Ubuntu 16.10 beta breaks Asus Laptop touchpad behavior

[Rainer Rohde]

In 16.04 LTS, the touchpad behaved perfectly, and as soon as I stepped up to 16.10 beta the touchpad became unusable.

When holding a single finger on the touchpad, without moving my finger, the cursor jumps around like crazy, and even performs clicks. When placing a second finger on the touchpad, without moving either, it gets even worse.

See desktop recording clip as reference of the behavior (attached as out.ogv).

The laptop is an Asus ZenBook UX31E.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+13ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-17.19-generic 4.8.0-rc7
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-17-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity_support_test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: /dev/sda1: clean, 415810/7815168 files, 10983001/31258368 blocks
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity:Unity7
Date: Mon Oct 3 21:04:16 2016
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: yakkety
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, if not too technical
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0116] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [1043:1427]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-03-17 (200 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64 (20160316)
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. UX31E
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.8.0-17-generic root=UUID=77be5fdd-c844-4d59-af29-cc718cf6b41a ro intel_state=disable pcie_aspm=force drm.vblankoffdelay=1 i915.semaphores=1 "acpi_osi=Windows 2009" "acpi_os_name=Windows 2009" quiet splash intel_state=disable pcie_aspm=force drm.vblankoffdelay=1 i915.semaphores=1 "acpi_osi=Windows 2009" "acpi_os_name=Windows 2009"
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 12/26/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: UX31E.210
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: UX31E
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrUX31E.210:bd12/26/2011:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnUX31E:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnUX31E:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: UX31E
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.13.0+16.10.20160818.2-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.70-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 12.0.3-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 12.0.3-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.10.2-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.7.1-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160706-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.12-2
xserver.bootTime: Mon Oct 3 16:12:15 2016
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.version: 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu6
xserver.video_driver: modeset

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

nothing changed on the xorg side

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

actually, you should check evtest from a VT to see if the events seen by the kernel are fine or crap

[Rainer Rohde (rainer-rohde)]

Just another observation - when my palm of the right hand touches the touchpad while using the touchpad, the touchpad behavior seems normal; also, when I place my left palm on the area to the left of the touchpad, the behavior seems also normal.
However, as soon as I move my left hand away from the touchpad area, and I lift my right palm from the laptop, with only my finger(s) touching the touchpad, the behavior becomes erratic again.

So in a nutshell: It works when at least one palm touches the metal of the area to the left or right of the touchpad; it does not work when only a finger (or two) touches the touchpad itself.

Thoughts?

[Rainer Rohde (rainer-rohde)]

EDIT: Above, my first sentence should have said: "when my palm of the right hand touches the touchpad area (not the touchpad itself) while using the touchpad, the touchpad behavior seems normal"

[Rainer Rohde (rainer-rohde)]

Update: It seems as if the issue has solved itself - not sure if any patch in the meantime did this or not, but for now, it seems as if the touchpad behaves normally again.

I'll keep an eye on this and update as needed. Thanks!

[Rainer Rohde (rainer-rohde)]

Update: I guess I spoke too soon - the behavior is not fixed... I don't get it while today it's back in full force. Didn't do anything different. Guess I have to use an external mouse. :(

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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