Ubuntu 16.04 LTS - Trackpad

The XPS 13 DE is officially supported on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, and anyone trying 16.04 is on their own, until Dell says they officially support it, which may be many months away.

Update :

vga=normal helped and I can install.

Broadcom WiFi does not work. Any tips please. Much appreciated.

Much thanks and gratitude.

Can you help & confirm that Ubuntu 14.04 LTS with the trackpad zip fixes will work on this current XPS 13 9350 just like a XPS released back when the fix was rprovided by DELL.

I am asking because after seeing your answer, I tried to install Ubuntu14.04 LTS and I am getting a black screen after grub menu, even though I am using "nomodeset" & "nolapic"..

Thanks again.

Bottomline is skylake is not supported :-(

Fedora works out of the box. Everything works on Fedora updated kernel and that is WiFi included etc etc.

But 14.04 had a factoryfix zip file for the trackpad and Ubuntu16.04 does not.

Root-cause = skylake GPU too good for the linux-drivers available today :-(

I'm running f23 latest kernel and trackpad works fine. After resuming from a suspend (hibernate not working for me yet) sometimes the mouse is stuck but touch works. I think the trackpad gets stuck in a mode and clicking in different parts of the trackpad unsticks it (the right side but I'm not sure where). This often unlocks it but I need to do more testing.

How does one get the factoryfix zip file for the trackpad for 14.04 if one formatted and reinstalled? Note that I have the DE and not one originally sold with Windows.

The zip for old DE and Trusty version 14.04 =  .en.community.dell.com/.../19631683

Kernel 4.6. makes it bearable for example 64bit example files ;

kernel.ubuntu.com/.../linux-headers-4.6.0-999-generic_4.6.0-999.201604272201_amd64.deb

kernel.ubuntu.com/.../linux-headers-4.6.0-999_4.6.0-999.201604272201_all.deb

kernel.ubuntu.com/.../linux-image-4.6.0-999-generic_4.6.0-999.201604272201_amd64.deb

Events when trackpad will freeze examples below ;

org.gnome.zeitgeist.Engine[1427]: ** (zeitgeist-datahub:1896): WARNING **: zeitgeist-datahub.vala:212: Error during inserting events: GDBus.Error:org.gnome.zeitgeist.EngineError.InvalidArgument: Incomplete event: interpretation, manifestation and actor are required

Trackpad is *** even on default Factory shipped Windows10 to the extent that people have posted youtube videos. Sputnik guys....at least you can comment about trackpad *** on factory shipped Windos10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have just installed Ubuntu Mate 16.04 on my wife's brand new XPS 13 DE, using the default ISO for Ubuntu Mate. Everything works out-of-the-box correctly . . . . . except . . . . you guessed it! . . . the trackpad. 

My wife is getting the same erratic behavior that others have reported (irrespective of operating system, BTW). The trackpad is too sensitive, except when it's not. It behaves as if the button has been clicked when it's barely grazed, but sometimes doesn't click at all when trying to click it (starting softly and then gradually getting more forceful). 

The touch screen is a big help in these circumstances, but my fingers are sometimes too fat to click on certain features. In such cases, the trackpad would be very useful. When I have the luxury of an actual desktop (that table-looking structure made of wood or metal), an external mouse is a good, even better, workaround. 

Methinks trackpads are like Ford fuel injectors (constantly getting clogged) or Chevy main seals (always leaked oil onto the driveway). It took Ford and GM decades to fix their respective problems. I'm hoping Dell (or more accurately, its foreign OEM manufacturer) gets around to fixing the trackpad someday. 

Otherwise, 16.04 Just Works.

Is there a ZIP for the new 2016 DE?

Hi I just have seen a solution on the net, although this is for the xps9550.

http://seb.mamessier.com/dell-xps-15-9550-ubuntu-16-04/

Go and give a try.

check that the touchpad is configured as clickpad. Any erratic cursor movement/ghost clicks vanished with that.

Something like that could be used (or just edit xorg.conf directly) - make sure to adjust the product ID to match the one from the new xps (in case it differs)

# cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/99-xps-touchpad.conf 
# force the toucpad to clickpad - for 9343 xps13
Section "InputClass"
	Identifier "xps-touchpad"
	MatchProduct "DLL0665:01 06CB:76AD UNKNOWN"
	Driver "synaptics"
	Option "Clickpad"     "on"
EndSection

also note that with clickpad, you have to actually press down on the touchpad (anywhere is OK), not just tap it.