the article if you find another solution, but this has worked for a lot of people so far, I wonder what your unique problem is?
Anonymous
2 yearss agothis did not work for me...
computer rebooted but i am still getting the little water splash effect every time i click. note, this is separate from the equally annoying rotating circle that was triggered by the "press and hold for right click" feature that i have already disabled.
Sharon
2 yearss agoTHANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!
-Sharon
Markus
2 yearss agothank fuck! I almost lost hope... Vista was fucked up but at least this was easier... That was the last thing i had to figure out after booting vista and getting 7 to work... which it does now. thx!
johnP
2 yearss agoThank you, thank you, thank you.
Brej
2 yearss agoGOOD BLESS YOU !! :-DDDD
Bruno
2 yearss agoThank you so much for this! I don't understand how people at Microsoft work. It's like each time they're making something new, it's design to make our lifes more and more complicated. Anyway, it's good to surf on a Mac! Thanks again!
Oh and....who on earth is using a Tablet PC!?
Kris Robinson
2 yearss agoCool, I'm glad it worked for you guys. I can't believe that shit is so complicated.
Anonymous
2 yearss agoThank you so much. It was severely pissing me off. Great fix! <3
glree
2 yearss agoHi, Great post, funny as fuck too!!
Yeah Win 7 fucked my Wacom as well. Now its sorted thanks to you!!
Ta,
g
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