[Asus X751LA] Touchpad not recognised in Ubuntu 14.04

[Luca Manunta]

The touchpad is currently working as a PS/2 mouse, however this prevents from using synaptics/syndaemon to suspend touching while typing, and double finger scrolling. The only solution is to toggle the PS/2 mouse off and use an external mouse.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-39-generic 3.13.0-39.66
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-39.66-generic 3.13.11.8
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-39-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: bojana 1614 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: bojana 1614 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sun Nov 9 09:15:22 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=5fabcd3b-32e7-44db-8929-a165a765caa6
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-28 (11 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X751LA
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-39-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=8edce97c-86bb-4f61-85fb-d8f4c1313aeb ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-39-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-39-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.8
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/07/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: X751LA.302
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: X751LA
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.:bvrX751LA.302:bd02/07/2014:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnX751LA:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnX751LA:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: X751LA
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Luca Manunta (manunta)]

Following the request, I updated the Bios, from the 302 to the 312 version, as proven by:

sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
X751LA.312
06/27/2014

I then run apt-get update && apt-get upgrade, but no new drivers were downloaded. I opened System Tools > Preferences > Additional Drivers, but again nothing was found.

The result of xinput list is unchanged:

⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Logitech USB Receiver id=9 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Logitech USB Receiver id=10 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ PS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse id=14 [slave pointer (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus id=7 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button id=8 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam id=11 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Asus WMI hotkeys id=12 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=13 [slave keyboard (3)]

(Logitech USB Receiver refers to the wireless mouse I'm using)

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Luca Manunta, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available from the very top line at the top of the page (the release names are irrelevant for testing in your release) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue.

If the test did not allow you to test to the issue (ex. you couldn't boot into the OS) please make a comment in your report about this, and continue to test the next most recent kernel version until you can test to 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 exactly shown as:
kernel-fixed-upstream-3.18-rc4

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.

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

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.

[Luca Manunta (manunta)]

Cristopher, I followed your request and installed the upstream kernel:

$ uname -r
3.18.0-031800rc4-generic

There was no evident change whatsoever in the behaviour of the notebook: I run sudo apt-get upgrade, but no new drivers were installed. Finally, the result of xinput did not change:

$ sudo xinput list
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Logitech USB Receiver id=9 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Logitech USB Receiver id=10 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ PS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse id=14 [slave pointer (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus id=7 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button id=8 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam id=11 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Asus WMI hotkeys id=12 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=13 [slave keyboard (3)]

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Luca Manunta, the issue you are reporting is an upstream one. Could you please report this problem to the appropriate mailing list (linux-input) by following the instructions _verbatim_ at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel ?

Please provide a direct URL to your e-mail to the mailing list once you have made it so that it may be tracked.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Luca Manunta (manunta)]

Cristopher, I followed the instructions at the link you sent me. I submitted the report to the maintainer in charge for input drivers, but I would not know where to find the link to my email. Suggestions?

[Luca Manunta (manunta)]

Following various attempts with different patches, we found out the touchpad is ElanTech. However the bug persists.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Luca Manunta, consulting https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel the mailing list archives to post your URL are found in http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html .

[Luca Manunta (manunta)]

Ok, thanks. Here is the link to my report on the mailing list: http://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-input/msg34443.html
Regards.