Synaptics Touchpad recognized as ImPS/2 by kernel

[Max Farrell]

After updating (16.04), multi-touch features of my touchpad such as two-finger scroll and the ability to turn off touch to tap were broken. I have tried using libinput and synaptics drivers but the touchpad is recognized as an ImPS/2 Synatpics Touchpad, and drivers determined by "pointer catchall" rather than "touchpad". I upgraded to 17.04 to see if the new kernel 4.10 helped, but I have the same problem.

Relevant output from cat /proc/bus/input/devices

I: Bus=0011 Vendor=0002 Product=0005 Version=0000
N: Name="ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad"
P: Phys=isa0060/serio1/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input6
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=mouse1 event9
B: PROP=1
B: EV=7
B: KEY=70000 0 0 0 0
B: REL=103

Relevant output from Xorg.0.log

[ 6.597] (II) config/udev: Adding input device ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/event9)
[ 6.597] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "evdev pointer catchall"
[ 6.597] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 6.597] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "evdev pointer catchall"
[ 6.597] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 6.597] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad'
[ 6.597] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: always reports core events
[ 6.597] (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event9"
[ 6.597] (**) Option "_source" "server/udev"
[ 6.598] (II) input device 'ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad', /dev/input/event9 is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 6.598] (II) input device 'ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad', /dev/input/event9 is a pointer caps
[ 6.628] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input6/event9"
[ 6.628] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" (type: MOUSE, id 16)
[ 6.628] (**) Option "AccelerationScheme" "none"
[ 6.628] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) selected scheme none/0
[ 6.628] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[ 6.628] (**) ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[ 6.629] (II) input device 'ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad', /dev/input/event9 is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 6.629] (II) input device 'ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad', /dev/input/event9 is a pointer caps
[ 6.629] (II) config/udev: Adding input device ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 6.629] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[ 6.629] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.

Output from xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® 2.4GHz Transceiver v7.0 id=11 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® 2.4GHz Transceiver v7.0 id=12 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ ELAN Touchscreen id=13 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ ImPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad id=16 [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)]
    ↳ Power Button id=8 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button id=9 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® 2.4GHz Transceiver v7.0 id=10 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Integrated_Webcam_HD id=14 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=15 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Dell WMI hotkeys id=17 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® 2.4GHz Transceiver v7.0 id=18 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® 2.4GHz Transceiver v7.0 id=19 [slave keyboard (3)]

Note that I am using a wireless mouse and keyboard because although the keyboard and touchpad on my laptop work, the high frequency of jumping around and clicking of the touchpad make it very frustrating to work with the laptop without external devices.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.04
Package: linux-image-4.10.0-20-generic 4.10.0-20.22
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.10.0-20.22-generic 4.10.8
Uname: Linux 4.10.0-20-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
ApportVersion: 2.20.4-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: max 2227 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: max 2227 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity:Unity7
Date: Tue May 2 16:18:36 2017
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=34be6be0-2ba4-4ffd-9be6-bead8cc16f10
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-10-06 (574 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.04 "Vivid Vervet" - Release amd64 (20150422)
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS 13 9343
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.10.0-20-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=290cdcf1-e310-474d-b7d6-2731653bfe37 ro quiet splash i8042.nomux=1 i8042.reset vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.10.0-20-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.10.0-20-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.164
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to zesty on 2017-05-02 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 07/14/2015
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A05
dmi.board.name: 0310JH
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA05:bd07/14/2015:svnDellInc.:pnXPS139343:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0310JH:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.name: XPS 13 9343
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[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 v4.11 kernel[0].

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'.

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/v4.11-rc8

[Max Farrell (fakoandro)]

Tested on kernel v4.11 and bug still persists

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

This issue appears to be an upstream bug, since you tested the latest upstream kernel. Would it be possible for you to open an upstream bug report[0]? That will allow the upstream Developers to examine the issue, and may provide a quicker resolution to the bug.

Please follow the instructions on the wiki page[0]. The first step is to email the appropriate mailing list. If no response is received, then a bug may be opened on bugzilla.kernel.org.

Once this bug is reported upstream, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-reported-upstream'.

[0] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel