# HOWTO get synaptics touchpad working on 2.6.0

## wilburpan

I've been having problems getting my Synaptics touchpad on my Gentoo laptop working on the development kernels from 2.5.70 on.  I finally got it working on 2.6.0-test1 but only after cobbling together information from different sources, so I thought I would summarize it all here in one spot.  The solution I have might work with kernels > 2.5.70, but I haven't gone back to try.

1. When compiling your kernel make sure that under "Input device support" you compile in "Event interface", which allows input device events to be accessible via /dev/input/eventX, where X will be a number that varies from machine to machine.  I have this compiled directly into the kernel, since I use the touchpad all the time.

2. Compile your kernel and install it in /boot as you normally would.  Reboot using your brand new kernel.

3. Figure out what input event devices your system is tracking by looking in /dev/input.  You should see some input devices as follows:

```
# ls /dev/input

event0  event1  event2  mice  mouse0
```

4.  Figure out which input event devicce corresponds to the touchpad by typing:

```
# cat /dev/input/event0
```

and then running your finger over the touchpad.  If this is the right input device, there will be a bunch of garbage on the screen as you use the touchpad.  If not, cat the other eventX devices until you find the right one.

5. Install the latest version of the Synaptics touchpad driver, located at http://w1.894.telia.com/~u89404340/touchpad/index.html.  Extract the archive, and copy the driver "synaptics_drv.o" into the XFree module folder, which usually is at /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/input/.  You will have to do this as root.

6. Modify your /etc/X11/XF86Config file as follows:

	a. In the module section of XF86Config, add the line 

```
Load "synaptics"
```

	b. Add or modify the InputDevice section of XF86Config so that you have these settings for the touchpad. This is what my XF86Config looks like:

```
# Touchpad - Synaptics driver

Section "InputDevice"

    Driver      "synaptics"

    Identifier  "Mouse [touchpad]"

    Option      "Device"       "/dev/input/event0"

    Option      "Protocol"     "event"

    Option      "LeftEdge"     "1900"

    Option      "RightEdge"    "5400"

    Option      "BottomEdge"   "1800"

    Option      "TopEdge"      "3900"

    Option      "FingerLow"    "25"

    Option      "FingerHigh"   "30"

    Option      "MaxTapTime"   "180"

    Option      "MaxTapMove"   "220"

    Option      "VertScrollDelta" "100"

    Option      "MinSpeed"     "0.02"

    Option      "MaxSpeed"     "0.18"

    Option      "AccelFactor"  "0.0010"

#    Option      "Repeater"     "/dev/ps2mouse"

#    Option      "SHMConfig"    "on"

EndSection
```

Replace the entry for Option "Device" with the input device that you found in step 4.

7.  Start up X.  Hopefully the above will work, and your Synaptics touchpad will be fully functional.  All of the touchpad functions on my notebook seem to work now.

Good luck!

----------

## lannie

yay ! it works for kernel 2.6.0 test-1 !  :Very Happy: 

thx for the info! 

-Lan

----------

## tdemarest

Thanks for documenting this. I'm having the same problem on a Dell Latitude C400, but following your instructions didn't seem to help - X will start but complains that it can't find a valid touchpad.

I had to use the approach documented at http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0306.3/0677.html but with a few slight modifications. These steps will get it working by apparently putting the touchpad into PS/2 compatibility mode. A hack, but a working pointer is better than no pointer at all!

Configure the kernel with psmouse support as a module or compiled into the kernel. I already had it compiled into the kernel. Make sure you enable the following under Input Device Support: Input Devices, Event Interface, Mice->PS/2 Mouse.

Compile the kernel and install it.

Now, you have two choices on how to configure /etc/X11/XF86Config. The first one works with both 2.4.x and the 2.6.0-beta1 kernels, so if you are jumping around between 2.4.x and 2.6.x, this is the easiest way to go:

```

Section "InputDevice"

   Identifier "Mouse0"

   Driver     "mouse"

   Option     "Protocol"  "auto"

   Option     "Device"    "/dev/misc/psaux"

EndSection

```

If you are strictly 2.6.x (and maybe 2.5.70 and above), this works as well:

```

Section "InputDevice"

   Identifier "Mouse0"

   Driver     "mouse"

   Option     "Protocol"  "auto"

   Option     "Device"    "/dev/input/mouse"

EndSection

```

Regardless of which device entry you use above you also need to make sure that the mouse module, if you compiled mouse support as a module, is loaded with the option:

```
psmouse_noext=1
```

If you have compiled the mouse support into the kernel, then pass the option on the kernel line. My grub entry for 2.6.0-beta1 looks like this:

```

kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.0-beta1 root=/dev/hda3 acpi=on vga=0x305 video=mtrr,vesa:1024x768 psmouse_noext=1

```

Reboot using the new kernel, and start X. Hopefully it comes up with the pointer. I've noticed it takes a few seconds before the mouse is recognized, so be patient while X figures things out.

Last edited by tdemarest on Sat Jul 19, 2003 4:53 pm; edited 2 times in total

----------

## latexer

as a small note, spyderous has added the synaptics driver to the latest xfree-4.3.0-r3.ebuild. saves you the time of downloading and mucking by hand. just need to do the X configuration stuff.

----------

## wilburpan

 *tdemarest wrote:*   

> Thanks for documenting this. I'm having the same problem on a Dell Latitude C400, but following your instructions didn't seem to help - X will start but complains that it can't find a valid touchpad.
> 
> I had to use the approach documented at http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0306.3/0677.html but with a few slight modifications. These steps will get it working by apparently putting the touchpad into PS/2 compatibility mode. A hack, but a working pointer is better than no pointer at all!

 

Actually, up until I got my touchpad working, PS/2 compatibility mode was what I was using as well.

Hopefully you'll get full functionality soon.  It looks like some Synaptics patches are still being worked on with the 2.6 series.

----------

## tdemarest

I updated my C400 BIOS from  A03 to A11 (the latest) and now I have 2.6.0-test1 and the touchpad working using the Synaptic's driver (the one bundled with the current xfree ebuild) and your instructions.

Tim

----------

## kodos

Recently after doing a emerge -u world my tap to click stopped working.  Xfree-4.3.0-r3 was emerged in, with synaptics driver included, so I believe that this is my problem.  I was using kernel 2.4.20-gentoo-r5 and after the update I was unable to use the advanced features of the touchpad such as scrolling along the right side of the pad and tap to click.  After looking at the log file, and this post, I decided to try using kernel 2.6.0.  Now, I almost have it working again.  Everything seems ok except the tap to click.  I've spent some time reading a number of threads about this and I seem to see that tap to click was disabled in the kernel driver as of late 2.5.x kernels.  Does anyone have tap to click working on 2.6.0 with the synaptics_drv.o that was built with xfree-4.3.0-r3, and if so what did you do to get it working?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

----------

## madtomkidd

I don´t exactly understand this... but, i didn´t do anything unusual...

I´m running 2.6.0-test2-mm2.

I compiled stuff as listed in the beginning for the kernel, plus mouse support (but didn´t select the synaptics driver).

So, I can use my mouse and double tap for clicking, but my scrolling is gone.

With the default gentoo-sources (2.4.20-r5) i didn´t have to do anything and it all worked.

Do i need to do this synaptics driver thing to get the scroll to work?

btw... i´m on an HP ze4145 amd if that helps.

Thanks!

----------

## Reformist

Yes, this synaptics driver stuff is quite strange. I've never had a problem with my touchpad in 2.4.x; clicking, dragging, tap-clicking and tap-dragging, scrolling etc. has all worked fine... now with 2.6.x, I have to do all of this runaround...

----------

## nalin

thx for the writeup wilberpan, I tend to avoid looking through any posts that accumulate to more then five pages (as the 2.5 and 2.6 kernel threads did/do) to find that tidbit of information on why my hardware isnt working properly...mabye its just me but the howto stuff which stays around a single page and gives me explicit instructions tends to tickle my fancy more...

Anyway, instructions worked perfectly for a dell inspiron 5150, save one detail, how do I/can I run tpconfig with this driver (I want to get the lefttouch and righttouch via going) 

running tpconfig

as a user i get:

fatal: Could not open PS/2 Port [/dev/psaux]

as root i get:

fatal:

No Synaptics or ALPS touchpad device found

but the thing is that I *only* seem to get mouse input from /dev/input/event1, /dev/mouse and perhaps more importantly /dev/psaux dont give me anything when I cat them and use the mouse, so im not sure that tpconfig is even checking in the right place (not am I sure that It could interpert the event interface)

----------

## pilla

moved to Docs, tips & tricks

----------

## wilburpan

 *nalin wrote:*   

> Anyway, instructions worked perfectly for a dell inspiron 5150, save one detail, how do I/can I run tpconfig with this driver (I want to get the lefttouch and righttouch via going)

 

Sorry, can't help you much there.  I don't use tpconfig.  I tried emerging it, and got the same error you did.  Up/down and left/right scrolling with the touchpad works for me.

Regarding the output from /dev/input/eventX, on my laptop event0 appears to be linked to my touchpad, event1 is linked to my keyboard (pushing keys leads to a lot of garbage, even with just pushing the shift key), and event2 is linked to my USB mouse.

----------

## watashiwaotaku7

a note, there is a synaptics driver in the 2.6.0-test2-mm4 kernel maybe in other versions too, does anyone know anything about using this?

----------

## wilburpan

I did try the kernel-supplied synaptics driver, which didn't work for me.  Hence, my original post in this thread.

----------

## Garbz

What are the advantages of running the synaptics touchpad driver over my current setup of IMPS/2 on psaux.  Also considering on my Dell i4100 i use a ps2 mouse too some times will synaptics driver screw my mouse? DO i need to go to usb ?

----------

## Diezel

Still having problems here. When using the synaptics driver X just halts. Or actually the whole computer halts. Only way out is to poweroff (hardware).

I have everything set up according to this thread but it wont work.

Just want to use 2.6 because it seems to support the BIOS on the Compaq EVO 800v so I finally get battery readings.

----------

## Narada

Hello.  I have reported this issue to the kernel.org bugzilla as bug 1072.  If any of you would like to add to what I've said or report individual issues please do so by adding comments to that bug report giving full details of your machine.  Don't forget to report all issues that you may have with 2.6 kernel series so that the final release may be as stable and featureful as possible.  Many thanks.

----------

## quark

Thanx for the howto.

I followed it and _nearly_ everything worked. I was missing clicking with tapping the pad.  To get it to work, I had to change Option "Protocol" to "auto-dev" in my XF86Config:

```
Option        "Protocol"        "auto-dev"
```

Now everything is working  :Razz: 

----------

## skunk

it works only if psmouse is compiled into the kernel for me

indeed, if i try to load the module after booting (or adding it into /etc/modules.autoload), the module loads without errors, but doesn't work in X

hw: dell inspiron 8100

kernel: 2.6.0-test3-mm2

----------

## bbarrera

Thanks for the HOWTO!

First I used psmouse_noext=1 method (ps/2 compatibility mode) and as expected lost "tap to click" and other desireable features.

Then I loaded synpatics_drv.o into /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/input and added entries to /etc/X11/XF86Config and rebooted.

Now the touchpad works just as in kernel 2.4 series. Next I'll try without ps/2 compatibility mode.

Dell Inspiron 4100

----------

## amigafan

well, wilbupans howto works nice here on a gericom webgine. But I ask myself if its possible to load two input devices so that a ps2-mouse does also work. Any idea?

----------

## quark

I'm not sure with ps2 mouse, but usb works fine with touchpad. Here are relevant parts of my XF86Config:

This is in "Core Pointer's InputDevice section"

```
Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier  "usbMouse"

    Driver      "mouse"

    Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"

    Option "Device"      "/dev/input/mice"

    Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

  Driver        "synaptics"

  Identifier    "touchpad"

  Option        "Device"          "/dev/input/event0"

  Option        "Protocol"        "auto-dev"

  Option        "Edges"           "1900 5400 1800 3900"

  Option        "Finger"          "25 30"

  Option        "MaxTapTime"      "180"

  Option        "MaxTapMove"      "220"

  Option        "VertScrollDelta" "100"

  Option        "MinSpeed"        "0.02"

  Option        "MaxSpeed"        "0.18"

  Option        "AccelFactor"     "0.0010"

#  Option       "Repeater"         "/dev/ps2mouse"

#  Option       "SHMConfig"        "on"

EndSection
```

and this is in "ServerLayout sections"

```
Section "ServerLayout"

    Identifier  "Simple Layout"

    Screen "Screen 1"

    InputDevice "touchpad" "CorePointer"

    InputDevice "usbMouse" "SendCoreEvents"

    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"

EndSection
```

Hope this helps you  :Smile: 

----------

## sepp

I didn't have to configure anything special with kernel 2.6.0-test7 and xfree-4.3.99.13. just enabled synaptics driver in kernel (input devices) and created XFree config file with xf86cfg. everything got autodedected and worked out of the box.

----------

## nalin

 *sepp wrote:*   

> I didn't have to configure anything special with kernel 2.6.0-test7 and xfree-4.3.99.13. just enabled synaptics driver in kernel (input devices) and created XFree config file with xf86cfg. everything got autodedected and worked out of the box.

 

The scrolling and what not too?  (I ask only because I was not aware I had this feature until a friend with the same computer running windows commented on my lack of it)

----------

## watersb

 *nalin wrote:*   

> 
> 
> The scrolling and what not too? 
> 
> 

 

Yes, the scrolling works for me -- I drag my finger along the right edge of the touchpad, it's like the mouse wheel on a wheel mouse. So I get scrolling in my XTerms without sacrificing screen real-estate to a scroll bar. And I get it in Emacs my enabling "mouse-wheel-mode" minor mode.

Dragging along the bottom edge of the touchpad results in another axis of wheel-mouse-age, interpreted by some programs as horizontal scrolling.

I had posted in previous forums that the Synaptics support is not there yet -- but with the 2.6.0-test kernels, it is working very well for me. (Dell Inspiron 8000).

----------

## sepp

here's how I got everything working (scrollig, tap ...):

these are my setting in XF86Config

```
Section "ServerLayout"

        Identifier     "XFree86 Configured"

        Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0

        InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"

        InputDevice     "touchpad" "SendCoreEvents"

        InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"

EndSection

Section "Module"

        Load  "extmod"

        Load  "dri"

        Load  "dbe"

        Load  "record"

        Load  "xtrap"

        Load  "glx"

        Load  "speedo"

        Load  "type1"

        Load  "synaptics"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier  "Mouse0"

        Driver      "mouse"

        Option      "Protocol" "auto"

        Option      "Device" "/dev/input/mouse1"

EndSection

 

# Touchpad - Synaptics driver

 

Section "InputDevice"

    Driver      "synaptics"

    Identifier  "touchpad"

    Option      "Device"       "/dev/input/event0"

    Option      "Protocol"     "event"

    Option      "LeftEdge"     "1900"

    Option      "RightEdge"    "5400"

    Option      "BottomEdge"   "1800"

    Option      "TopEdge"      "3900"

    Option      "FingerLow"    "25"

    Option      "FingerHigh"   "30"

    Option      "MaxTapTime"   "180"

    Option      "MaxTapMove"   "220"

    Option      "VertScrollDelta" "100"

    Option      "MinSpeed"     "0.02"

    Option      "MaxSpeed"     "0.18"

    Option      "AccelFactor"  "0.0010"

EndSection
```

it just worked for if I set the mouse device to /dev/input/mouse1

and the touchpad to /dev/input/event0. whenever I tried to configure both as mouse or event device the touchpad got disabled.      

and it's also very important to set touchpad as         

```
InputDevice     "touchpad" "SendCoreEvents" 
```

in the ServerLayout section!!  CorePointer will not work.

in my kernel config I have:

```
Input device support:

* Event interface

*Mice

 * PS/2 Mouse

 * Synaptics Touchpad

```

I'm using this setup with kernel 2.6.0-test7 and xfree-4.3.99-13

----------

## ruomad

Do'nt know if it's only for me but I discovered that one _has_ to compile the psmouse driver in the kernel and not as a module, otherwise touchpad is not even detected...

Anyone has the same problem ?

2.6.0-test7-bk2

Acer TravelMate 800LMi

----------

## drakos7

2.60-test6-mm4 and XFree 4.3-r3:  Sony GRX 550 

touchpad works great. I had to remove my old psmouse_ext=1 hack from my grub file. Horizontal and vertical scrolling where available (eg. Firebird, Evolution)

```
Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier  "Mouse2"

        Driver      "synaptics"

        Option      "Protocol" "event"

        Option      "Device" "/dev/input/event0"

EndSection

```

----------

## quark

I ended up with some problems after newest kernel update. Everything worked just fine with test5, but not with test8  :Sad: 

Touchpad is not recognized with Protocol "auto-dev" and tapping won't work with Protocol "event" (and the motion of the pointer is somehow very inaccurate).

Does anyone know a way around this w/o patching the X sources? I have no time for that in few weeks...

----------

## watersb

 *quark wrote:*   

> I ended up with some problems after newest kernel update. Everything worked just fine with test5, but not with test8 
> 
> 

 

Working for me... with kernel updates the /dev/input/eventX jumps around, the touchpad is always on a different value for 'X'...

Dell Inspiron 8000 with test8-love3.

----------

## quark

 *watersb wrote:*   

> Working for me... with kernel updates the /dev/input/eventX jumps around, the touchpad is always on a different value for 'X'...

 

Thank you. I hadn't noticed this jumping around before and had no idea that it could be the cause. Well, it was. Chancing the Device option to "/dev/input/event1" fixed everything  :Smile: 

----------

## kurtb

I actually was able to set my synaptics device as CorePointer in the ServerLayout in test9.  Just an FYI.

----------

## MortenLJ

I have tried to cat all the different devices described earlier in this thread, none of them display anything when i use the pad. Could the pad be associated to another device or none at all?

----------

## hulk2nd

don't forget to patch your kernel with the included patch if you have an alps pointer device.

----------

## -=LeXuS=-

Hi,

Does anybody has an working config for alps touchpads (for example Dell Inspiron 8200)? I has compiled my kernel with alps patch, enabled event interface and synaptics enabled... I've tried the X Input Section from the INSTALL file (from the packaged mentioned on top of the thread) and the config in this thread.Nothing works. I can use the buttons, and taping the touchpad works too, but no movement of the cursor!

If i enabled SharedMemory to use synclient i get an "No touchpad found!" message. I've looked at the source and there is an blabla->issynaptics==true line, maybe the alps patch returns false... so this has not to be a big deal. 

Any suggestions?

Bye

----------

## doggy

I have exactly the same problem (tap works, but cursor won't move).  Has anyone figured this out?  I have an ALPS touchpad & kernel 2.6.0-mm2.

----------

## hulk2nd

here is my xconfig. alps touchpad, with kernel patch:

```
Load "synaptics"
```

this comes to the module section

```
    Identifier  "Mouse1"

    Driver      "synaptics"

    Option      "Protocol"              "event"

    Option      "Device"                "/dev/input/event1"

    Option      "LeftEdge"              "60"

    Option      "RightEdge"             "830"

    Option      "TopEdge"               "70"

    Option      "BottomEdge"            "650"

    Option      "FingerLow"             "25"

    Option      "FingerHigh"            "30"

    Option      "MaxTapTime"            "180"

    Option      "MaxTapMove"            "110"

    Option      "EmulateMidButtonTime"  "75"

    Option      "VertScrollDelta"       "50"

    Option      "HorizScrollDelta"      "50"

    Option      "MinSpeed"              "0.2"

    Option      "MaxSpeed"              "0.5"

    Option      "AccelFactor"           "0.01"

    Option      "EdgeMotionSpeed"       "40"

    Option      "UpDownScrolling"       "1"

    Option      "TouchpadOff"           "0"
```

and this to the input device section. hope that does help.

greets,

hulk

----------

## doggy

yep i already did what was suggested in the README.alps. 

I use /dev/input/event0 because my keyboard's handle is event1.  I know the touchpad (probably) works in console as cat /dev/input/event0 gives lots of gibberish if i move finger on the pad.  However in X only tapping on the pad and pushing buttons works.  I cannot move the cursor.  Any idea?

Thanks.

----------

## hulk2nd

have you tried to install the synaptics driver manually? at least in my case neither the pre build one, nor the one from the portage tree worked.

----------

## doggy

yeah I downloaded the tarball and compiled the driver myself.  it's really weird...it's not clear from the X log message that sth's obviously wrong either.  for now i'm back to the plain touchpad -- pretty irritating not being able to finger-scroll   :Sad:    if u have any other tricks let me know!  thanks.

----------

## nyowe

I have just made a new install of gentoo on my laptop and decided to go with the newest gentoo-dev-sources kernel, udev and xorg-x11. I am having an especially hard time trying to get my synaptics touchpad to work... i have followed the information on this and other threads, made the necessary adjustments to my /etc/X11/xorg.conf, etc but i am unable to locate the event to ascribe to the touchpad. I have tried all cat /dev/input/eventX but each time get "no such device" error. on startx i also get "no synaptics event device found(checked 5 nodes)" and "Fatal server error: failed to initialize core devices" ... what am i missing here??? would it be wise to use mknod to create the device beforehand???  :Question:   :Question:   :Question:   :Question: 

----------

## -=LeXuS=-

Do you have event input support enabled in kernel? 

Does any other devices (like a usb mouse) create events?

The eventX devices will be created automatically, i think. This means it wouldn't help to create this devices by hand.

----------

## Sykus

my touchpad and trackpoint work perfectly fine, but i'm having no luck get a ps/2 mouse working when the laptop is plugged into a docking station.  Thinkpad T40.  the keyboard works find, just no mouse.  though the touchpad still works.

----------

## Coume

Hello there,

I'm stuck at getting my synaptic touchpad to work with my Xorg...

I am able to move the cursor, but when pressing on the touchpad to click nothing happens...

Here is my xorg.conf

 *Quote:*   

> Section "Module"
> 
>     Load        "dbe"  	# Double buffer extension
> 
>     SubSection  "extmod"
> ...

 

Ok, here are the problems...

If I have the xorg.conf like that, the keyboard is not responding, like a dead keyboard... 

I do have the synaptics driver installed and I double checked that the synaptic uses /dev/input/event1

Any idea? how to solve that? I have been playing for a week with synaptics, but can't see a damned issue for this problem  :Sad:   :Crying or Very sad: 

Ludo

----------

## Sargonas

 *MythTVtalk.com wrote:*   

> Hello there,
> 
> I'm stuck at getting my synaptic touchpad to work with my Xorg...
> 
> I am able to move the cursor, but when pressing on the touchpad to click nothing happens...
> ...

 

Hmm I see that you have 2 touchpad devices, try and delete the line:

```

 InputDevice "Touchpad" "CorePointer"

```

and instead of     InputDevice "Mouse [touchpad]" "SendCoreEvents" it should be:

```

    InputDevice "Mouse [touchpad]" "CorePointer"

```

----------

## Coume

Hiya,

I should have post the link yesterday, but last night, I found the answer reading a xorg.conf from another user.

Here is the answer... https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=226219&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

I was tricky, at least I never saw the answer somewherelse!

Ludo

----------

## troworld

Hmmm. In Windows I can double tap on a window, drag it somewhere, then tap again and continue dragging. There is a delay before the drag behaviour is reset. This helps if you're highlighting lots of text and moving across the touchpad once isn't enough. You have time to move your finger back before the selection is lost.

Is there a way to do this with the synaptics driver?

----------

## guyr

I seem to have the opposite problem.  I haven't done anything at all to get Synaptics working on my laptop, and everything works - the side scroll bar, tap to click, etc.   This is AMD64 kernel 2.6.7.  In xorg.conf, my mouse section has protocol IMPS/2 and device /dev/mouse.

My problem is that I'm not getting sound events.  I hear the startup and shutdown tunes play, but no event sounds play other than those.  I'm wondering if it might be a interrupt conflict with the Synaptics.  How can I remove the Synaptics if I haven't done anything to load it?

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## echto

 *MortenLJ wrote:*   

> I have tried to cat all the different devices described earlier in this thread, none of them display anything when i use the pad. Could the pad be associated to another device or none at all?

 

I had the same problem.  I built psmouse as a module rather than having it built into the kernel and then added it to autoload.d/kernel-2.6.  Fixed the problem.

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## echto

 *watersb wrote:*   

>  *quark wrote:*   I ended up with some problems after newest kernel update. Everything worked just fine with test5, but not with test8 
> 
>  
> 
> Working for me... with kernel updates the /dev/input/eventX jumps around, the touchpad is always on a different value for 'X'...
> ...

 

Heres a perl script that will fix that.

http://www.plausible.org/r3000z/findmouse

echto

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## RockChops

This rox! Thanks for the how to! I got everything working   :Very Happy: 

both the synaptics pad and my usb mouse work flawlessly now. 

Using 2.6.10-r4

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## bhav2007

I recently got my synaptics touchpad working (in much less time than I though it would take) . However, when the synaptics touchpad started working, the wheel on my usb mouse stopped working. However, I fixed it and I'm posting here in case someone else needs to know.

Make sure that you have one input device specified for each mouse, heres what I have

in the "ServerLayout" section (the names are just examples):

 *Quote:*   

> InputDevice "Touchpad" "SendCoreEvents"
> 
>     InputDevice "USBMouse" "SendCoreEvents"
> 
>     InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
> ...

 

Then of course, check your touchpad settings. 

Then you need to add this option in the "ServerFlags" section, or the X server might not start (you might be able to get by without this):

 *Quote:*   

> Option "AllowMouseOpenFail"
> 
> 

 

Finally go to your USB mouse settings (which you might have to add youself) and make sure you have "ZAxisMapping" added:

 *Quote:*   

> Section "InputDevice" 
> 
>     Identifier  "USBMouse"
> 
>     #your driver and device will probably be different
> ...

 

That worked for me, by the way I am using a 2.6.10 kernel and I think devfs

----------

## mamac

Thank you for the "How To"

Here are most interesting parts of my xorg.conf on a DELL Latitude C600 Laptop with 2.4 Kernel

```

Section "ServerLayout"

        Identifier     "XFree86 Configured"

        Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0

        InputDevice    "Touchpad" "SendCoreEvents"

        InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"

        InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"

.......

Section "Module"

        Load  "dbe"

        Load  "dri"

        Load  "extmod"

        Load  "glx"

        Load  "record"

        Load  "xtrap"

        Load  "speedo"

        Load  "type1"

        Load  "synaptics"

EndSection

.......

Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier  "Touchpad"

        Driver    "synaptics"

        Option    "Device"    "/dev/psaux"

        Option    "Protocol"    "auto-dev"

#       Option      "LeftEdge"     "1900"

#       Option      "RightEdge"    "5400"

#       Option      "BottomEdge"   "1800"

#       Option      "TopEdge"      "3900"

#       Option      "FingerLow"    "25"

#       Option      "FingerHigh"   "30"

#       Option      "MaxTapTime"   "180"

#       Option      "MaxTapMove"   "220"

#       Option      "VertScrollDelta" "100"

#       Option      "MinSpeed"     "0.02"

#       Option      "MaxSpeed"     "0.18"

#       Option      "AccelFactor"  "0.0010"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier  "Mouse0"

        Driver      "mouse"

        Option      "Protocol" "IMPS/2"

        Option      "Device" "/dev/input/mice"

        Option      "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"

        Option      "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

EndSection

```

Every features of the touchpad work fine even if all settings are with "#". USB mouse and touchpad work simultanously, everything is OK though.

----------

## MikeSummers

Does anyone know how to disable the Touchpad but retain the Trackpoint? If there is a way to turn down the Touchpad's sensitivity that would work too.

I need to have the cursor quit jumping about just because my thumb passes in the vicinity of the Touchpad.

Thanks-- Mike

----------

## Manthrax

I'm having trouble with my Synaptics touchpad. When I load the psmouse module, I get this output from the kernel:

```
Synaptics Touchpad, model: 1

 Firmware: 5.8

 180 degree mounted touchpad

 Sensor: 29

 new absolute packet format

 Touchpad has extended capability bits

 -> 4 multi-buttons, i.e. besides standard buttons

 -> multifinger detection

 -> palm detection

input: SynPS/2 Synaptics Touchpad on isa0060/serio1
```

When I try to run Xorg, I get this error message:

```
(EE) Synaptics no synaptics touchpad detected and no repeater device

(EE) Synaptics Unable to query/initialize Synaptics hardware.

(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Synaptics"
```

tpconfig gives me this output:

```
fatal:

No Synaptics or ALPS touchpad device found
```

cat'ing /dev/input/mice gives me garbage when I touch the touchpad, i.e. the kernel driver works.

cat'ing /dev/input/event0 thru event3 gives me "No such device".

I tried booting passing usb-handoff to the kernel, which had zero effect.

My xorg.conf looks something like this

```
Section "InputDevice"

  Identifier "Synaptics"

  Driver "synaptics"

  Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"

  Option "Protocol" "event"

  Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"

  ...

EndSection
```

Any suggestions on this strange problem?

----------

## VinzC

Strange but I get that problem with newer kernels (2.6.15.xxx). It looks like unloading/reloading module evdev should fix it. I'll try and post my feedback.

----------

## VinzC

Got it. A workaround is to compile evdev as a module and load it with /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6. Now I've got /dev/input/event[0-4] and the touchpad scroll works.

----------

## angstycoder

 *sepp wrote:*   

> 
> 
> ```
> Input device support:
> 
> ...

 

My Kernel doesn't have Synaptics support.

I did, however, note I didn't have "Event Interface" in there.

set that to yes, figured out which event# was the touchpad

went into x... bam!  I can scroll.

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou

2.6.16-gentoo-r3, by the way

Compaq Presareio V5000 series ( v5101US specifically )

----------

