Touchpad and Keyboard stop working on Lubuntu 18.04.2

Note: it starts with the touch pad being de-activated, grows to the keyboard later, and then the USB devices.

This is strange stuff that reeks of a hardware issue of some kind. Finding the solution without having the same hardware ourselves is going to be tricky.

First, do you need 32 bit support? I know some of those P4s could handle 64 bit. That would allow you to use newer versions which will inevitably have more bug fixes if that's the issue. Also, support for 32 bit ends forever for Lubuntu in 2021 so if you can avoid it, that would be better, long term.

Second, have you tried to boot with the on board input devices disabled? If my theory is correct, i.e. that perhaps you have a problem with your bus, knocking it out might solve the problem. If I'm right, it will mean external devices only, but at least things will be usable.

Third, does the spreading of disability happen quickly? When is happening, is the system responsive to the devices still functioning? If not, part of me wonders if it's not an issue of being bogged down due to limited resources. If you leave it idle and do nothing with it, does the problem occur then, too? If not, then that suggests it may actually be the system becoming unresponsive and the behavior with the input devices just a byproduct of that.

Finally, providing logs from /var/log/syslog and Xorg.0.log should be helpful. Make sure the timestamps coincide with the time that the devices stopped working.

I don't think it is hardware. I can re-boot into Windows XP and it works fine. The keyboard works in the menus on Lubuntu bootup, but quits before login.

I tried another fix from another site, but it filled my partition space. I can't boot at all now. I have to re-install again.

It looks to me that a lot of people are having problems with this. I can find a lot of posts in google. I will have to look up the processor specs to see what it will handle.

This is the first bug I've seen describing this issue and the first time I've heard it mentioned anywhere including support channels and mailing lists. Similarly, having been involved in the testing of Lubuntu for a long time, I've never seen this come up. That said, I'm convinced it's hardware related. At minimum, it's a quirk about the hardware you have that the software doesn't adequately handle, but it is not universal to all computers, laptops, etc.

It is a Pentium 4 M 1.7Ghz 32bit processor.
Motherboard only supports 512MB RAM
Ram is at its max.
That is why I downloaded the 18.04.2 version - Not enough RAM for the others.

Other versions can work on low RAM but with that little, it's hardly usable for things like web browsing.

Also I asked about 32 versus 64 bit. If `grep lm /proc/cpuingo` returns something, use 19.04.

Here are the complaints of the same issue found in a google search: https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&ei=g_fNXPnwKoywtQWXnqqYDg&q=Touchpad+and+keyboard+stop+working+in+Lubuntu&btnK=Google+Search&oq=Touchpad+and+keyboard+stop+working+in+Lubuntu&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i22i29i30.11377.27473..28523...2.0..0.181.4268.32j14......0....1..gws-wiz.....6..35i39j0i67j0i131j0i10j0j0i20i263j0i22i30j0i22i10i30.7AVZv4m1USw

I was using the machine for Pi-Hole. That was going to be its sole purpose. I had Pi-hole running fine on it.

I already tried 19.04. It will not install.

That's not exactly the same. Also you haven't answered all my questions. And here's another: would 19.04 not install or not boot?

And one more: does the problem exist in the live environment?

I re-installed everything... touchpad and keyboard are working at the moment.
(took a couple hours)

As per your request:
grep lm /proc/cpuingo
"There is no such file or directory"

I'm afraid to run any updates - it might break it again.

If I could find a decent DNS filter for Windows, I wouldn't be using this.

I took computer programming "information systems technology programming" many years ago.
I have my diploma in "micro-computer electronics technology" - component level replacement.
I was a technician for many years. I can tell you, there is nothing wrong with the electronics.
Everything passed the hardware tests.

I think it is lack of thoroughness in the device driver programming, and poor implementation. I had to write code around Logitech's bugs in their drivers - but at least those were TSRs separate from the O/S and they didn't suddenly disappear from existence after a few re-boots. 10 years later, they never fixed those same bugs. I couldn't tell you if the ones they have for Windows still have them (since there isn't any real need to use assembler to access the drivers directly in Delphi), I haven't coded in many, many years.

I can assure you that this Pentium 4 processor is strictly maximum 32bit. Intel's spec sheet specifically says '64bit = "NO"' … https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/27355/mobile-intel-pentium-4-processor-m-1-70-ghz-512k-cache-400-mhz-fsb.html

I have to say that Linux is still like the old Commodor "Load program,8,1" type of archaic mayhem. I pity you guys trying to work with it. I hated acronyms that never made any sense when I did IBM AS400 programming.

Can I turn off all the auto updates some how to see if that prevents the issue from recurring?

cpuinfo, I meant. Anyways, it's irrelevant at this point.

Updates are not automated. You'll get notifications, but you don't have to accept them.

For your install, do you download the image again? Did you make new installation media?

I wouldn't be so sure about your hardware unless you can tell me you've tested every single circuit.

Does it make sense that you do the same thing at two different times and it produces two different results?

If this occurs again, we will need information from the logs to diagnose it further.

This has occurred consistently with two different re-installs.

I re-downloaded the ISO and re-flashed the USB drive this time just in case.

This is my third time re-installing.

The fact that Windows XP consistently works with the keyboard and touchpad, that the keyboard works until after selection has been made from the boot menu to start Lubuntu, and that the touchpad and keyboard work when booting from the USB, all tell me it isn't the hardware.

And even if one of the circuits were not working in the keyboard, I'd get either sections of keyboard not working but still able to press other keys, numberlock and caplock lights not working or staying on continuously, an audible beeping tone from the machine from the keyboard buffer being overloaded, or I wouldn't be able to access and navigate the BIOS.

This laptop was hardly used by its previous owner, they had Alzheimer's and only used it to read their e-sword Bible program and occasionally type a few notes and prayer lists until they couldn't anymore.

Hopefully the issue was more to do with a corrupt ISO image, but from the other posts, it looks more like something to do with updates to the synaptics driver.

I will let you know if it happens again.

The "standby" machine (not the same one) I have DOES have a bad keyboard and is awaiting a transplant I ordered (it is a much faster computer - Toshiba Duo Core 64bit, 4GB RAM) $11.00 US for a brand new replacement keyboard is worth the risk but I don't want to get my hopes up for it - its an abused machine - some people just don't get that you shouldn't eat over a keyboard. (I've tried Mint on it - so far no issues). It should be here in a couple days.

I wasn't suggesting a bad keyboard. More an issue with a bus or the motherboard.

Anyways, you do bring up a point: you did check the hashes of the image, right? And you did check the installation media for defects at the GRUB menu, right? Because if not, we should stop right there.

Finally, why don't you just drop synaptics for libinput? The author is the same and he basically deprecated synaptics for libinput. In general, I think you'll have a better experience with it.

I couldn't find the hash info. The download came from here: https://lubuntu.me/downloads/
And yes I ran the check the first installation.

I've had to use a boot manager (Plop Boot Manager) because that machine does not support booting from USB, and it doesn't have a DVD drive (CD only).

You can find the hashes in the same directory as the images:
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/releases/18.04/release/

So what using libinput instead of synaptics?

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