November 17, 2010

Problem with Touchpad under Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

Recently my Synaptics TouchPad stopped working in Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat. It works fine in Windows 7 and the TouchPad works even in Ubuntu on login screen prior to logging in.

If I use the "disable TouchPad" button Ubuntu shows that the Touchpad is now on, if I press it again, it shows the TouchPad is off. So when the hardware believes the TouchPad is live, Ubuntu/X "closes its ears" as the TouchPad is supposed to be off, and when the hardware believes the TouchPad is off, Ubuntu is listening, but the TouchPad is silent. Catch 22!

I have been googling a bit, but nothing interesting comes up. Checking Launchpad, nothing 10.10 specific comes up and by skimming the rest I have found nothing. I will dive deeper into Launchpad though.

Does anybody have any solutions?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Somehow this problem solved itself. I do not know why or how and I am not sure it is permanent. Do you have any insight on this? Please post a comment! :-)

Unknown said...

.... and now it is back to being reversed again :-/

Does anybody know how to solve this?

Anonymous said...

try using system tools>configuration editor

In Desktop >gnome> peripherals> touchpad>

Find the touchpad enabled box and ensure its ticked.

see: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticsTouchpad

Unknown said...

I have already checked this. It is enabled.

The problem for me is that the hardware toggle switch is reversed from the software switch.

Thus when the Hardware switch is enabled, the Ubuntu software (Gnome?) is disabled and thus overhears the events sent from the touchpad.

And when the Software switch is enabled, the hardware is toggled to off thus the hardware is muted while the software is now listening ...