USB mouse ignored because: (EE) Too many input devices. How to fix?

Question

The USB mouse ceases to work after a while (reboots fix it sometimes but (1) sometimes not and (2) to reboot frequently is not what I want). After checking /var/log/Xorg.0.log I see the following sequence of messages apparently containing an error (EE) message:

[ 82489.053] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82489.053] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[ 82489.053] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[ 82489.146] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82489.146] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82489.146] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82489.146] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82489.146] (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event261"
[ 82489.146] (**) Option "_source" "server/udev"
[ 82489.225] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82489.225] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82489.225] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82489.264] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 82489.264] (II) UnloadModule: "libinput"

No reliable cure found so far, even though some guesswork (e. g. removing laptop power management tools) keeps going. Any suggestions?

Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS / Dell Latitude 3440 / A4Tech N60-F

UPDATE: re-plugging into a different USB does not work, of course. Problem was persistent under 16.04 too.

UPDATE2: sudo rmmod usbhid + sudo modprobe usbhid does not help.

UPDATE3:

$ grep -i mouse /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[    20.301] (==) modeset(0): Silken mouse enabled
[    20.601] (II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/mouse0)
[   199.907] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[   199.966] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event9)
[   199.966] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[   199.966] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[   199.966] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[   200.040] (II) event9  - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[   200.041] (II) event9  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[   200.041] (II) event9  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[   200.080] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "A4Tech USB Mouse" (type: MOUSE, id 13)
[   200.083] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) selected scheme none/0
[   200.083] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[   200.083] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[   200.141] (II) event9  - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[   200.141] (II) event9  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 62443.191] (II) config/udev: removing device A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 62443.191] (II) event9  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82222.732] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82222.814] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82222.814] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82222.814] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82222.814] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82222.872] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82222.872] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82222.872] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82222.912] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 82233.442] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82233.552] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82233.552] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82233.552] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82233.552] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82233.649] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82233.649] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82233.649] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82233.680] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 82244.848] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82244.929] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82244.929] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82244.929] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82244.929] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82245.008] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82245.008] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82245.008] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82245.040] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 82282.414] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82282.485] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82282.485] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82282.485] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82282.485] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82282.540] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82282.540] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82282.541] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82282.584] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 82489.053] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82489.146] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82489.146] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82489.146] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82489.146] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82489.225] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82489.225] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82489.225] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82489.264] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 82802.434] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 82802.528] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 82802.528] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 82802.529] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 82802.529] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 82802.588] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 82802.588] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 82802.588] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 82802.624] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 84382.375] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 84382.477] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 84382.477] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 84382.477] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 84382.477] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 84382.537] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 84382.537] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 84382.537] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 84382.576] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 86931.932] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 86932.033] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 86932.033] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 86932.033] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 86932.033] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 86932.092] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 86932.092] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 86932.092] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 86932.132] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[ 87803.804] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)
[ 87803.901] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)
[ 87803.901] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[ 87803.901] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[ 87803.901] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[ 87803.960] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[ 87803.960] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[ 87803.960] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[ 87803.996] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse

UPDATE4: after trying sudo modprobe -r psmouse the mouse is alive again (not immediately, I had to wait for no less than 30 seconds) but the touchpad is dead. Looking now for a way to resurrect the touchpad. The output of grep -i mouse /var/log/Xorg.0.log (the tail of it) is now as follows:

[189654.285] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event489)
[189654.285] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[189654.285] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[189654.285] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[189654.344] (II) event489 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[189654.345] (II) event489 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[189654.345] (II) event489 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[189654.384] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse
[189689.204] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse0)
[189689.296] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event6)
[189689.296] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"
[189689.296] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'
[189689.296] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events
[189689.356] (II) event6  - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[189689.356] (II) event6  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer
[189689.356] (II) event6  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed
[189689.396] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "A4Tech USB Mouse" (type: MOUSE, id 12)
[189689.399] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) selected scheme none/0
[189689.399] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[189689.399] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[189689.457] (II) event6  - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse
[189689.457] (II) event6  - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer

Try the first section of this answer: https://askubuntu.com/a/1064744/307523 — WinEunuuchs2Unix, Aug 16 '18 at 10:35
The first section (the 'new script' starting with `for i in /sys/bus/pci/drivers/[uoex]hci_hcd/*:*; do`) effectively killed all USB devices. Maybe, the second (a longer script, starting with `ZeroBUS=$(lsusb | grep 045e:0745 | cut -c 5-7 )`) should work? — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 10:49
The second script needs work because it is powering off the top level USB chain it makes impossible to power them back on until reboot. — WinEunuuchs2Unix, Aug 16 '18 at 10:50
Well, but the first script does not work either. I mean it switches all USB devices off, but the mouse stands still as it was. — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 10:53
On my machine the second script freezes the mouse, but the first script does not. Something different on your platform for sure. Hopefully someone has a specific answer. — WinEunuuchs2Unix, Aug 16 '18 at 10:59
It seems to think this is a 2nd mouse. What does `grep -i mouse /var/log/Xorg.0.log` show? — waltinator, Aug 16 '18 at 13:52
@waltinator : It does a lot. I quote some portions of the output, in order of appearance (not all of them, only the beginning): `[ 20.301] (==) modeset(0): Silken mouse enabled` `[ 20.601] (II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/mouse0)` — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 16:59
Part 2: `[ 199.907] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)` `[ 199.966] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event9)` `[ 199.966] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"` `[ 199.966] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'` `[ 199.966] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events` — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 17:03
Part 3: `[ 200.040] (II) event9 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse` `[ 200.041] (II) event9 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer` `[ 200.041] (II) event9 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed` `[ 200.080] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "A4Tech USB Mouse" (type: MOUSE, id 13)` `[ 200.083] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) selected scheme none/0` `[ 200.083] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000` `[ 200.083] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4` — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 17:05
Part 4: `[ 200.141] (II) event9 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse` `[ 200.141] (II) event9 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer` `[ 62443.191] (II) config/udev: removing device A4Tech USB Mouse` `[ 62443.191] (II) event9 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed` — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 17:06
Part 5: `[ 82222.732] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/mouse1)` `[ 82222.814] (II) config/udev: Adding input device A4Tech USB Mouse (/dev/input/event261)` `[ 82222.814] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: Applying InputClass "libinput pointer catchall"` `[ 82222.814] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'A4Tech USB Mouse'` `[ 82222.814] (**) A4Tech USB Mouse: always reports core events` `[ 82222.872] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: is tagged by udev as: Mouse` `[ 82222.872] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device is a pointer` — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 17:06
Part 6: `[ 82222.872] (II) event261 - A4Tech USB Mouse: device removed` `[ 82222.912] (EE) Too many input devices. Ignoring A4Tech USB Mouse` Etc, etc. — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 16 '18 at 17:06
Please edit your original question, insert the data there, and format it with the `{}` tool. Your 6-part unformatted comment is too hard to read. — waltinator, Aug 17 '18 at 03:31
@waltinator: done. I copied full output, including several repeated sections towards the end. — Alexei Kouprianov, Aug 17 '18 at 06:42

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 18 '18 at 06:08

1

Try in Terminal : sudo modprobe -r psmouse

answered Aug 18 '18 at 06:08

HANSONS PAKISTAN

9
3

Wow. (1) This killed the touchpad (it no longer responds to anything including Fn+F3 which is dedicated to switch it on/off). (2) Not immediately (I think, about half-minute passed) this cured the mouse. Is there a way to bring the touchpad back? – Alexei Kouprianov Aug 18 '18 at 06:44

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 14 '18 at 13:33

0

Open a terminal window and try the following command to re-activate the touchpad:

sudo modprobe psmouse

edited Nov 14 '18 at 13:33

MadMike

4,234
8
28
50

answered Nov 14 '18 at 10:54

faizulhaque

1

Great. This brings touchpad back. Thanks a lot! – Alexei Kouprianov Nov 15 '18 at 20:28
No. It only worked once. So, I am still looking for a more stable remedy. – Alexei Kouprianov Nov 17 '18 at 23:30

USB mouse ignored because: (EE) Too many input devices. How to fix?

2 Answers2