Voodooi2c: ELAN1200 stops working after a period of use

[Jie2GG]

Describe the bug
ELAN1200 was not responsive after a period of use, so it stopped working. My Touchpad working in GPIO model

Did you read the common errors documentation?
Yes

Did you read the troubleshooting documentation?
Yes

Have you searched the issue on Github, Gitter, or Google?
Yes

System Environment
Please answer:
Operation System: macOS Catalina 10.15.4
Device Version: VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID (2.4.2)

|Name|Model|Note
:-:|:-:|:-:|
|CPU|Intel Core i5 8265U @ 1.6GHz
|Main board|X530FN_S5300FN|BIOS Version: 305
|RAM|16G x 2
|SSD|WDC PC SN520 (512GB)
|HDD|WDC WD20SPZX-22CRAT0 (2TB)
|WLAN|BCM94350ZEN (DW1820A)
|GPU|Intel UHD Graphics 620
|Touchpad|ELAN1200

Troubleshooting Archive
This is my laptop DSDT, SSDT, ioreg and logs
VoodooI2C.zip

Additional context

I used FingerMgmt to detect the finger state and found that there is always a finger on the Touchpad (in fact, there is no finger on the Touchpad).
This is the first time working has stopped. Before this, once in the while the mouse pointer was not sensitive (but pressing the keyboard can restore normal).
It is worth noting that waking from sleep can restore working.

[kprinssu]

Can you upload a screen capture of the problem? It's kind of hard to make out the issue from your description.

[Jie2GG]

Can you upload a screen capture of the problem? It's kind of hard to make out the issue from your description.

Since this problem appears very few times, it may take me a long time to reproduce the problem and take a screenshot. (It only happened once since I upgraded to VoodooI2C 2.4.2).

PS: It is important to note that the mouse pointer always becomes insensitive before this happens

[kprinssu]

Please try to capture the behaviour via a screen recording if you can. It has hard to understand the problem from your description.

[Jie2GG]

Please try to capture the behaviour via a screen recording if you can. It has hard to understand the problem from your description.

Hi, I via a screen recording get VoodooI2C stop working of situation.
This time, FingerMgmt detected two fingers resting on the trackpad. (in fact, there is no finger on the Touchpad).

• Video.zip
• 

[kprinssu]

It looks like the driver just stopped reporting the gestures half way through. Looks to be another code issue with VoodooI2CHID.

[Jie2GG]

It looks like the driver just stopped reporting the gestures half way through. Looks to be another code issue with VoodooI2CHID.

There is one notable detail. When I just opened FingerMgmt, the touchpad did not show my finger until I touched the touchpad and the above picture appeared

[Jie2GG]

It looks like the driver just stopped reporting the gestures half way through. Looks to be another code issue with VoodooI2CHID.

If you need me to provide other relevant information, please contact me directly

[kprinssu]

I would need you need to run debug versions of VoodooI2C and VoodooI2CHID (one which prints out the finger positions). I suspect it's changes to VoodooGPIO that is causing the issue.

@Jie2GG off hand, can you test these kexts:

Archive.zip

Those are built from master and are the latest versions of VoodooI2C and VoodooI2CHID.

[Jie2GG]

I would need you need to run debug versions of VoodooI2C and VoodooI2CHID (one which prints out the finger positions). I suspect it's changes to VoodooGPIO that is causing the issue.

@Jie2GG off hand, can you test these kexts:

Archive.zip

Those are built from master and are the latest versions of VoodooI2C and VoodooI2CHID.

OK, No problem. But how do I provide that information?

[kprinssu]

For the time being, please use the above and then wait and see if the issue pops up. Please confirm if the issue is fixed or not while using the above kexts.

[Jie2GG]

Ok, I have used the debug version VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID and clear system log. If any of exceptions, I will commit my system log.

[kprinssu]

There are no debug log prints in the above kexts, I just want to check if the latest version of master fixes your issue.

[Jie2GG]

There are no debug log prints in the above kexts, I just want to check if the latest version of master fixes your issue.

Thank. I will soon test result.

[Jie2GG]

There are no debug log prints in the above kexts, I just want to check if the latest version of master fixes your issue.

Hi, After testing, it was found that debug version are still issues

[Bronfentrinker]

I have the same problem. On similar hardware (Asus x509fa i7-8565u, touchpad elan1200). I tried the kext from the archive, but the problem remained.

[kprinssu]

@Jie2GG does this issue occur on 2.3 of VoodooI2C?+

[Bronfentrinker]

@Jie2GG does this issue occur on 2.3 of VoodooI2C?+

The issue is still with version 2.4.3

[hieplpvip]

Same for me

[Jie2GG]

@kprinssu This issues occur on version 2.2 of VoodooI2C+, version 2.1.4 my laptop not working

[iDanielSouza]

I'm using macOS Catalina 10.15.5 and this works with my trackpad:
Try to install in your clover folder the kext VoodooI2CHID.kext from the release 2.1.6 and VoodooI2C.kext from the latest release.
This issue doesn't occur to me since I did it 3 days ago.
(My laptop: Asus Vivobook X510UR-BQ378T/Core i5 8250U)

[Bronfentrinker]

I'm using macOS Catalina 10.15.5 and this works with my trackpad:
Try to install in your clover folder the kext VoodooI2CHID.kext from the release 2.1.6 and VoodooI2C.kext from the latest release.
This issue doesn't occur to me since I did it 3 days ago.
(My laptop: Asus Vivobook X510UR-BQ378T/Core i5 8250U)

not working for me. with version 2.1.6 the touchpad does not work at all

[soffyo]

This is happening for me too (asus Zenbook UX331UN, ELAN 1200). GPIO or polling mode bring the same problem, the trackpad becomes unresponsive at random times. It works again after sleep.

[iDanielSouza]

Is the issue still happening on Catalina 10.15.6?

[Fradri]

Same issue for me with ELAN1200. (On Asus Zenbook UX330)
Trackpad randomly stops working, usually a few minutes after starting or sleep.
It lasts 2-3 minutes, i wait, and then it becomes operational again ...

Yesterday I updated to Catalina 10.15.6, for the moment no freezing problem.
But no gesture support with the last version of VoodooI2C (2.4.3). (No scrolling, right clic with two finger ...)
With version 2.3 the trackpad does not work at all.
I fixed this problem by using VoodooI2CHID under the latest version 2.4.3 and VoodooI2C from 2.3 and the gestures are working again!

[Goshin]

Maybe a hardware-specific problem.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1778087

[mishurov]

Same issue for me with ELAN1200. (On Asus Zenbook UX310). Polling mode.

Random not loading during boot phase was solved with this patch, it allows using the latest version:
https://github.com/VoodooI2C/VoodooI2C/issues/319#issuecomment-646437623

@Goshin Linux is my primary OS. The vast majority of my time I spend in Debian. It works fine in Linux.

[Jie2GG]

Yes, ‘ELAN1200’ touchpad working in polling also stop.

[technoeunuch]

I really wish this one could be sorted out, those random timeouts are really getting on my nerves. Had to use a backup optical mouse most of the time.

[mishurov]

@technoeunuch the same story, I bought a Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600 to don't interrupt work during these blackouts.

[ben9923]

Does it still happen with latest VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID?

[Jie2GG]

Does it still happen with latest VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID?

Yes, latest VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID still will happen this issues.
Sorry, I didn't notice the latest version 2.6.3, I am currently updating to this version for testing

[Jie2GG]

Does it still happen with latest VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID?

~Yes, latest VoodooI2C + VoodooI2CHID still will happen this issues.~
Sorry, I didn't notice the latest version 2.6.3, I am currently updating to this version for testing

@ben9923 The latest version 2.6.3 has been tested and there is still a risk of stopping, which usually occurs after the touchpad is before it stops working.

[kprinssu]

@nickcname13241 Please do not comment on an existing issue unless it's related to the original conversation at hand.

[kprinssu]

@pamrish The issue is with the hardware and it seems like there are not any fixes within Linux kernel module. Hence, we don't have a fix.

Please avoid commenting on this issue if you do not have any issues or anything else to contribute to the discussion at hand.

[mishurov]

It isn't a hardware issue. It works fine in Linux and in Windows. The issue with random halts is only in MacOS. Still happens with the latest Voodoo by the way.

[kprinssu]

I've been tracking the issue here, https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1778087

The touchpad randomly stopping/disconnecting seems to be a common problem.

The fix proposed was https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=670784fb4ebe54434e263837390e358405031d9e.

I didn't look at the post times, but the lack of new complaints on that issue seems to suggest that the regressions have been fixed.

@mishurov I'll attempt to add the changes above in test build. Would you mind testing it?

[Jie2GG]

I've been tracking the issue here, https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1778087

The touchpad randomly stopping/disconnecting seems to be a common problem.

The fix proposed was https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=670784fb4ebe54434e263837390e358405031d9e.

I didn't look at the post times, but the lack of new complaints on that issue seems to suggest that the regressions have been fixed.

@mishurov I'll attempt to add the changes above in test build. Would you mind testing it?

No problem. I participated in the test

[mishurov]

@kprinssu my primary system is Debian, I had no issues with disconnecting in Linux whatsoever. It has some other subtle issues, irrelevant for the topic, but has never random stops. I had no need to reload the module or so.

Yet in MacOS it stops working, becomes irresponsive for a while and then returns to life again. So I have to turn temporarily a BT mouse and use it until the touchpad wakes up.

The fix, in the link, seems somehow to touch the GPIO chip. I'm on Skylake and it directly uses IRQ without GPIO mapping in Linux and polling mode in MacOS, so I'm not sure if my machine can be useful.

[Goshin]

@kprinssu That fix seems to be already present in VoodooGPIO.
https://github.com/VoodooI2C/VoodooGPIO/blob/master/VoodooGPIO/VoodooGPIO.cpp#L318-L321

And @Jie2GG reported in https://github.com/VoodooI2C/VoodooI2C/issues/321#issuecomment-698689982 that polling mode is also problematic, so it might not be GPIO related.

[kprinssu]

@Goshin Yes, you're right, but few things:

• 2.6.3 includes the above changes from what I can see
• VoodooGPIO has the fix, but we should set the offset by chipset (as this may change in newer chipsets)

See:
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/drivers/pinctrl/intel/pinctrl-icelake.c#L38 vs https://github.com/VoodooI2C/VoodooGPIO/blob/master/VoodooGPIO/IceLake-LP/VoodooGPIOIceLakeLP.hpp#L35

[Goshin]

@kprinssu Yes, I agree. It will be better to use community->is_offset there.

[jjsmith92]

The problem was solved by links and patches from this thread https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=200663
I applied all patches that i have found related to elan touchpad (it was about ~5 patches). And the problem is gone, no more disconnects for ~12 hours and the touchpad begin works better.
Fun fact: the 5-finger bug has also been was on a Mac, but no one has reported it. Hint: you need to make chips with 5 fingers for 1-2 minutes and the touchpad will disc...
https://dropmefiles.com/JGHkM
In the archive there is a compiled kexts and source code. It is written very dirty (but it works), so whoever wants can test and then rewrite and make PR.

[kprinssu]

@jjsmith92 Can you please create a PR? This has been a longstanding issue and I'd very much would like to get this fixed.

Heads up to others, @ben9923 and myself will not be providing support for the above binaries. Please use at your own risk.

[mishurov]

@kprinssu No, don't close the issue. The fix is only for Coffee Lake and is related to GPIO. Sky Lake and Kaby Lake work well in Linux, via IRQ, in MacOS it supports only the polling mode and the problem still exists.

[kprinssu]

@kprinssu No, don't close the issue. The fix is only for Coffee Lake and is related to GPIO. Sky Lake and Kaby Lake work well in Linux, via IRQ, in MacOS it supports only the polling mode and the problem still exists.

I was not planning on closing this issue until it's been completely fixed.