Synaptic Touchpad xevents are hijacked under X

[Igor Lopez]

Synaptic Touchpad xevents are hijacked under X11.

I have a problem with the synaptic touch-pad on my Acer Aspire that started around a week ago.
The problem can be described as that there is a massive amount of xevents being generated and appearing to originate from the touch-pad even though the touch-pad is not used.
I have tested the HW which seems to work fine.
The test performed is to start a terminal session (Ctrl + Alt + 2) before the fault occurs and check the xevents by running
 ~$ sudo evtest /dev/input/eventX
where the X to use is found in /proc/bus/input/devices and found by running
 ~$ cat /proc/bus/input/devices |grep mouse
No matter how much the touch-pad is used will the console show the corresponding events which indicates that HW and driver works OK as long it is not under X

When the problem has occurred (in Desktop mode) is it easy (but inconvenient) to get back to normal by key combo Fn+F7 twice, turn off touch-pad and then turn on again.
And more, one can get unlucky in the sense that the generated events could click somewhere one do not want to click.
During the problem is it impossible to use the mouse since it flies around (mostly going in a bottom to top of screen direction) but one can check the generated events using evtest again.

How can I help troubleshooting the problem?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+1ubuntu8.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-31.43~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt5
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-31-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7
Architecture: amd64
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
Date: Sun Mar 15 19:51:13 2015
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: trusty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation ValleyView Gen7 [8086:0f31] (rev 0e) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:0933]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-02-21 (22 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20150218.1)
MachineType: Acer Aspire E3-112
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-31-generic root=UUID=a97d0b51-4244-48ca-ba87-bc3a38a8b62d ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/20/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: V1.08
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: R2
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Type2 - A01 Board Version
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsydeCorp.:bvrV1.08:bd08/20/2014:svnAcer:pnAspireE3-112:pvrV1.08:rvnAcer:rnR2:rvrType2-A01BoardVersion:cvnChassisManufacturer:ct10:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: Aspire E3-112
dmi.product.version: V1.08
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.11.3+14.04.20150122-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.56-1~ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core N/A
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau N/A
xserver.bootTime: Sun Mar 15 18:59:07 2015
xserver.configfile: /etc/X11/xorg.conf
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 1576
 vendor BOE
xserver.version: 2:1.16.0-1ubuntu1.2~trusty2

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

Note, I forgot to add that I have not found a way to reproduce the problem on demand but it will happen during normal working on my macine. I just do not know when it will happen.

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

This problem has not occurred for at least a weak now so it looks like any of the updates has sorted it out.
Can I change the status?

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

Unfortunately has this problem just reappeared.
I need help on how to troubleshot.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

Bios is updated to latest version and problem was not seen for two weeks but it is back.
I have experienced it twice the last two days.
Same thing still happens, just of a sudden does the moes start flying around (mostly in a up/down direction with random clicks)

From terminal:
~$ sudo dmidecode -s bios-version
V1.10

~$ sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
08/20/2014

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Igor Lopez, to see if this already fixed in Ubuntu, could you please test http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/vivid-desktop-amd64.iso and advise to the results?

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

I have to get another disk to test with vivid so it will take a few days but my plan is to keep the 14.02 LTS for another few years and for the moment does the problem occur only after a few minutes with an active program on the desktop (if all windows are minimized does the problem not occur) so it is not difficult to recreate it for troubleshooting purpose.

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

I have now tried to get 15.04 up and working properly on a new disk but did not succeed and I have no intention being part of troubleshooting problems with 15.04 since I plan on staying on 14.04 for at least two more years.

I do want to help troubleshooting this problem and I have nothing against applying patches or building test kernels/drivers or whatever as long we can get the synaptic touchpad to be fully usable.

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

I did assign the bug to myself since I do not want the bug to be expired but I do need help troubleshooting since I do not know where too look.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Igor Lopez, just to advise, having someone assigned to this or not does not influence bug expiration. Also, one would only mark themselves assigned if they are personally going to provide a code fix imminently, or take a verified fix patch and build it within the Ubuntu infrastructure to release in a Ubuntu repository (both of which require the knowledge and skills to do so). Hence, at this point there would be nobody assigned to this.

Despite this, could you please test Wily via cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ and advise to the results?

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

Ok I understand.
Made a quick test inside VirtualBox with latest Wily image and at least got a working desktop but it is not suitable for testing this bug since VirtualBox is still running inside 14.04 Xorg plus we will not experience same type of race conditions inside VirtualBox as on real disk.
I will make a new test on my second drive but I am not interested in working on Wily for troubleshooting this bug.
The outcome will either be:
1) No problem on Wily (does not help me since I am staying on 14.04). One could maybe find out what has changed in order to narrow down the problem on 14.04.
2) Same problem on Wily -> somebody with knowledge will fix the bug and then maybe it is possible to backport fix back to 14.04.

[Igor Lopez (igor-lopez)]

I have now installed latest wily from daily builds which still has the same problem.
This is on a separate disk so I have no problem using it for testing/patching or what is needed to fix the problem as long we get it fixed before next LTS.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. We are sorry that we do not always have the capacity to review all reported bugs in a timely manner.

I'm setting the status of this bug to 'Incomplete' as it's not seen any activity for some time. If this is still an issue when using a currently maintained release of Ubuntu then please let us know which one(s) otherwise this bug report can be left to expire in approximately 60 days time.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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