Summary sums it up,
The interesting point is that,this is NOT a linux problem,or I don't think so it is,because Graphical icon(which appears on the bottom for GNOME-shell and on the top for Unity)will report Touchpad correctly in GNOME-shell,pointing out the fact that linux reports things correctly but unity has bug.
I am unsure if this affects all computers/laptops,but it affects me(HP Pavilion dv5),And as said GNOME-shell reports correctly so it might be that gnome-shell has a better way to detect if touchpad is disabled/enabled.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: unity 4.12.0-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-10.16-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-10-generic i686
Architecture: i386
BootLog:
fsck from util-linux 2.19.1
/dev/sda1: clean, 167745/19275776 files, 20241915/77094400 blocks
Skipping profile in /etc/apparmor.d/disable: usr.bin.firefox
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,grid,imgpng,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,resize,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,scale,session,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: None
Date: Tue Sep 6 15:05:11 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
nVidia Corporation G96 [GeForce 9600M GT] [10de:0649] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:3603]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Beta i386 (20110901)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv5 Notebook PC
ProcEnviron:
PATH=(custom, no user)
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-10-generic root=UUID=9a995d25-221f-4a30-93f7-6ab759283ed8 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 10/29/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: F.11
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 3603
dmi.board.vendor: Quanta
dmi.board.version: 02.20
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Quanta
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvrF.11:bd10/29/2008:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPPaviliondv5NotebookPC:pvrF.11:rvnQuanta:rn3603:rvr02.20:cvnQuanta:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: HP Pavilion dv5 Notebook PC
dmi.product.version: F.11
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.5.92+bzr2791-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1
could you please attach a videocast of the problem you are reporting. I doubt its a unity bug though.