[MacBook2,1] Touchpad cursor moving in steps

[dp]

I'm on a MacBook2,1, running a fully updated Ubuntu 12.04. When using the internal Touchpad (appletouch driver), the cursor only moves horizontally or vertically. When dragging a diagonal line, the cursor will move in steps, basically rendering the builtin touchpad unusable. This issue is also described in a forum thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=813884&page=6

WORKAROUND: In precise, in the second post on page 6 describes a solution. In the linux kernel, in appletouch.c, change the following two defines and recompile:
Original:
#define ATP_FUZZ 16
#define ATP_THRESHOLD 5

New:
#define ATP_FUZZ 0
#define ATP_THRESHOLD 3

I tried this and can confirm that the touchpad is now fully usable. However, recompiling the kernel takes several hours and *all* of the disk space on my laptop. Doing this on every kernel update is just not practical. I would therefore like to ask that this be applied as a patch to the default ubuntu kernel. At the very least, please make an optional package containing the patched appletouch driver that can be selectively installed by people having this issue.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-generic 3.2.0.27.29
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-27.43-generic 3.2.21
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-27-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu12
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: damian 1778 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA:
 country AW:
  (2402 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5170 - 5250 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5250 - 5330 @ 40), (N/A, 20), DFS
  (5490 - 5710 @ 40), (N/A, 27), DFS
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0x90440000 irq 43'
   Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9221 A1'
   Components : 'HDA:83847680,106b2200,00103401'
   Controls : 25
   Simple ctrls : 13
Date: Tue Aug 7 21:35:12 2012
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a7716e7d-8718-4fe9-988f-958519d6a2c2
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64+mac (20120425.1)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBook2,1
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-27-generic root=UUID=c63dd388-29f9-43dc-a835-0b471ccb2f85 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-27-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-27-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/27/07
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MB21.88Z.00A5.B07.0706270922
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Mac-F4208CA9
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: PVT
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F4208CA9
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMB21.88Z.00A5.B07.0706270922:bd06/27/07:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBook2,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F4208CA9:rvrPVT:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-F4208CA9:
dmi.product.name: MacBook2,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.

[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 v3.5kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. Please only remove that one tag and leave the other tags. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

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/v3.6-rc1-quantal/

[dp (damian-philipp)]

I have tested using Kernel versions 3.4-precise as well as 3.5-quantal and 3.6-rc1-quantal. The issue was not fixed.

I can't make a direct comparsion, however my impression was that the stepping effect was tad bit improved. At the same time, the touchpad felt less responsive.

[dp (damian-philipp)]

With Ubuntu 13.04, this issue gained in severity. I could previously apply the patch mentioned in the first post to the appletouch driver and replace appletouch.ko with my custom version.
However, the appletouch driver I have access to *without* fiddling with the entire kernel sources will no longer load in the Ubuntu 13.04 kernel.

Thus, there is no longer a workaround.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

dp, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p linux <replace-with-bug-number>

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available (not the daily folder) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine 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. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.13-rc3

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. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

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

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

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.

[Clinton (sprc)]

Changed title to be model-agnostic. Macbook 3,1 also affected. Forum posts indicate that Macbook 4,1 and Powerbook5,8 are also affected. Based on the code flow I would expect many devices in the same family are affected.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Clinton (sprc)]

Issue still exists in appletouch as of 3.13 RC 7.

[Clinton (sprc)]

I already have another report out there for my hardware for this issue.

I changed this report to confirmed and assigned it to myself because I'm
submitting a patch to the kernel to fix the root cause for multiple
hardware iterations.

On 01/16/2014 11:55 PM, Christopher M. Penalver wrote:
> Clinton, thank you for your comment. So your hardware and problem may be tracked, could you please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal:
> ubuntu-bug xorg
>
> For more on this, please see the official Ubuntu documentation:
> Ubuntu X.Org Team, Ubuntu Bug Control, and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
> Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette
>
> When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.
>
> Please note, not filing a new report will delay your problem being
> addressed as quickly as possible.
>
> Thank you for your understanding.
>
> ** Package changed: linux (Ubuntu) => xorg (Ubuntu)
>
> ** Changed in: xorg (Ubuntu)
> Importance: Medium => Low
>
> ** Changed in: xorg (Ubuntu)
> Status: Confirmed => Incomplete
>
> ** Changed in: xorg (Ubuntu)
> Assignee: Clinton (cssprain) => (unassigned)
>

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Clinton, would you happen to have an update on the patch you submitted, and if its been accepted into stable?

[Clinton (sprc)]

It is currently being reviewed. I'm guessing it will be accepted in time for 3.15.

[Clinton (sprc)]

Those who'd like to try the patch early can git clone https://github.com/sprc/appletouch.git or download and extract the attached, then:

make
sudo rmmod appletouch
sudo insmod appletouch.ko

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

The attachment "appletouch-master.zip" seems to be a patch. If it isn't, please remove the "patch" flag from the attachment, remove the "patch" tag, and if you are a member of the ~ubuntu-reviewers, unsubscribe the team.

[This is an automated message performed by a Launchpad user owned by ~brian-murray, for any issues please contact him.]

[Rob (robertarthurlillo)]

I tried Ubuntu 14.04 on a Macbook 2,1 (1.83GHz Core 2 Duo). The cursor doesn't work right. Apple cut support for OSX 10.6 so I wanted to switch to Linux but I need the trackpad.

According to this person, it's not just the driver but Apple's integration of hardware with software:

http://www.reddit.com/r/answers/comments/1sr3fd/why_does_mac_os_xs_trackpad_move_so_much_better/ce0moaw

[Clinton (sprc)]

The patch isn't in Ubuntu 14.04 (yet), so you'll need to build the patched driver yourself in order to test whether it resolves your issues.

[Dominik (dmosen)]

I can confirm that applying the patch solved the problem on my MacBook 4,1 running Ubuntu 14.04.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Not Fix Committed in xorg (Ubuntu) as outlined in https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Bug%20statuses .

[Clinton (sprc)]

xorg is wrong anyway - this is a kernel bug. Fix was accepted upstream in the 3.15 kernel meaning it will be in Ubuntu 14.10. That seems like it qualifies as "Fix Committed" to me but I'll leave it to you to flip the switch (or not).

[Clinton (sprc)]

Fix was released with 14.10.