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I have just gone through a pretty rough installation on an old laptop and for some reason it wont recognize my touchpad. The synaptics folder is entirely missing...the xinput list shows that I have a pointer (that must be the touchpad), but the synaptiks software won't recognize the touchpad at all. For some reason it doesnt load due to my boot option. Is there a way to find out why or a device manager or something? Notes:

  1. I am currently booting lubuntu with the boot option "acpi=off"; and tired acpi=off noapic nolapic and several combinations of these 3. Plus....acpi.power_nocheck=1 and acpi_osi=linux, apm=off and noapm. The acpi.power_nocheck=1 worked for a few hours that it started to give me error messages of high core temperature.
  2. An attached mouse works just fine.
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  • have you tried any of the other "acpi=" values in the link help.ubuntu.com/community/BootOptions
    – fossfreedom
    Apr 23, 2012 at 8:53
  • ... also - have you looked into whether there is a bios update available for your laptop?
    – fossfreedom
    Apr 23, 2012 at 8:55
  • @fossfreedom yes, I've tried the noapic and nolapic options (and combinations too). No luck at all. Upgrading the BIOS...I'd rather not mess with that.
    – Elysium
    Apr 23, 2012 at 8:56
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    please add to your question the boot options you've tried from the table "Common Kernel Options" - e.g. "acpi.power_nocheck=1 OR acpi_osi=linux " or "apm=off OR noapm " etc etc. Also add details of any power management options you have in your BIOS. What is your BIOS version - this might be useful to check if a later BIOS update has some fixes. Some details of your laptop would be useful - make - model.
    – fossfreedom
    Apr 23, 2012 at 9:02
  • @fossfreedom ok, just edited the main post...by the way, I've never tried acpi.power_nocheck=1 or acpi_osi=linux.
    – Elysium
    Apr 23, 2012 at 9:15

1 Answer 1

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general tips

For problems such as this, it is worth looking at the common boot options you can use to boot Ubuntu.

acpi=off turns off all power management features and/does interfere with valuable functionality such as track-pad as well as the expected power-management of your battery and fans etc.

Most often, problems such as this can be traced back to a BIOS that is old, buggy and needs updating to the latest available.

Sometimes, even with the latest BIOS, Ubuntu will need some help.

A valuable resource is the Community Boot options wiki.

For example, try acpi.power_nocheck=1 OR acpi_osi=linux etc.

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  • sorry to be a pain, but I am back to the same old problem. The acpi_osi=linux worked for a fews hours...and started to give me the error message of high temperature and the laptop shut down. I am back to the acpi=off mode, is there any other options that I could add to make the touchpad work?
    – Elysium
    Apr 23, 2012 at 22:10
  • one of my comments above I asked for more information. Please can you add this to your question ... Thanks.
    – fossfreedom
    Apr 23, 2012 at 22:42
  • "Also add details of any power management options you have in your BIOS. What is your BIOS version - this might be useful to check if a later BIOS update has some fixes. Some details of your laptop would be useful - make - model. "
    – fossfreedom
    Apr 24, 2012 at 8:51

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