[RESOLVED] GameBall trackball mouse not working

[illutari]

Alright Kubuntu forums, I've got a bit of a strange one for you.

I recently purchased the Gameball trackball mouse, and have been using it on windows for work. I wanted to try it out on Kubuntu, but nothing works except for being able to right click. When I look through /var/log/syslog, I get the following:

2024-09-01T21:27:36.080058-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: USB disconnect, device number 122
2024-09-01T21:27:36.504827-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: new full-speed USB device number 123 using xhci_hcd
2024-09-01T21:27:36.654027-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0782, idProduct=001b, bcdDevice= 1.ff
2024-09-01T21:27:36.654034-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
2024-09-01T21:27:36.654036-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: Product: GameBall
2024-09-01T21:27:36.654038-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: Manufacturer: -
2024-09-01T21:27:36.698788-04:00 valhalla kernel: input: - GameBall as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/0003:0782:001B.346F/input/input13433
2024-09-01T21:27:36.699797-04:00 valhalla kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.346F: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-2/input0
2024-09-01T21:27:36.707794-04:00 valhalla kernel: input: - GameBall Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/0003:0782:001B.3470/input/input13434
2024-09-01T21:27:36.759798-04:00 valhalla kernel: input: - GameBall as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/0003:0782:001B.3470/input/input13435
2024-09-01T21:27:36.762810-04:00 valhalla kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.3470: input,hiddev0,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-2/input1
2024-09-01T21:27:36.768795-04:00 valhalla kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.3471: hiddev1,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Device [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-2/input2
2024-09-01T21:27:36.771464-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 123: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2"
2024-09-01T21:27:36.771600-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 123 was not an MTP device
2024-09-01T21:27:36.863480-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 123: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2"
2024-09-01T21:27:36.863572-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 123 was not an MTP device
2024-09-01T21:27:40.679820-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: USB disconnect, device number 123
2024-09-01T21:27:41.064048-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: new full-speed USB device number 124 using xhci_hcd
2024-09-01T21:27:41.212826-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0782, idProduct=001b, bcdDevice= 1.ff
2024-09-01T21:27:41.212841-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
2024-09-01T21:27:41.212843-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: Product: GameBall
2024-09-01T21:27:41.212846-04:00 valhalla kernel: usb 3-2: Manufacturer: -
2024-09-01T21:27:41.258892-04:00 valhalla kernel: input: - GameBall as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/0003:0782:001B.3472/input/input13436
2024-09-01T21:27:41.259801-04:00 valhalla kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.3472: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-2/input0
2024-09-01T21:27:41.266799-04:00 valhalla kernel: input: - GameBall Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/0003:0782:001B.3473/input/input13437
2024-09-01T21:27:41.318806-04:00 valhalla kernel: input: - GameBall as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/0003:0782:001B.3473/input/input13438
2024-09-01T21:27:41.321813-04:00 valhalla kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.3473: input,hiddev0,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-2/input1
2024-09-01T21:27:41.327785-04:00 valhalla kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.3474: hiddev1,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Device [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-2/input2
2024-09-01T21:27:41.330126-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 124: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2"
2024-09-01T21:27:41.330307-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 124 was not an MTP device
2024-09-01T21:27:41.434296-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 124: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-2"
2024-09-01T21:27:41.434401-04:00 valhalla mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 124 was not an MTP device​

And it repeats with another disconnect and a new device number.

I tried it on a different device ALSO running Kubuntu, and I get the same issue + syslog messages.

2024-09-02T06:49:29.623839-04:00 aspire3 kernel: usb 3-1: USB disconnect, device number 5
2024-09-02T06:49:29.994856-04:00 aspire3 kernel: usb 3-1: new full-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
2024-09-02T06:49:30.143784-04:00 aspire3 kernel: usb 3-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0782, idProduct=001b, bcdDevice= 1.ff
2024-09-02T06:49:30.143810-04:00 aspire3 kernel: usb 3-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
2024-09-02T06:49:30.143812-04:00 aspire3 kernel: usb 3-1: Product: GameBall
2024-09-02T06:49:30.143814-04:00 aspire3 kernel: usb 3-1: Manufacturer: -
2024-09-02T06:49:30.189787-04:00 aspire3 kernel: input: - GameBall as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.0/0003:0782:001B.000E/input/input26
2024-09-02T06:49:30.189819-04:00 aspire3 kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.000E: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-1/input0
2024-09-02T06:49:30.200020-04:00 aspire3 kernel: input: - GameBall Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.1/0003:0782:001B.000F/input/input27
2024-09-02T06:49:30.251792-04:00 aspire3 kernel: input: - GameBall as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.1/0003:0782:001B.000F/input/input28
2024-09-02T06:49:30.257916-04:00 aspire3 kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.000F: input,hiddev0,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-1/input1
2024-09-02T06:49:30.265776-04:00 aspire3 kernel: hid-generic 0003:0782:001B.0010: hiddev1,hidraw3: USB HID v1.11 Device [- GameBall] on usb-0000:04:00.4-1/input2
2024-09-02T06:49:30.272430-04:00 aspire3 mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 6: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-1"
2024-09-02T06:49:30.272617-04:00 aspire3 mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 6 was not an MTP device
2024-09-02T06:49:30.387344-04:00 aspire3 mtp-probe: checking bus 3, device 6: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.4/usb3/3-1"
2024-09-02T06:49:30.387517-04:00 aspire3 mtp-probe: bus: 3, device: 6 was not an MTP device
2024-09-02T06:49:31.281331-04:00 aspire3 kded5[2974]: Initializing "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/plasma/kcms/systemsettings/kcm_mouse.so"
2024-09-02T06:49:31.318832-04:00 aspire3 kded5[2974]: Initializing "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/plasma/kcms/systemsettings/kcm_touchpad.so"
2024-09-02T06:49:31.318924-04:00 aspire3 kded5[2974]: kcm_touchpad: Using X11 backend

Everything I see online related to device: X was not an MTP device points to it being faulty hardware, but in my case the hardware works on windows so... is it just lack of drivers? Any help would be appreciated.

[oshunluvr]

Looks like a cool product. I would try a different distro and/or kernel if you can (like boot to a live USB session).

Also you might start with their support service. Seems like they're responsive: https://www.gamingtrackball.com/pages/support

[illutari]

I had messaged their support prior to posting, but hadn't seen their response. Device needed a firmware update (sadly could only be done via windows), the issue is now resolved.

[oshunluvr]

...Device needed a firmware update (sadly could only be done via windows), the issue is now resolved.

Glad to hear you fix it. I keep a very small Windows install for issues like this one. I also make it known to the company that I will let my "friends" know they don't support Linux. Probably falls on deaf ears, but who knows? If I keep trying maybe it will stick. IMO, if/when you review this device on line be sure to include lack of Linux support in your comments.