[SOLVED] Keyboard and touchpad quit with 4.13 kernel

[Barbados99]

I updating the kernel to 4.13 and now I'm experiencing problems with the keyboard and touchpad of my Lenovo laptop. When I restart with the older 4.10 kernel the problem is not there. Is there a way to fix this? Thank you in advance for any help.

Here is my system (started with the older 4.10 kernel):

ThinkPad-Yoga-11e-3rd-Gen ~ $ inxi -F
System: Host: ThinkPad-Yoga-11e-3rd-Gen Kernel: 4.10.0-42-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine: System: LENOVO product: 20G8S05B00 v: ThinkPad Yoga 11e 3rd Gen
Mobo: LENOVO model: Intel powered classmate PC v: SDK0J40700 WIN
Bios: LENOVO v: R0AET29W (1.12) date: 09/09/2016
CPU: Quad core Intel Celeron N3150 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
clock speeds: max: 2080 MHz 1: 2080 MHz 2: 2079 MHz 3: 2079 MHz
4: 2079 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Device 22b1
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1366x768@60.06hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.2.4
Audio: Card Intel Device 2284 driver: snd_hda_intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-42-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169
IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full
mac: 543a:85:96:b2
Card-2: Intel Wireless 7265 driver: iwlwifi
IF: wlp3s0 state: down mac: 48:45:20:5f:5a:d7
Drives: HDD Total Size: 128.0GB (14.0% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_MZNLF128 size: 128.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 29G used: 14G (49%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.10GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-0
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 43.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 3802
Info: Processes: 224 Uptime: 7 min Memory: 1458.7/3771.6MB
Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.2.35
ThinkPad-Yoga-11e-3rd-Gen ~ $

[ClixTrix]

Is that the model Yoga where you can fold-back the keyboard and use it like a pad?

Doesn't it normally turn-off the keyboard and touch-pad-mouse when in that configuration?

Is it perhaps acting like it's stuck in pad mode?

[Barbados99]

Is that the model Yoga where you can fold-back the keyboard and use it like a pad?

Doesn't it normally turn-off the keyboard and touch-pad-mouse when in that configuration?

Is it perhaps acting like it's stuck in pad mode?

No. It works okay with the older 4.10 kernel, but when I use the 4.13 kernel the mouse and keyboard do not function. When I boot with the 4.10 kernel then they again work fine.

[ClixTrix]

No. It works okay with the older 4.10 kernel, but when I use the 4.13 kernel the mouse and keyboard do not function. When I boot with the 4.10 kernel then they again work fine.

Yes, understood that problem was only with 4.13 kernel and 4.10 works. Just wondering if the problem is related some how to that feature/operation of pad mode.

Also, getting curious of those recent updates to kernel 4.13 for Meltdown have introduced any new bugs.

[Barbados99]

Maybe I should post this in the newbie forum... my apologies if I'm in the wrong place here with this thread. Anyway, I've tried to search the Internet to solve this. I found where one person installed UKUU and installed the 4.14 kernel and that worked. But I tried that and it didn't help. I have read a few things on the Internet about other distributions (not Mint) experiencing this same problem... and the solution for those distros was to "degrade libinput to 1.8.3" but I didn't know if this would apply to Mint or not. I don't know how to do that but thought somebody here could help me understand how.

This computer isn't that old, so I was hoping to keep it for a few years at least. Am I just needing to keep the 4.10 kernel though? If I never update the kernel over the years, am I missing any security updates, like the Meltdown and Spectre type threats?

[ClixTrix]

Since the 4.10 kernel works and 4.13 doesn't you could try the older 4.4 kernel for a test. Kernel 4.4 is in long-term support and is getting the Meltdown and Spectre updates. I believe the latest Xenial 4.4 kernel from ubuntu is 4.4.0-112.

Is it a kernel problem or module problem? I'm reading a lot of reports that seem to point to kernel changes starting with 4.11 and many confirmations of the problems continuing up to 4.14 kernels. I believe the level of libinput remains the same with the different kernels and is tied to Xenial release of Ubuntu/Mint, so I'm not entirely convinced that a downgrade would help. Actually, I believe the libinput level installed with current Mint 18.3 is 1.6.3. At least that's what apt list is showing me using this command from Terminal.

Code: Select all

apt list libinput*

So, the better question might be: Is an update of libinput to 1.8.3 a fix?

[JoeFootball]

+1 for trying the 4.4.x kernel as its Long Term Support (LTS) is good for five years until April 2021.

4.10.x and 4.13.x are not LTS versions, and only supported for nine month each.

4.15.x will also be LTS when it's released in a few months.

Joe

[Barbados99]

I will try the 4.4.x kernel tonight. Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

[Barbados99]

Since the 4.10 kernel works and 4.13 doesn't you could try the older 4.4 kernel for a test. Kernel 4.4 is in long-term support and is getting the Meltdown and Spectre updates. I believe the latest Xenial 4.4 kernel from ubuntu is 4.4.0-112.

Is it a kernel problem or module problem? I'm reading a lot of reports that seem to point to kernel changes starting with 4.11 and many confirmations of the problems continuing up to 4.14 kernels. I believe the level of libinput remains the same with the different kernels and is tied to Xenial release of Ubuntu/Mint, so I'm not entirely convinced that a downgrade would help. Actually, I believe the libinput level installed with current Mint 18.3 is 1.6.3. At least that's what apt list is showing me using this command from Terminal.

Code: Select all

apt list libinput*

So, the better question might be: Is an update of libinput to 1.8.3 a fix?

Thank you. I did what you suggested and installed the 4.4 kernel for LTS. Everything works fine now.