Dell Inspiron 1370 Synaptics touchpad not detected by kernel

[Renato B]

The Synaptics touchpad works once every 10 boots or so. I have to use the mouse, which is regularly detected and fully working. It has always happened with all the kernels I used since Ubuntu 10. It seems that it is not detected by the kernel when it scans the bus for input devices. Following is dmesg, devices and Xorg.0.log. Thanks for looking into this and for your excellent work in general.
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu15
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC272 Analog [ALC272 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: renato 1918 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf0800000 irq 46'
   Mixer name : 'Intel Cantiga HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0272,10280418,00100001 HDA:80862802,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 18
   Simple ctrls : 8
CheckboxSubmission: 9f70f05d894db2c28de04f8032862ead
CheckboxSystem: d00f84de8a555815fa1c4660280da308
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 1370
MarkForUpload: True
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-34-generic root=UUID=c293b245-f868-4efc-be88-cc3439f98ac0 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-34.53-generic 3.2.33
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-34-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-34-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.1
Tags: precise running-unity
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-34-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 09/15/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A01
dmi.board.name: 0R8PR3
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A01
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: None
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A01
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA01:bd09/15/2009:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron1370:pvrA01:rvnDellInc.:rn0R8PR3:rvrA01:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA01:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 1370
dmi.product.version: A01
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1091014

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

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[Renato B (renatob)]

I forgot to mentioned an important detail about the nature of this bug. Often if I remove the power cable (the adapter cable) it is able to detect the touchpad, then after boot is completed I put the adapter cable in and most if not all the subsequent boots with the power cable inserted the kernel detects the touchpad.
If I shutdown and change room, insert the adapter cable into another socket and boot, the touchpad is not detected. It seems to have something to do with the presence of the adapter during boot interfering with the bus.
Saying that I don't think it's a hardware failure because the Windows partition manages to initialise the touchpad independently on whether the power cable is attached or not. Now my battery is flat and cannot boot without power cable.

[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 v3.7 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/v3.7-raring/

[Renato B (renatob)]

Hi,
I have done the following:
- Uninstalled Oracle Virtual Box (no Nvidia or AMD proprietary drivers)
- Installed linux-image-3.7.0-030700-generic_3.7.0-030700.201212102335_amd64.deb
- Installed linux-image-extra-3.7.0-030700-generic_3.7.0-030700.201212102335_amd64.deb
- shutdown and booted image 3.7.0
The touchpad did not work. PCI scan failed.
I have attached also dump of dmsg, devices and Xorg.0.log
Thanks

[Renato B (renatob)]

Could not figured out how to add the tag kernel-bug-exists-upstream

[Renato B (renatob)]

Got the tag updated (case sensitive mistake, had searched for the field tag instead of Tag, sorry)

[Renato B (renatob)]

I have un-installed the upstream kernel 3.7.0 and reverted to my previous kernel. In a lucky boot I managed to get the touchpad "seen" during PCI scan. In the attached file there is the device section with clear detection of the Synaptics touchpad on Bus=0011.

[Renato B (renatob)]

It seems like when I install some package the first couple of boots it manages to detect the touchpad, then nothing, every consequent boot the PCI scan will FAIL to detect the touchpad.

[Renato B (renatob)]

I have upgraded to kerne 3.2.0-36 and the problem is still there.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Renato B, as per http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/19/Product/inspiron-1370 an update is available for your BIOS (A03). If you update to this, does it change anything?

If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Thank you for your understanding.

[Renato B (renatob)]

Hi Christopher, thanks for your help.
I have just flashed my BIOS and this is what I get when quering for BIOS info:

 sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
A03
03/22/2011

It makes actually sense if it was a problem with the BIOS because it was not only the touchpad affected but also the Bluetooth device sometimes was not existing.
It seems to be fine now although I booted only a couple of times so I don't know if it is a stable solution. Anyway, I don't think it's something wrong with the HW scanning of the kernel.
How shall I move this bug record?

Thanks again for your help, mucj appreciated.

Cheer,
Renato

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Renato B, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1091014/comments/32 regarding this being fixed with a BIOS update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.