[Dell XPS 15 9500] New touchpad detected as "PS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse"

[Ed Holden]

I've been using Ubuntu 20.04 on a Dell XPS 15 9550. The laptop's touchpad had a hardware defect common to the model (nicknamed "wobble") so Dell sent a tech to replace it. The new touchpad looks identical to the original but the kernel doesn't correctly detect it. The device does work, but appears to the kernel as a "PS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse," which prevents the use of features like two-finger scrolling, disabling tap to click, and palm detection.

A good summary of my troubleshooting steps are here:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1330555/touchpad-detected-as-ps-2-logitech-wheel-mouse-dell-xps-15-ubuntu-20-04

Importantly, I've tried a mainline kernel downloaded from Ubuntu (5.11.12 and a 5.12.0 release candidate, whereas the current version is a 5.8.0). I've also tried two bootable USB drives containing Ubuntu 20.04 and 21.04 (release candidate). Nothing has changed the device detection or behavior. The issue is identical in the default Ubuntu desktop and in Plasma. There are no touchpad settings in the UEFI BIOS.

Per the touchpad detection instructions, I've attached the output of /proc/bus/input/devices, Xorg.0.log, and the `xinput --list` command. My suspicion is that Dell has ordered a brand new touchpad model for which there is no kernel driver; looking at the logs, the previous model was an elantech, but I'm not sure if the new one is as well.
---
ProblemType: Bug
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.16
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: edholden 1571 F.... pulseaudio
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: KDE
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-10-11 (183 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200731)
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS 15 9500
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 i915drmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.8.0-48-generic root=UUID=a8be5c03-8499-4474-932d-725877e9cc6c ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-48.54~20.04.1-generic 5.8.18
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-5.8.0-48-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-5.8.0-48-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.187.10
Tags: focal
Uname: Linux 5.8.0-48-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin lxd plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 12/24/2020
dmi.bios.release: 1.6
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1.6.1
dmi.board.name: 0RDX6T
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr1.6.1:bd12/24/2020:br1.6:svnDellInc.:pnXPS159500:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0RDX6T:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.family: XPS
dmi.product.name: XPS 15 9500
dmi.product.sku: 097D
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1923515

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.

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

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[Ed Holden (edholden)]

Note that in case this needs to be investigated upstream I've also opened a kernel bug:

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=212661

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

[ 0.982457] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration
[ 0.982560] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration
[ 0.982664] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration
[ 0.982762] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration

OEM kernel can worth a try:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/OEMKernel

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

i.e.
$ sudo apt install linux-oem-20.04b

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

Thanks, Kai-Heng. I've installed linux-oem-20.04 and selected the new kernel, 5.6.0-1052-oem, on boot. Unfortunately the behavior is identical. The mouse still appears as "PS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse" with all the same information (e.g., event3 in xinput). I checked dmesg and the four lines you identified are still there with the OEM kernel:

[ 0.846922] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration
[ 0.846960] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration
[ 0.846997] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration
[ 0.847034] i2c_designware i2c_designware.1: i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort: lost arbitration

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

Should be "linux-oem-20.04b" instead of "linux-oem-20.04".

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

Ah, I missed that "b"! Unfortunately the 5.10.0 kernel the linux-oem-20.04b package installs also doesn't fix it (same detection, same dmesg log lines).

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

Then please test latest mainline kernel and attach dmesg:
https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.12-rc7/amd64/

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

Thanks. I've attached that; I had previously tried rc6, and it behaved the same, and that is also the case with rc7.

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

Possible to test Windows? Because I've seen several other XPS 9500 touchpads work just fine.

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

Yes, I've been working on installing Windows, and also speaking with Dell, whose support techs say a replacement touchpad should have been the exact same model as the original (except not with a hardware defect). I wanted to make sure they'd support the laptop, which came with Windows, as well as see what device Windows detects.

Interestingly, Windows 10 has basically the same issue as Linux! I sees a device called "I2C HID device" that has problems, and in that device's status are the messages "The device cannot start (Code 10)" and "A request for the HID descriptor failed." There's also a pointing device called "PS/2 compatible Mouse" that is ... definitely not a PS/2 mouse.

So, I think Windows agrees with Linux and this might not be a kernel issue after all. No amount of Dell Windows driver updates or Windows updates resolves it, and a Dell tech spent a long time remote controlling and testing with me. It looks like Dell replaced a piece of bad touchpad hardware that had good firmware, with a piece of good touchpad hardware that had bad firmware. I'm getting a *second* replacement touchpad in about a week.

I can update this bug after the new one is installed and confirmed working, and I reinstall Linux.

[Konstantin (hi-angel-z)]

@edholden I'm glad you pinned down the problem! I think you might want to post this on the askubuntu thread as an answer, and to the kernel bugzilla as well, and perhaps close the reports on both bugtrackers.

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

I wanted to hold off until I was sure, but I've confirmed this was a (second) hardware problem. Dell replaced my laptop's touchpad a second time yesterday, and after deleting the device in Windows 10 and refreshing, the OS detected the new touchpad fine. I reinstalled Ubuntu yesterday and it's also working fine, with scrolling etc. functioning as normal.

So basically, Dell gave me a laptop with a "broken hardware" touchpad and improbably replaced it with a "bad firmware" touchpad. I appreciate all the help with this issue, and I'll mark this bug resolved, and update the other bugs.

Some takeaways:

1. Try other kernels / distros.
2. Try Windows (if available). Dual-boot would have been super handy in this case, even if the Windows installation is for break-glass emergencies.
3. Dell only replaces broken hardware with the same model as the original, so inconsistent hardware detection probably means bad hardware.

[Ed Holden (edholden)]

Not sure what status to set this to, since I can't select "Won't Fix." Maybe "Fix Released" or "Invalid?"

[Brian Saghy (brian-finisher)]

I am having this issue on my XPS 15 9500 as well, even with the latest compiled Mainline kernel, v5.14.15 - and there does not seem to be any hardware issues in Windows.

Palm rejection, gestures, etc do not work at all as it is just reported as a mouse.

[Brian Saghy (brian-finisher)]

Update: I got this working today with kernel v5.15. I may have had a few missing modules missing from my config (I failed to diff old vs new to specify which ones - I think some I2C related things) but my touchpad is now recognized and working again!