Yes, when you first install Ubuntu, you will notice that the touchpad (the mouse) is not working. Never fear though – there is an easy fix!
When it first boots up, login and start a terminal. You may need an external mouse, or press alt+F2 and type “gnome-terminal” into the box, to get the terminal window up.
In the terminal:
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
At the end of the file are three kernel boot options. The first boot option will look something like:
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid 8fd4r505-1372-4s39-8r3fd3-a4fr56ygdf6063
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=8fd4r505-1372-4s39-8r3fd3-a4fr56ygdf6063 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet
You need to add i8042.nomux to the end of the kernel line:
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=8fd4r505-1372-4s39-8r3fd3-a4fr56ygdf6063 ro quiet splash i8042.nomux
Now just save and close the file, and reboot the netbook. When it comes back, your touchpad should work.
Thanks to Rob and others who helped me debugging this problem.
Great idea this site mate, well done,I installed the netbook inspired Ubuntu and love it.Your fix for touchpad worked spot on.Is it possible to adjust the sensitivity I cant find the settings anywhere?
I also installed your wireless fix but Im having dramas with my new dlink wireless (I have a 504t as well) but I cant get them to work….driving me nuts as it wont work on our thinkpad or Wind…grrr
Good luck and thanks for sharing your knowledge
Robbo
thanks rob
take a look at http://agoranetbook.kayno.net/?p=49 for info on adjusting the touchpad’s sensitivity
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Hi, just thought you might want to know, I also bought a Kogan Agora Netbook Pro – it’s quite a good buy! at first I quite liked gOS, but after a week or so of use, it is just not that great. I’ve been using your instructions to get UNR installed. It’s a pity it doesn’t just work straight from the usb key.
Anyway, I checked the xorg.conf in UNR, and found it was all defaults. I looked at the xorg.conf in gOS, and it has quite a bit of configuration in it. It seems to get the touchpad working without your ‘ i8042.nomux’ change to GRUB command. Here is what the file contained, help this helps:
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type “man xorg.conf” at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Generic Keyboard”
Driver “kbd”
Option “XkbRules” “xorg”
Option “XkbModel” “pc105″
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
EndSection
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Configured Mouse”
Driver “mouse”
Option “CorePointer”
EndSection
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Synaptics Touchpad”
Driver “synaptics”
Option “SendCoreEvents” “true”
Option “Device” “/dev/psaux”
Option “Protocol” “auto-dev”
Option “HorizEdgeScroll” “0″
EndSection
Section “Device”
Identifier “Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller”
Driver “intel”
BusID “PCI:0:2:0″
Option “MonitorLayout” “CRT,LFP”
Option “DevicePresence” “True”
EndSection
Section “Monitor”
Identifier “MyMonitor”
Option “DPMS”
EndSection
Section “Screen”
Identifier “Default Screen”
Device “Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller”
Monitor “MyMonitor”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 1
Modes “1680×1050″ “1280×1024″ “1280×960″ “1152×864″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 4
Modes “1680×1050″ “1280×1024″ “1280×960″ “1152×864″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1680×1050″ “1280×1024″ “1280×960″ “1152×864″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1680×1050″ “1280×1024″ “1280×960″ “1152×864″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1680×1050″ “1280×1024″ “1280×960″ “1152×864″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1680×1050″ “1280×1024″ “1280×960″ “1152×864″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Default Layout”
Screen “Default Screen”
InputDevice “Synaptics Touchpad”
EndSection
Hi Mark
Thanks for the info. I have seen the xorg.conf from an agora with the shipped version of gOS, and I do not believe it has anything special that makes the touchpad work.
When I first installed Ubuntu onto my agora, the kernel did not even register the touchpad device, so there is not much x can do at this stage – the device didn’t exist! It wasn’t until I added the i8024.nomux to the kernel boot options that the kernel registered the device, as seen in dmesg:
Before the i8024.nomux, this line never appeared.
I can only assume that the i8024.nomux option has been compiled into the kernel/module somewhere for the kogan agora version of gOS…
Cheers
Kayne
Sweet Mate!!! worked a treat….onto next page!
Is there a way to stop this extra option being removed when the kernel is updated?
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Hi Josh. i have investigated this and found a solution – see http://agoranetbook.kayno.net/2009/08/02/touchpad-update-ensuring-i8042-nomux-is-not-removed-when-your-kernel-is-updated/
Thanks….. the help was much appreciated!
THANKS!!!
it took me the whole public holiday to fix the problem with the touchpad – until I found your advise. Cheers
Steph
HEy Man!!, thanx !! really!!, i got my touchpad working with ubuntu on my netbook!, thank you very much!!