Touchpad isn't sensitive enough on MacBook 5,2

[David Stansby]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

When using ubuntu on a MacBook (rev. 5,2) the touchpad is very hard to use. To move the mouse pointer at all, one has to press down very hard on the touchpad.

---
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
DkmsStatus:
 bcmwl, 5.60.48.36+bdcom, 2.6.34-5-generic, i686: installed
 bcmwl, 5.60.48.36+bdcom, 2.6.35-4-generic, i686: installed
 bcmwl, 5.60.48.36+bdcom, 2.6.35-2-generic, i686: installed
 bcmwl, 5.60.48.36+bdcom, 2.6.35-1-generic, i686: built
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBook5,2
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.2.2-2ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-4-generic root=UUID=4e9884fc-07d7-44d2-ba3c-580ebe0b0f24 ro quiet splash maxcpus=1
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_GB.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-4.5-generic 2.6.35-rc3
Tags: maverick maverick
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-4-generic i686
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 04/16/09
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MB52.88Z.0088.B05.0904162222
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-F22788AA
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F22788AA
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMB52.88Z.0088.B05.0904162222:bd04/16/09:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBook5,2:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F22788AA:rvr:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-F22788AA:
dmi.product.name: MacBook5,2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: maverick
 architecture: i686
 kernel: 2.6.35-4-generic

---
ApportVersion: 2.0-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: precise
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
DistroVariant: ubuntu
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120328)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBook5,2
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.5.99.902-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 TERM=xterm
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-20-generic root=UUID=70b54611-981a-405a-842c-4b07b0840044 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 maxcpus=1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-20.33-generic 3.2.12
Tags: precise ubuntu reproducible
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-20-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
dmi.bios.date: 04/16/09
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MB52.88Z.0088.B05.0904162222
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-F22788AA
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F22788AA
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMB52.88Z.0088.B05.0904162222:bd04/16/09:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBook5,2:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F22788AA:rvr:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-F22788AA:
dmi.product.name: MacBook5,2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.2-0ubuntu4
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.32-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0.2-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0.2-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu8
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.0-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20111219.aacbd629-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBook5,2
Package: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.1.2-1ubuntu5
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-10-generic root=UUID=d3ad8944-ea70-42d1-82dd-eb3a558dfca2 ro maxcpus=1 quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-10.34-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu5
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0~git20090817.7c422387-0ubuntu5
 libdrm2 2.4.13-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.8.1-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090825.fc74e119-0ubuntu1
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-10-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
XorgConf: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'
dmi.bios.date: 02/17/09
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MB52.88Z.0088.B02.0902171256
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-F22788AA
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F22788AA
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMB52.88Z.0088.B02.0902171256:bd02/17/09:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBook5,2:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F22788AA:rvr:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-F22788AA:
dmi.product.name: MacBook5,2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: x86_64kernel: 2.6.31-10-generic

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

This problem is still present in Karmic

[Slick (slick666)]

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 look at all reported bugs in a timely manner. There have been many changes in Ubuntu since that time you reported the bug and your problem may have been fixed with some of the updates. If you could test the current Ubuntu development version, this would help us a lot. If you can test it, and it is still an issue, we would appreciate if you could upload updated logs by running apport-collect <bug #>, and any other logs that are relevant for this particular issue.

I've confirmed that this is not a problem on a MacBook 1,1 using the kernel Linux Macintel 2.6.31-20-generic

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

I'm still experiencing this on a fully updated install of lucid on my MacBook 5,2

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

I've just tried
$ apport-collect 416516

but all I get is a message box telling me that no additional information has been collected.

[Slick (slick666)]

Is this an installation or Live CD?
Is this using the 32-bit or 64-bit version?

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

64-bit installation

[Henrik Rydberg (rydberg)]

This could be an issues with sensor amplitudes in the MB 5,2. To find out, please turn on bcm5974 debugging with

echo 9 | sudo tee /sys/module/bcm5974/parameters/debug

and follow the printouts with

tail -f /var/log/debug

What is of interest is to find out how the pressure parameter (p) varies with different finger actions. Posting a portion of the log file here would help.

When done, turn off debugging with

echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/module/bcm5974/parameters/debug

[Henrik Rydberg (rydberg)]

Oh, my bad, MB 5,2 was one of last models to use the appletouch module. The statement might still hold, though, and there are similar debug settings for appletouch.

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

$ echo 9 | sudo tee /sys/module/bcm5974/parameters/debug
tee: /sys/module/bcm5974/parameters/debug: No such file or directory
9

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Right, I have no /sys/module/bcm5974 directory installed. I'm now on a 32 bit install of Maverick which was installed from a 32 bit Lucid liveCD and I have exactly the same problem.

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

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[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

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[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

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[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

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[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

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[Henrik Rydberg (rydberg)]

Thanks for providing the data. I am sorry if my previous post was incompletely stated -- the bcm5974 module is not used for your machine, but the appletouch module is used instead. What I meant was to replace bcm597 by appletouch in that command, such that you get
[code]
echo 99 | sudo tee /sys/module/appletouch/parameters/debug
tail -f /var/log/debug
echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/module/appletouch/parameters/debug
[/code]

Thanks

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Here's two attachments, both of which are samples from tail -f /var/log/debug. The first one is when my touchpad is working, but I have to use a lot of finger directly in contact with the touchpad for this to happen.

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Here's the second of two attachments. This is another sample from tail -f /var/log/debug and this is what is outputted when I use the touchpad with the tip of my finger, like I would in OSX

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Don't know whether this article on the Arch Linux wiki would be any help: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Macbook5,2#Touchpad

[Gursimran singh (simar)]

Hello David,

I have seen that the previous triager slick has not triaged the bug fully and the status of the is New and moreover he isn't subscribed to the bug report even. So I'm going to take up the issue and triage the bug.

First of all I would like to know that is the issue still present in maverick?

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Yes, the issue is still present in Maverick, and is still the same issue as detailed above.

[Ahmed Shams (ashams)]

Hey David,
I think your proplem is just a misconfiguration ;)
would you please rus this in your terminal: synclient -l > synclient.log
then please upload "synclient.log" for your Home dir to here, please make sure that your kernel is fully updated!
you can test this solution yourself;
1. open "synclient.log" file, and find "PressureMotionMinZ"
2. see the number next to it. for ex. PressureMotionMinZ [Nmin] ([Nmin] is the number)
3. use: synclient PressureMotionMinZ=Nmin+1 Or +2 OR +3, just increase it tell you feel fine.
4. find "PressureMotionMaxZ" and add the same count to it, I mean if you used Nmin+3, now use
synclient PressureMotionMaxZ=Nmax+3
Or, just upload the "synclient.log" and I'll try to guess the best values. If this solution worked, I hope so.
thanx

[Matt Snelling (mzsnelling)]

I am also having this problem with a MacbookPro 3,1.

The output of synclient -l shows:

PressureMotionMinZ = 35
PressureMotionMaxZ = 187

I tried changing PressureMotionMinZ using synclient PressureMotionMinZ=37, but I get the following output:

X Error of failed request: BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request: 144 (XInputExtension)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 37 (X_ChangeDeviceProperty)
  Serial number of failed request: 22
  Current serial number in output stream: 25

[Ahmed Shams (ashams)]

After a little discussion, it seemed to be a kernel bug in it's origin(thanks to ~simar),
so if you please can run: 'sudo evtest /dev/input/event8 > evtest.log'
Note: it won't show you what's happening, it'll just save it, try to move your finger on the touchpad normally, I mean without excessive pressure.
You may need to install evtest first: sudo apt-get install evtest

[David Duffey (dduffey)]

I have a similar problem but on a MacBook 2,2. Everything was fine until I had the keyboard/mouse replaced, so I suspect although I have an older Mac that I am experiencing the same problem on new Macs. I found the following command fixes the problem:

xinput set-prop appletouch "Synaptics Finger" 9 15 100

The output from lsusb states:

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 05ac:021a Apple, Inc. Internal Keyboard/Trackpad (ANSI)

[Ahmed Shams (ashams)]

When using ubuntu on a MacBook (rev. 5,2) the touchpad is very hard to use. To move the mouse pointer at all, one has to press down very hard on the touchpad.

[Ahmed Shams (ashams)]

Report flied upstream.

[Chad Rehak (crrehak)]

I'm fairly new at linux, but I am still having this issue... I have tried all of the above, but my touchpad is still extremely choppy and not fully functional. Anyone have any further advice or can help me troubleshoot this it would be greatly appreciated because I have to use a USB mouse for the time being. Thanks in advance

[Chad Rehak (crrehak)]

Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "Apple Macbook 4,1"
        MatchProduct "appletouch"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
        Driver "synaptics"
        Option "JumpyCursorThreshold" "20"
        Option "FingerLow" "10"
        Option "FingerHigh" "20"
        Option "FingerPress" "200"
EndSection

fixed it

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

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[Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer)]

is this sill an issue?

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Yep, get exactly the same symptoms on a fresh install of Precise.

[David Duffey (dduffey)]

I gave a partial solition in step #61 above which worked great after loging in, but it didn't seem like the display manager would pick up the change.

Instead, I found the follow solution completely resolved the problem for me: create /etc/modprobe/appletouch.conf with the following:

options appletouch threshold=2

Now it works w/o the hack in #61. Maybe it is possible to change the appletouch module to default to 2 (instead of 5), or use a device ID to change the default for certain ids.

My touchpad USB id is 05ac:021a

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Yep, this is still an issue using the latest updated version of ubuntu.

[Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer)]

Please post the output of synclient -l. Can you play with synclient FingerLow=<somevalue> and report which value is acceptable? You'll need to ensure that FingerHigh is always higher than FingerLow, otherwise you'll get errors

[Reffman (ventruejusticar)]

Issue still present in latest Ubuntu (on a MacBook 2,1).

David Duffeys solution in #81 helps partly, its still not quite sensitive enough. Changing the threshold number does not change the sensitivity, except if changed to 1 in which case sensitivity is extremely low.

The other posted solutions here do not work, except that experimenting with synclient does help. I find that setting FingerLow to 5 and FingerHigh to 15 gives a good amount of sensibility. However, movement is still jaggy, especially on diagonal movements.

Also, it is not possible to apply these synclient settings permanently to xorg.conf because xorg.conf does not exist. If it is created X fails to load with error message "no screens found", probably due to there being no screen settings in xorg.conf.

[Ahmed Shams (ashams)]

Thank you for taking time to report this bug and help making Ubuntu better.
Please post the output of synclient -l, to do so, start a Terminal(Ctrl+Alt+T) and run the following:
synclient -l > ~/Desktop/synclient-config.txt

Then skip to the end of this page to find a link titled "Add attachment or patch", there you'll be able to attach th resulted file from your Desktop.

Also, you can try to change the values and see if it works, to do so, fire-up a Terminal and run:
synclient <option>=<value>
Replace <option> with: FigerLow and FingerHigh, with some <value> slightly higher and lower then what appears on the log synclient-config.txt>

Thanks in Advance

[Clinton (sprc)]

I suspect that this bug conflates two different issues, both of which now have patches:

1) appletouch exhibits jagged movement (see bug 1264426)
and
2) synaptics defaults for fingerlow and fingerhigh for some MacBooks were unreasonably high (see bug 1246215).

The appletouch driver was patched upstream in the 3.15 kernel, which would put it in Ubuntu 14.10. The xorg patch was submitted for 1.8 and it looks like it may have been backported to 1.7, which would presumably put it in 14.04.

We can probably close this once someone verifies on 14.10 that behavior is good.

[Clinton (sprc)]

Fixed in 14.10.

[Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer)]

more than 2 years in NEEDINFO, closing