Zephyrus G15 (2020) Touchpad not working

[Stoat]

I have tried installing Linux on my laptop a couple of times over the years and always have given up when I can't fix couldn't fix my touchpad. No functionality are working, even just moving the cursor. It works fine on my Windows installation. I tried a bunch of different kernels, currently on 6.18, and nothing seems to work. I also tried finding fixes online for my specific touchpad (ELAN1205) and there's nothing I've that fixes my touchpad. Here is what I get when I run dmesg | grep -i 'elan\|i2c\|hid' for the logs :

stoat@stoat-laptop:~$ dmesg | grep -i 'elan\|i2c\|hid'
[ 0.207756] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR0, rdevid:0xa0
[ 0.207758] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR1, rdevid:0xa0
[ 0.207759] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR2, rdevid:0xa0
[ 0.207760] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR3, rdevid:0xa0
[ 0.571113] i2c_dev: i2c /dev entries driver
[ 8.673391] hid: raw HID events driver (C) Jiri Kosina
[ 8.677689] i2c_hid: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[ 8.700818] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
[ 8.700823] usbhid: USB HID core driver
[ 8.722392] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to fetch HID descriptor: -121
[ 8.722405] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: Failed to fetch the HID Descriptor
[ 9.193792] hid-generic 0003:0B05:1866.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Key board [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input0
[ 9.245964] hid-generic 0003:0B05:1866.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Key board [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input1
[ 9.298150] hid-generic 0003:0B05:1866.0003: input,hiddev0,hidraw2: USB HID v 1.10 Device [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input2
[ 9.395047] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [ ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input0
[ 9.475273] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [ ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input1
[ 9.532977] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0003: using HID for asus::kbd_backlight
[ 9.592391] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0003: input,hiddev0,hidraw2: USB HID v1.10 De vice [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input2
[ 15.773845] i2c i2c-2: Successfully instantiated SPD at 0x51
[ 17.012898] nvidia-gpu 0000:01:00.3: i2c timeout error e0000000
[ 17.012920] ucsi_ccg 1-0008: i2c_transfer failed -110

Would be grateful to get any help so I can finally run Linux on my laptop!

Edit : The laptop's full model is the ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502IV

 

[Alexzee]

Hi! Stoat & Welcome to Linux.org!

I found the specs for your Asus laptop here:

ROG Zephyrus G15 | Laptops | ROG Global

rog.asus.com

It sounds like it could be communication error and <or> a BIOS firmware issue but not 100% certain. Maybe a driver isn't loading?

Our Moderator @Brickwizard is much better with hardware than I am.
So let's see what he says.

In the meantime, maybe try a wireless mouse that comes with a dongle.
Logitech works well with Linux.

Alex

 

[Condobloke]

Welcome to Linux.org

Which Linux is installed ?

 

[Condobloke]

IN Linux Mint, 22.2.....​

Touchpad drivers​

The default touchpad driver in this edition is "libinput" (provided by the xserver-xorg-input-libinput package).


If you experience problems with it, you can switch to another driver called "synaptics" (provided by the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package).


To know which driver is used by your input devices, run the following command:


grep -i "Using input driver" /var/log/Xorg.0.log


When both drivers are installed, "synaptics" takes priority.


To switch to the "synaptics" driver, install it with the command:


apt install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics


Then log out and log back in.


To go back to using "libinput", simply remove the "synaptics" driver:


apt remove xserver-xorg-input-synaptics


Then log out and log back in.


Note: You can also try installing the "evdev" driver (provided by the xserver-xorg-input-evdev).

 

[Stoat]

Hi! Stoat & Welcome to Linux.org!

I found the specs for your Asus laptop here:

ROG Zephyrus G15 | Laptops | ROG Global

rog.asus.com

It sounds like it could be communication error and <or> a BIOS firmware issue but not 100% certain. Maybe a driver isn't loading?

Our Moderator @Brickwizard is much better with hardware than I am.
So let's see what he says.

In the meantime, maybe try a wireless mouse that comes with a dongle.
Logitech works well with Linux.

Alex

Hi and thank you for the warm welcome! Seem like I am using libinput drivers for my touchpad, I tried evdev and synaptics and both didn't work. I also found 2 threads started on different forums and both have some information that might be useful although there is no fix yet from what I have seen. Both threads have the same HID error and the same laptop model.

Just like in one of the threads, I don't see an alias for the ELAN1205 touchpad in the mouse input drivers.

Elantech touchpad is not recognized. / Kernel & Hardware / Arch Linux Forums

bbs.archlinux.org

208547 – ELAN1205 touchpad is not working on ASUS G15

bugzilla.kernel.org

 

[tpkusr]

I tried a bunch of different kernels, currently on 6.18

Have you tried 6.1 lts or 6.6 lts kernel. You can try it. I had similar issue with my hp laptop touchpad, when I changed to different kernel it works smoothly. Btw which Linux distro are you using?

 

[theLegionWithin]

I have tried installing Linux on my laptop a couple of times over the years and always have given up when I can't fix couldn't fix my touchpad. No functionality are working, even just moving the cursor. It works fine on my Windows installation. I tried a bunch of different kernels, currently on 6.18, and nothing seems to work. I also tried finding fixes online for my specific touchpad (ELAN1205) and there's nothing I've that fixes my touchpad.

presumably you've tried the following:

sudo modprobe -r i2c_hid_acpi
sudo modprobe i2c_hid_acpi

ran a few queries and found this --> https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Laptop#Elantech

 

[Alexzee]

Hi and thank you for the warm welcome! Seem like I am using libinput drivers for my touchpad, I tried evdev and synaptics and both didn't work. I also found 2 threads started on different forums and both have some information that might be useful although there is no fix yet from what I have seen. Both threads have the same HID error and the same laptop model.

Just like in one of the threads, I don't see an alias for the ELAN1205 touchpad in the mouse input drivers.

Elantech touchpad is not recognized. / Kernel & Hardware / Arch Linux Forums

bbs.archlinux.org

208547 – ELAN1205 touchpad is not working on ASUS G15

bugzilla.kernel.org

You're welcome.

I read through the touchpad drivers in the driveraliases.txt that you attached. Sorry to see there isn't a driver for your pc.

Check your journal. Then the Arch link and commands that @theLegionWithin posted and see what they return.
Might work, might not, worth a try IMO.
Aside from that you could use C++ to build a custom driver. OR> try kernel 6.1 or 6.6 like @tpkusr said.

Are you running Linux Mint? Debian? Arch? Which Linux is installed on your Zephyrus G155?

 

[Condobloke]

Welcome to Linux.org

Which Linux is installed ?

 

[Stoat]

I am using linux Mint 22.2. I tried using the commands @theLegionWithin and the touchpad didn't respond. I installed kernel 6.1 and 6.6 and both didn't work, but on kernel 6.1 the error message does change. I don't get this anymore

[ 8.722392] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to fetch HID descriptor: -121
[ 8.722405] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: Failed to fetch the HID Descriptor

I get an error message when trying to modprobe i2c_hid_acpi :
stoat@stoat-laptop:~$ dmesg | grep -i 'elan\|i2c\|hid'
[ 0.196916] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR0, rdevid:160
[ 0.196919] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR1, rdevid:160
[ 0.196920] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR2, rdevid:160
[ 0.196920] AMD-Vi: ivrs, add hid:AMDI0020, uid:\_SB.FUR3, rdevid:160
[ 0.997365] i2c_dev: i2c /dev entries driver
[ 1.324843] hid: raw HID events driver (C) Jiri Kosina
[ 1.916632] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
[ 1.916672] usbhid: USB HID core driver
[ 2.000327] hid-generic 0003:0B05:1866.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input0
[ 2.060311] hid-generic 0003:0B05:1866.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input1
[ 2.120398] hid-generic 0003:0B05:1866.0003: input,hiddev0,hidraw2: USB HID v1.10 Device [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input2
[ 2.284142] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input0
[ 2.416185] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input1
[ 2.548132] asus 0003:0B05:1866.0003: input,hiddev0,hidraw2: USB HID v1.10 Device [ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N-KEY Device] on usb-0000:06:00.3-3/input2
[ 7.044415] nvidia-gpu 0000:01:00.3: i2c timeout error e0000000
[ 7.044434] ucsi_ccg 6-0008: i2c_transfer failed -110
[ 338.220107] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to reset device.
[ 338.220124] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to reset device: -121
[ 338.220206] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to change power setting.
[ 339.232285] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to change power setting.
[ 340.256270] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to change power setting.
[ 341.280216] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: failed to change power setting.
[ 342.303925] i2c_hid_acpi i2c-ELAN1205:00: can't add hid device: -121
[ 342.304151] i2c_hid_acpi: probe of i2c-ELAN1205:00 failed with error -121

I've also attached the whole dmesg incase there's an error I didn't grep correctly related to the touchpad.

Thank you all again!

 

[Mukundk24]

You should paste this in grub configuration
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="...... psmouse.synaptics_intertouch=1"
Paste psmouse.synaptics_intertouch=1 in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT
This solve issue in my laptop.
My laptop:
HP 250 g7(2021 model)

 

[Trml]

Laptops usually have a kernel module to configure model specifics incl. hotkeys, it could be buggy or blocking hardware. If the laptop has a hotkey to disable the touchpad, try to toggle that. If it has no effect, try whether other hotkeys (e.g. screen brightness, airplane mode) work.

 

[Stoat]

You should paste this in grub configuration
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="...... psmouse.synaptics_intertouch=1"
Paste psmouse.synaptics_intertouch=1 in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT
This solve issue in my laptop.
My laptop:
HP 250 g7(2021 model)

I tried sadly and it doesn't work. Seems like the kernel has an issue trying to detect the mousepad functionally correctly and makes it, I'm guessing, impossible to interact with the touchpad without a kernel fix (i2c_elan module).

Laptops usually have a kernel module to configure model specifics incl. hotkeys, it could be buggy or blocking hardware. If the laptop has a hotkey to disable the touchpad, try to toggle that. If it has no effect, try whether other hotkeys (e.g. screen brightness, airplane mode) work.

I tried the hotkey to disable/enable and it doesn't do anything, it's enabled in the settings though.

I think I'll have to give up again since what seems to be the fix would be to play in the kernel. I don't have any experience or knowledge and I don't really have the time to learn about kernels to fix the issue.

Thank you all for your help, this is a great community!

 

[f33dm3bits]

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550 - ArchWiki

 

[Alexzee]

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550 - ArchWiki

A good read and a great way to get one thinking to get this touchpad working!