Cursor is jumping around

[KIMW]

The cursor of my laptop is jumping around and I can't really control it from the touchpad. It was so annoying that I actually uninstalled the touchpad (which was a Synaptics touchpad, I think). Because just to disable the "Touchpad while typing" In System Settings was not doing anything. I read lot of stuff about this problem and I haven't found a durable solution. The only thing that is working at the moment is that I reverse to Kernel: 4.4.0-53 (the original one).
Anyway, I am using Mint KDE and recently I found https://packages.debian.org/search?keyw ... g-touchpad and I was wondering if I could install it (because it's Debian so I am not sure)?

[jimallyn]

I haven't found a durable solution. The only thing that is working at the moment is that I reverse to Kernel: 4.4.0-53 (the original one).

You already had the durable solution: kernel 4.4.0-53. Was there a reason you changed to a different kernel?

[jimallyn]

Furthermore, if you are actually using Mint 18.1 KDE, then kde-config-touchpad is available for install from Synaptic (not Synaptics - different thing) or Software Manager. The first place to look for any software to install is always in the applications and repositories that Mint has provided for you. Going elsewhere is asking for trouble.

[KIMW]

Hi jimallyn,

With kernel 4.4.0-53. I cannot modify the settings of the touchpad. In fact it says "No touchpad found". It's why I updated my system each time there was a new kernel (4.4.0-62, 4.4.0-77) hoping it would change and it actually did. I could modify the settings of the touchpad but since the cursor was then jumping all around I came back to kernel 4.4.0-53.

I installed "kde-config-touchpad" from Software Manager (thank you) but it does not do anything, even after having typed the command line:

Code: Select all

kcmshell4 touchpad

On kernel 4.4.0-77 if the touchpad "xserver-xorg-input-synaptics" is uninstalled then the cursor does not jump BUT then the touchpad is not working.

[KIMW]

To determine the type of touchpad i have on my laptop I typed:

Code: Select all

egrep -i 'synap|alps|etps' /proc/bus/input/devices

but it does not say anything...

I tried also:

Code: Select all

xinput

and got

⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse id=12 [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)]
↳ Integrated_Webcam_HD id=10 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=11 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Dell WMI hotkeys id=13 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ DELL Wireless hotkeys

Which does not say much about the touchpad I have.
Isn't it strange??

I read here https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=185329 that some people found a solution by blacklisting i2c_hid.
How can I do that??

[KIMW]

I haven't found a durable solution. The only thing that is working at the moment is that I reverse to Kernel: 4.4.0-53 (the original one).

You already had the durable solution: kernel 4.4.0-53. Was there a reason you changed to a different kernel?

By asking me this, do you mean I should not have had updated the kernel??

[jimallyn]

By asking me this, do you mean I should not have had updated the kernel??

A lot of Linux users take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to updating kernels, unless they have a good reason to do so, like the new kernel has drivers for newer hardware in it, or a security problem has been found in the old kernel, or that sort of thing.

[KIMW]

So, unless i notice an obvious improvement on my computer do you mean I should not use latest kernel?