Touchpad issues on an HP Omnibook dual-booting Ubuntu 24 can severely limit usability and productivity, forcing reliance on external mice or keyboard shortcuts. Often, this issue arises due to driver conflicts or improper configurations within Ubuntu's input device settings. Fortunately, several straightforward troubleshooting methods can restore full functionality to your touchpad.

Method 1: Update and Reinstall Touchpad Drivers

Driver conflicts are the most common reason your touchpad stops responding. Updating or reinstalling the touchpad drivers frequently resolves these conflicts and restores full functionality.

Step 1: Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T. First, update your package lists and upgrade any outdated packages by running the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

This ensures your system has the latest versions of all necessary drivers and packages.

Step 2: Next, reinstall the Synaptics touchpad driver by entering the following command:

sudo apt install --reinstall xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

This command reinstalls the Synaptics driver, resolving possible driver corruption or misconfigurations.

Step 3: After completing the installation, reboot your laptop to apply the changes fully. Type the following command in the terminal:

sudo reboot

Once your laptop restarts, check if the touchpad functionality has returned. If the issue persists, proceed to the next method.

Method 2: Adjust GRUB Boot Settings

Sometimes, dual-boot configurations cause hardware recognition issues, including touchpad detection. Adjusting GRUB boot parameters can resolve these hardware conflicts.

Step 1: Open the GRUB configuration file by typing the following command in the terminal:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

This command opens the GRUB configuration file in the Nano text editor.

Step 2: Locate the line beginning with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT. It typically looks like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

Modify it by adding i8042.reset i8042.nomux i8042.nopnp i8042.noloop within the quotation marks, so it appears as:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i8042.reset i8042.nomux i8042.nopnp i8042.noloop"

These parameters instruct the kernel to reset and properly initialize the touchpad controller, resolving common hardware detection issues.

Step 3: Save your changes by pressing Ctrl + O, then exit Nano by pressing Ctrl + X. Afterward, update GRUB with:

sudo update-grub

Restart your laptop to apply the new boot parameters and check if your touchpad is now functioning correctly.

Method 3: Enable Touchpad via Settings or Terminal

Occasionally, the touchpad may become accidentally disabled by system settings or keyboard shortcuts. Re-enabling it through system settings or the terminal can quickly restore functionality.

Step 1: Open "Settings" from your Ubuntu application menu. Navigate to "Mouse & Touchpad" settings. Ensure the "Touchpad" toggle is switched on.

Step 2: If the settings interface does not resolve the issue, enable the touchpad via the terminal by running:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad send-events 'enabled'

This command explicitly enables the touchpad at the system level, bypassing potential graphical interface glitches.

Step 3: Restart your laptop or log out and log back in to apply these changes completely.

Method 4: Check BIOS Settings

In rare cases, the touchpad may be disabled at the BIOS level, particularly in dual-boot setups. Verifying BIOS settings ensures hardware-level activation.

Step 1: Restart your HP Omnibook and press the BIOS setup key during startup, usually F10 or Esc, depending on your specific model.

Step 2: Once inside BIOS, navigate to the "Advanced" or "Device Configuration" menu, and ensure the touchpad device is set to "Enabled."

Step 3: Save the changes and exit BIOS. Allow your system to boot back into Ubuntu to verify if the touchpad is now operational.

Regularly updating your Ubuntu installation and periodically checking device settings will help avoid similar issues in the future. With these steps, your HP Omnibook touchpad should be fully operational again.