On the login screen, I can clearly see my mouse. Once logged in, it is still there. I still get the behavior, just with an invisible mouse. How do I make it visible? This is a new install on a new used laptop I picked-up.
Edit: If I plugin a usb mouse, I see the cursor. This problem only happens when using my touchpad and haven't yet plugged in a usb mouse. How odd!
mbevks A few basic questions:
(1) Make/Model laptop?
(2) Solus version (Budgie, Gnome, MATE, Plasma)?
(3) Did you run sudo eopkg up after installation?
(4) Does running sudo eopkg check | grep Broken | awk '{print $4}' | xargs sudo eopkg it --reinstall show any problems?
in addition to Tom's advice is great.
usb mouse=visible
touchpad mouse=invisible after login
obviously can rule out a bluetooth issue.
if you mean little square touchpad that normally sits horizontal in front of the keys, and not touchscreen, then I think there is a repo package for this with additional drivers?----I ended this with a question mark so someone can confirm.
check for broken stuff first though
The package that handles touchpad input also handles keyboard and mouse. It's package name is 'xorg-driver-input-evdev' and is probably already installed, or keyboard and USB mouse wouldn't work. You can double check in Software Center or via command line
eopkg info xorg-driver-input-evdev
For what it's worth, I've got Solus on my Dell XPS 17 laptop and the touchpad worked right after installing the OS. I suspect an issue with X / Wayland or that module I just mentioned. To provide any more help, we'll need that information tomscharbach mentioned, when you get the chance. Also, are you using X (default) or Wayland with your desktop environment?
TraceyC It's package name is 'xorg-driver-input-evdev' and is probably already installed, or keyboard and USB mouse wouldn't work.
(this is an aside, but none of that stuff is installed on my desktop which begs the question: can/does a linux installer differentiate between laptop and desktop during the install process? gotta be a yes I think).
brent can/does a linux installer differentiate between laptop and desktop during the install process?
As far as I know: The installer installs the OS/DE package set in its entirety, desktop or laptop. During boot, the installed version identifies hardware, applying applicable drivers as the boot process proceeds.
For what it is worth I have Solus Plasma installed on my Latitude 7390, used with/without a USB external keyboard, with/without an external HDMI monitor, and with/without a USB wireless mouse. The laptop works in any of those combinations. I also have Solus Plasma installed on an external M.2 NVMe drive, and use that drive to boot on a number of different computers at the railroad, mostly desktops but a few laptops, from time to time. None of this would work unless the installer installed the entire OS/DE package set.
brent It's package name is 'xorg-driver-input-evdev' and is probably already installed, or keyboard and USB mouse wouldn't work.
I don't think that Solus installs xorg-driver-input-evdev as a default:
tomscharbach@dell-ts-7390-plasma ~ $ eopkg info xorg-driver-input-evdev
xorg-driver-input-evdev package is not installed
Package found in Solus repository:
Name: xorg-driver-input-evdev, version: 2.10.6, release: 30
Summary: Generic Linux input driver
Description: The Xorg Evdev Driver package contains Generic Linux input driver for the Xorg X server. It handles
keyboard, mouse, touchpads and wacom devices, though for touchpad and wacom advanced handling, additional drivers are required. .
Licenses: MIT
Component: xorg.driver
Dependencies: glibc systemd libevdev mtdev
Distribution: Solus, Dist. Release: 1
Architecture: x86_64, Installed Size: 87.00 KB, Package Size: 29.00 KB
Reverse Dependencies: xorg-driver-input-evdev-devel xorg-driver-input-evdev-dbginfo
That is the report I get from both of my Solus builds. It might be that @mbevks can resolve his touchpad issue by installing the generic drivers, although is description describes an odd post-boot situation: "I still get the behavior, just with an invisible mouse. How do I make it visible?" I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but it sounds like the touchpad is functional after login, but the cursor does not display.
In any event, we need to hear from @mbevks before we can go much farther. Right now we are all speculating ahead of the facts.
tomscharbach I don't think that Solus installs xorg-driver-input-evdev as a default
I immediately questioned that assertion (xorg driver etc preintstalled) simply because I didn't have on my desktop.
but I read you "During boot, the installed version identifies hardware, applying applicable drivers as the boot process proceeds" and thought why not, then, makes sense which is why I missed it.
but if you don't have that xorg package and you have no usb mouse and your touchpad works then my original instinct was correct....being right not my concern though....when I type 'touchpad' in the SC there are approx 6 entries. still wonder if one will help OP.----or maybe you have something that OP needs to have?
Or it is all wayland/X specific?
Thanks for the extra work shedding some light on this, Tom. Nice of you.
(1) HP Pavilion x360 Convertible.
(2) Budgie.
(3) Yes.
(4) No problems shown.
Installing xorg-driver-input-evdev did not help.
Edit: Also, if I plug in the USB mouse and then unplug it, the cursor remains with just using the touchpad.
mbevks I'm scratching my head at this point. I think that this -- the touchpad cursor visible on the login screen, but no touchpad cursor visible after login unless and until a wireless mouse USB is inserted -- is the oddest behavior I've encountered.
The most obvious solutions (update, troubleshoot for corrupted software, install generic drivers) don't resolve the issue. I'm going to do more research and see if I can uncover anything similar.
I'm out-of-pocket for today and tomorrow, but you might explore the X/Wayland route with @TraceyC and see if that leads anywhere.
tomscharbach
https://discuss.getsol.us/d/1202-solus-not-detecting-touchpad-among-other-problems
makes the case that the place to start troubleshooting is 'does solus see the touchpad under settings/mouse&keys?' in which case xorg package was removed and a conf file amended and touchpad restored. this person had an invisible mouse and could only use USB mouse just like OP.
other than that forum search was zilch.
edit: that post unsolved ^ and written off as a kernel thing in the end but at least if you do see your device in cat /proc/bus/input/devices then you'd be closer to solving, imho, than not seeing it.
I went ahead and wiped the system and did another install from the same ISO. This time the mouse works just fine, so there must be something that went wrong in the earlier install process. Thanks for helping me think through this issue.
