Linux issues on T440P w/ T450 touchpad

Good Morning forum,

I have been wanting to use Linux for my T440p for quite some time however with it, I cant use the touchpad at all as its sporadic beyond control. It just jumps all over the screen at every touch, opens 3 dozen windows to which I have no idea what they are as new windows open atop. I can just not use the touchpad to navigate some things in the UI but oddly enough Linux is less functional compared to Windows via tab key navigation so that is also limited.

I can get to the terminal but I have no idea how to replace the driver as I am assuming this is what is needed.

If I had to guess, the issue is that there are pre-allocated drivers for my model laptop and its range of touchpads, I got rid of that crappy touchpad and installed the 3 button touchpad from this listing here.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Thinkpad-T...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Windows states its a Synaptics pointing device, I cant say what it is specifically but here is the hardware ID's. Touchpad works fine in Windows 10 after uninstalling default device driver.

ACPI\VEN_LEN&DEV_0036
ACPI\LEN0036
*LEN0036

I would very much appreciate any insight regarding this, I originally wanted to use Linux but couldnt due to this issue, any version of Linux I have tried does regardless of version. Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Manjaro, Pop_OS, Elementary OS and others I cant remember right now (18 and 20, LTS or not).

Thank you all very much in advance

 

I guess I'll have to get a hard line maybe having internet available from the start can be useful

 

Have you tried using an X11 session versus wayland? Input handling is different between the two. You can try using the synclient command (part of the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package on Debian) to tweak the hysteresis parameters:

Code:

synclient HorizHysteresis=30 VertHysteresis=30

These values were stolen from: https://rscircus.org/post/72978821261/t440s-clickpad-fix-which-feels-good

The things to try are different kernel versions, and see if you can find any chatter about your ThinkPad model on linux mailing lists or distro forums/wikis. I don't have time to do an extensive search right now, but those would be your starting places.

 

Yeah I have reading around the last week or so and nothing quite sounds like the issues I am having with the touchpad. For most it can be incorrect functions for certain keys and others just nothing at all or loss of function after waking from sleep. Mine seems to go everywhere on the screen seemingly at all times whilst opening a crazy amount of windows that I cant close.

I can only guess its because I may have an ALPS version versus the Synaptics version that is preferred generally (regardless of the OS)

Its potentially all solved with a proper driver (regardless of issues)

This command looks to be a good starting point?

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

 

Yeah, I'd give the synclient command a shot, and that command you just posted should install it.

 

Will that command install the driver even on a live distro?

I'd like to see if the touchpad works before installing over Windows, while I have another pc I can use for teams and such (work) I much prefer my t440p over the cheap Dell keyboards and slower platter drives.

I am ok with experimenting in the OS, but I need a touchpad I guess lol, I dont generally use that machine with a mouse.

Thanks for dropping by, I could go to reddit and likely get an answer but I like prefer the community here.

 

Yeah it should work as long as the image you are using allows you to install packages.

 

Going to give Manjaro a try since a friend of mine is familiar and swears by it. Not commited to any one distro really, just want to have a KDE environment to start with.

 

I've noticed outside of your specific model that certain kernels have minute bugs in them like 5.9RCxx disables the touchpad on my K830 keyboard but 5.8.x works just fine.

https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/?C=N;O=D

Of course whatever is bundled in the ISO should be compatible with 99.999% of the devices out there that have existed for more than a month. When in doubt keep a usb mouse around for this issue if things go awry.

 

No, keeping a usb mouse "handy" is not possible in my work environment where I use this laptop for a majority of its active use due to physical security policies. Bringing in my laptop is already an exception to the rule. Which is why I need it working if I do make the switch. If it doesnt work I simply stay on Windows, Im in interested in using Linux but if I spend more time working for Linux than Linux working for me it defeats the point.

Anyways, I haven't been able to attempt running a live distro yet, working picked up quite a bit and a couple people quit so I havent been able to test anything quite yet, hopefully within the next couple of days though.

I have no idea what that link is for or how its supposed to be useful, are you suggesting I just keep taking stabs in the dark until it eventually hopefully works? Cause if thats the case that doesnt paint a pretty picture for Linux generally speaking.

 

The link is for the Kernel which is where the heart of the OS resides. It's the primary source of fixes and sometimes breaks as well.

The biggest issue most people run into is transitioning from certain products like Office to the Open Office platform or other windows based products that we "rely" on. Through the years though figuring out work arounds for things has gotten easier.

For instance if you're using a webex / office communicator for internal messaging there's ways to use Pidgin to interface with those backend servers w/o having to hack the original software or put things into a VM to use them.

There's going to be some learning curve and challenges if you dig deeper into using it.

 

If I couldnt fulfill the same functions in Linux that I had in Windows I wouldnt have considered Linux to begin with for this machine.

So basically you're suggesting to plug in Kernels until it works. Thats not a solution thats a guessing game.

 

IT depends on what you need for apps porting from windows to linux. How much of an impediment it could pose if those apps or something similar in an open source version could replace.

The kernel swapping isn't necessary unless you want the latest improvements before they're rolled into a general release. The mention of them disabling certain functions like a touchpad were an observation of the 5.9 RC versions currently being worked on and not for general release.

Certain levels of release enable further features like 5.6 enables a native implementation of wireguard for faster vpn connectivity instead of building a package for it by scratch.

If you stick with the native x.04 / x.10 releases from the ISO you shouldn't encounter many issues from working out of the box standpoint. At least with linux you're not subjected to auto installs of updates like windows that can potentially lead to bigger issues like reinstalling the OS or recovering from a backup due to a bad KB release.

If you're tinkering in the sandbox beyond what's provided from a tested / accepted update then you know you're potentially in for some headaches trying to TS the issue. If you setup and partition things correctly where your files you need are somewhere other than the default locations assigned during install then a fresh install of linux takes a couple of minutes to complete and start over if you're not in the mood to TS the issue.

There are some mechanisms in place to prevent you from doing something detrimental by requiring additional authentication to perform those acts but, if you aren't paying close attention you could wipe out the gui by removing a piece of software you deem not needed. To fix it is pretty simple by reinstalling the minimal or desktop package for the particular flavor you're using from command line.

In general though linux has come a long way over the years in being more user friendly and compatible with more mainstream devices and apps.

 

I feel like you are taking the thread off topic.

I already know what I can use to service my needs in Linux, I dont particularly need a history lesson here or generalities.

I have a t450 touchpad in my t440p.

 

Then just boot from a livecd image and test the touchpad.

After confirming that then confirm which flavor you want to use and you're off to the races.

 

I have already done that with the more common distros for some time now going back about 2-3 versions LTS and non LTS.

Which is why the thread was made. This isnt a merits or demerits of Linux thread, its a, cant get my touchpad working in Linux please help thread.

 

which leads back to the kernel issue being a potential solution to fix your touchpad.

do:
uname -r
lsusb
lspci

and the output should show whether or not the kernel see the touchpad. Most of these things use standard drivers across the board since they're mostly based on the same innards.

I guess I should ask if it works in BIOS? Works in livecd mode? Works in a different OS?

Is it possible the ribbon connection isn't fully seated?

https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/ba5f3d/replacing_t440p_trackpad_with_t450_trackpad_on/

https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/b2qi8o/after_endless_hours_of_downloading_drivers_i/

It looks like in Arch Linux this seems to work. Apparently there's a bit of a conflict with default drivers depending on which model if it's synaptic or not. If it works in one it should work in all if there's an additional package required to enable it to function.

https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Thinkpad/T450s/jessie -- has a config file to enable functions

https://gist.github.com/kzar/5fc9e288f655285bac40 -- also has a hack to enable the pad

 

Dude read the OP, please.

First links command is on page 1.
Second link is for Win10.

 

Install synaptics only if your touchpad is synaptics. ELAN, Alps etc.. acts weird and cursor jump all over the place with Synaptics driver. I'm using ideapad with ELAN Touchpad. So far, I've seen enabling Two finger scrolling fixes jumpy cursor on ubuntu 20 (regression which ubuntu 18 never had).
I'd suggest installing linux-tools-*your_kernel_version* (5.4 or 5.8). along with linux-firmware to get all drivers up and running.

 

thus far none of the commands are working for me. I guess Linux is a bust?

 

Even Two finger scrolling didn't fix the issue?

 

There is no scrolling to even attempt. Touchpad doesnt work at all in any Linux distro and linux cant navigate itself without it, same goes for Android x86 as well.

For the present time I have given up on Linux again. Would love to give it a serious go but if I cant have basic functions... Windows works just fine with no driver versus Linux with any driver. Maybe on the next laptop I get I'll try again who knows

 

I observed similar kind of issue when I replaced palm rest and back cover of my ideapad and touchpad worked on Windows but not on Linux since Devid were mismatch and was some generic OEM instead of ELAN. I grabbed heat gun and took out older ELAN board and transplanted it to new body. And it worked on Linux perfectly.
Seems more like hardware ID whitelist in BIOS/Linux.

 

I gave up on installing linux on my t440p, which is a shame considering that was half the reason I got it. Thinking about building up a W541 which had the 3 button touchpad from stock.

It has a 3K panel as well so might be an interesting browsing capable / writing / inkarnate kind of machine.