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I have a Dell Inspiron with Ubuntu 12.04 installed. I can use my touchpad fine but I can't scroll with it. When I run windows it uses two finger scrolling but for some reason it won't work on Ubuntu. I went to my mouse and touchpad settings but there is no touchpad tab, only a mouse tab. When I run xinput list I get the following:

Virtual core pointer                        id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ PS/2 Generic Mouse                        id=13   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ PIXART USB OPTICAL MOUSE                  id=11   [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)]
    ↳ Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_HD               id=10   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard              id=12   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Dell WMI hotkeys                          id=14   [slave  keyboard (3)]

Apparently my touchpad is detected as a PS/2 Generic Mouse. Is there a way to fix this?? I've had this problem with Ubuntu 11.10 and when I upgraded to 12.04 today the problem still exists. The reason this is bugging me is because whenever I type, my pointer goes erratic and often makes me mistype (at least in windows, this happens because I have touchpad driver installed).

Justin
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  • Same problem here. Have you found a workaround? – Beni Bogosel Jul 14 '12 at 14:34
  • I started having similar problems after I added `psmouse.proto=imps` to the kernel options to try to cure other anomalies. I removed it, and I have the Touchpad configuration screen and multitouch are back. There might be a clue to your case there. – Apalala Mar 13 '13 at 02:32

3 Answers3

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Try this:

sudo modprobe -r psmouse
sudo modprobe psmouse proto=imps

If it works add both the lines to:

/etc/rc.local

But add them without the leading sudo. So the lines you'll add to /etc/rc.local will look like:

modprobe -r psmouse
modprobe psmouse proto=imps

If /etc/rc.local ends with something like exit 0, make sure to add those lines before that exit line.

Eliah Kagan
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sid
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I had exact same problem on my Inspiron N5110 running Ubuntu 12.04 but was able to fix it using patch and instructions provided in these two links.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/606238/comments/144

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/606238/comments/147

Touchpad is now recognised as AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad and Touchpad tab is enabled in System Settings. Unfortunately, scrolling is still not an option... :-(

At least touchpad is disabled while typing, which was the biggest problem for me resulting in cryptic writings! :-) Also Fn+F3 is working now (aka, touchpad toggle).

JKMirko
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  • Latest update on bug [606238](https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/606238). Multitouch has been enabled for Alps touchpad which works on my Dell Inspiron N5110, but should work for other laptops. You have to install this [DLKM](http://www.dahetral.com/public-download/psmouse-alps-dst-0.4.tbz/view). – JKMirko Sep 28 '12 at 22:16
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On my Dell Vostro 1520 I had the same issue, but I resolved it by doing the following Eliah's answer, with one small modification to the code:

sudo modprobe -r psmouse
sudo modprobe psmouse

And added the following before the exit call to the file he indicated:

modprobe -r psmouse
modprobe psmouse

Basically, it seems that the proto=imps option is the cause here, and should not be used with an Alps device ...

John Wesley Cooper
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