Touchpad not working but USB mouse working

[Michael Henson]

I have just installed Ubuntu 12.10 64-bit on my laptop (Novatech nFinity N1403 [NNB-979] ultrabook with 8gb RAM) but the cursor will not move and is just stuck in the middle of the screen. This was the same during the installation but I just used the keyboard and hoped that after installation the cursor would move but to no avail. An external USB mouse does work.

WORKAROUND: Kernel parameter: i8042.noloop

[Michael Henson (mike-henson45)]

I can confirm that the following solution has fixed the mouse issue although being new to Linux I don't know why!

http://forum.novatech.co.uk/showthread.php?25330-nfinity-i5-laptop-how-can-I-get-the-touchpad-and-wireless-working-with-Ubuntu&p=329630&viewfull=1#post329630

[Mark Jackson (mpfj)]

This fix does *not* work for me ... here's my grub file:-

[I've tried with and withut the "=1" bit after noloop, but no joy]

My laptop model # is slightly different : Novatech nFinity N1402 [NNB-978].

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
# info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i8042.noloop=1"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="i8042.noloop=1"

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.8 kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8-rc4-raring/

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Although the above workaround works for me on 12.10 I have had to move to 12.04 (as some software I need is not on 12.10) and it does NOT work for me on 64 bit 12.04 (kernel upgraded to 3.6.3 to fix wireless). Tried kernel 3.7 but it would not boot.

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Forgot to mention mine is the previous model Novatech N1402 NNB-978

[Mark Jackson (mpfj)]

Just to update things now that 13.04 is out.

This is *still* not working without the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX fix as per above.

AFAICT 13.04 doesn't even sense any touchpad (just a quick scan of the boot log doesn't show anything obvious)

Adding the GRUB fix, makes the touchpad work.

But this isn't ideal, as some of the touchpad features (such as "ignore touchpad when typing") are not available.

[Alan Bell (alanbell)]

I think this needs a kernel fix along the lines of this commit
http://kernel.opensuse.org/cgit/kernel/commit/?id=996ab492443658e15b0a6b912ed703411e005475
as per https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/737482
however that might be a bit tricky as the DMI data looks like this http://paste.ubuntu.com/5792114/
System Information
 Manufacturer: To be filled by O.E.M.
 Product Name: To be filled by O.E.M.
 Version: To be filled by O.E.M.
 Serial Number: To be filled by O.E.M.
 UUID: 03000200-0400-0500-0006-000700080009
 Wake-up Type: Power Switch
 SKU Number: To be filled by O.E.M.
 Family: To be filled by O.E.M.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Tested on 64 bit 13.10 and not working.

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Tried to install latest kernel to test but got error:

geoff@geoff-laptop:~$ sudo dpkg -i *.deb
[sudo] password for geoff:
Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic.
(Reading database ... 162764 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic (from linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic_3.12.0-999.201310240427_amd64.deb) ...
Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-3.12.0-999-generic.
Unpacking linux-image-3.12.0-999-generic (from linux-image-3.12.0-999-generic_3.12.0-999.201310240427_amd64.deb) ...
Done.
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic:
 linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic depends on linux-headers-3.12.0-999; however:
  Package linux-headers-3.12.0-999 is not installed.

dpkg: error processing linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up linux-image-3.12.0-999-generic (3.12.0-999.201310240427) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 3.12.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-999-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 3.12.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-999-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.12.0-999-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 3.12.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-999-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 3.12.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-999-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 3.12.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-999-generic
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-999-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.12.0-999-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-12-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.11.0-12-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Found Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS (12.04) on /dev/sda1
Found Ubuntu 13.10 (13.10) on /dev/sda7
done
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-headers-3.12.0-999-generic
geoff@geoff-laptop:~$

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Removed tag needs-full-computer-model as I already told you I have a Novatech N1402 NNB-978 but if you need more info from me please tell me what you need and if I do not know I can ask Novatech.

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Confirmed on latest development release.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Geoff Kelsall, if you have a bug in Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Kernel team, Ubuntu Bug Control team, and Ubuntu Bug Squad would like you to please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal while booted into a Ubuntu repository kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Please note, not filing a new report would delay your problem being addressed as quickly as possible.

No need exists to comment here at this time. After reading the above documentation in it's entirety, if you have further questions, you are welcome to redirect them to the appropriate mailing list or forum via http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community/mailinglists , or you may contact me directly.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Sorry I do not understand what a repository kernel is.

I assume I should test on
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/trusty-desktop-amd64.iso
so I will try to test and raise a new report with that.

[Geoff Kelsall (q5sc)]

Bug 1244643 raised and this one marked duplicate.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Michael Henson, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p linux <replace-with-bug-number>

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available (not the daily folder) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.13-rc3

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]