laptop touchpad issue

[jonbitzen]

I have Linux Mint 18.3 x64 installed on a Gigabyte P25Wv2 laptop.

My touchpad only works if I take the battery out and then replace it before booting up. If I try to boot without first removing then replacing the battery, the touchpad does not work.

Has anyone else ever seen this type of an issue on a laptop?

Thanks,

jonbitzen

[Pjotr]

Please generate an overview of your system like this:
- Launch a terminal window (this is how to launch a terminal window);
- make the terminal window full screen, to avoid chopped lines;
- Copy/paste this command into the terminal:

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

(if you type: the letter F is a capital letter)

Press Enter.

Copy/paste the output in your next message.

[jonbitzen]

Pjotr,

Thanks fro your reply. The requested info is below:

System: Host: helios Kernel: 4.13.0-41-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine: Mobo: GIGABYTE model: P25V2
Bios: American Megatrends v: FB06 date: 06/17/2014
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-4710MQ (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 19955
clock speeds: max: 3500 MHz 1: 2190 MHz 2: 1626 MHz 3: 1429 MHz
4: 1648 MHz 5: 1809 MHz 6: 1970 MHz 7: 1978 MHz 8: 1611 MHz
Graphics: Card-1: Intel 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Card-2: NVIDIA GK104M [GeForce GTX 870M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Haswell Mobile
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.2.8 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Card-2 Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-41-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Intel Wireless 7260 driver: iwlwifi bus-ID: 05:00.0
IF: wlp5s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1120.2GB (2.4% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD10JPVX size: 1000.2GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: KINGSTON_SMS200S size: 120.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 94G used: 9.4G (11%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2
ID-2: swap-1 size: 17.09GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb3
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 259 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 795.9/15957.8MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

Thanks,

jonbitzen

[Pjotr]

Try this:

1. Check the support section of the website of your laptop manufacturer, whether there's a BIOS update available. If so, install it.

2. Install the latest kernel of the 4.15 series:
Update Manager - panel: View - Linux kernels

Then reboot.

[jonbitzen]

Pjotr,

It worked.

I updated the BIOS, updated to kernel 4.15.22, then shutdown. Pulled the battery, replaced it, booted up, and so far the mouse pad works every time. The last battery pull and replacement was important because it didn't immediately work.

Thanks very much for your help.

jonbitzen

[Pjotr]

You're welcome. Good to hear that it worked!

[jonbitzen]

Pjotr,

I think I spoke too soon.

With the new BIOS and kernel it seems to work more often, but not always. I'm not sure its related to the battery anymore. What I find is that sometimes I boot up and it works, and sometimes it doesn't,

Any ideas for other stuff I could try?

I want to say that this worked pretty well on Mint 18,1 or 18.2.

Thanks,

jonbitzen

[Pjotr]

Pjotr,

I think I spoke too soon.

With the new BIOS and kernel it seems to work more often, but not always. I'm not sure its related to the battery anymore. What I find is that sometimes I boot up and it works, and sometimes it doesn't,

Any ideas for other stuff I could try?

I want to say that this worked pretty well on Mint 18,1 or 18.2.

Thanks,

jonbitzen

I'm sorry to hear that. You might try a downgrade of the kernel to the latest one of the 4.4 series. After installing it, make sure to boot from it (it's under the header Advanced in the Grub bootloader menu).

If it works better, remove all installed kernels of all higher series (4.8 series and higher), by means of the kernel tool in Update Manager.