Mousewheel of gaming mouse stopped working - how to reset / fix it?

Question

Suddenly the wheel of my G9x stopped working. The other buttons work just fine, I can even use the mousewheel to scroll left and right by pushing the mouse-wheel to one side or the other. I wonder what would be the best way to get it working again. I dont want to reinstall the whole system, just to get it back working again.

EDIT3: Finally figured it out. See below...

EDIT: When using xinput test 12 I can indeed confirm that nothing is tracked for the mousewheel (left nad right scroll are considered buttons). The same is true for xev.

EDIT2: I reseted xorg via:

sudo apt-get remove --purge xserver-xorg
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Without any effect. Now xinput test # shows nothing at all, although the mouse is still working.

xinput list shows two mouses, one for the Mouse and one getting for the scroll-wheel as it seems:

 ⎡ Virtual core pointer                     id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
   ⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                 id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
   ⎜   ↳ Logitech Logitech Illuminated Keyboard     id=11   [slave  pointer  (2)]
   ⎜   ↳ Logitech G9x Laser Mouse                   id=12   [slave  pointer  (2)]
   ⎜   ↳ Logitech G9x Laser Mouse                   id=13   [slave  pointer  (2)]
   ⎜   ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad                 id=16   [slave  pointer  (2)]

Here is the output of my Xorg.0.log:

    [  4873.049] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech G9x Laser Mouse (/dev/input/mouse0)
[  4873.049] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[  4873.049] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[  4873.051] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech G9x Laser Mouse (/dev/input/event10)

[  4873.051] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Applying InputClass "evdev pointer catchall"
[  4873.051] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Logitech G9x Laser Mouse'
[  4873.051] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: always reports core events

[  4873.051] (**) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Device: "/dev/input/event10"
[  4873.051] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Vendor 0x46d Product 0xc066
[  4873.051] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found 20 mouse buttons
[  4873.051] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found scroll wheel(s)
[  4873.051] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found relative axes
[  4873.051] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found x and y relative axes
[  4873.051] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Configuring as mouse
[  4873.051] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Adding scrollwheel support
[  4873.051] (**) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
[  4873.051] (**) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
[  4873.051] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-1/3-1.4/3-1.4:1.0/input/input31/event10"

[  4873.051] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Logitech G9x Laser Mouse" (type: MOUSE, id 12)
[  4873.051] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: initialized for relative axes.
[  4873.051] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
[  4873.051] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) acceleration profile 0
[  4873.051] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[  4873.051] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[  4873.065] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech G9x Laser Mouse (/dev/input/event11)
[  4873.066] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[  4873.066] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Logitech G9x Laser Mouse'
[  4873.066] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: always reports core events
[  4873.066] (**) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Device: "/dev/input/event11"
[  4873.066] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Vendor 0x46d Product 0xc066
[  4873.066] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found 1 mouse buttons
[  4873.066] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found scroll wheel(s)
[  4873.066] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found relative axes
[  4873.066] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Forcing relative x/y axes to exist.
[  4873.066] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found absolute axes
[  4873.066] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Forcing absolute x/y axes to exist.
[  4873.066] (--) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Found keys
[  4873.066] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Configuring as mouse
[  4873.066] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Configuring as keyboard
[  4873.066] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: Adding scrollwheel support
[  4873.066] (**) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
[  4873.066] (**) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
[  4873.066] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-1/3-1.4/3-1.4:1.1/input/input32/event11"
[
 4873.066] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Logitech G9x Laser Mouse" (type: KEYBOARD, id 13)
[  4873.066] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
[  4873.066] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[  4873.066] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "de"
[  4873.066] (II) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: initialized for relative axes.
[  4873.066] (WW) evdev: Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: ignoring absolute axes.
[  4873.066] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
[  4873.066] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) acceleration profile 0
[  4873.066] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[  4873.066] (**) Logitech G9x Laser Mouse: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4

Here is the output for the dvice #12:

Logitech G9x Laser Mouse                    id=12   [slave  pointer  (2)]
    Reporting 7 classes:
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIButtonClass
        Buttons supported: 24
        Button labels: "Button Left" "Button Middle" "Button Right" "Button Wheel Up" "Button Wheel Down" "Button Horiz Wheel Left" "Button Horiz Wheel Right" "Button Side" "Button Extra" "Button Forward" "Button Back" "Button Task" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown"
        Button state:
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 0:
          Label: Rel X
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 1:
          Label: Rel Y
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 2:
          Label: Rel Horiz Wheel
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 3:
          Label: Rel Vert Wheel
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIScrollClass
        Scroll info for Valuator 2
          type: 2 (horizontal)
          increment: 1.000000
          flags: 0x0
        Class originated from: 12. Type: XIScrollClass
        Scroll info for Valuator 3
          type: 1 (vertical)
          increment: -1.000000
          flags: 0x2 ( preferred )

And for device #13

Logitech G9x Laser Mouse                    id=13   [slave  pointer  (2)]
    Reporting 6 classes:
        Class originated from: 13. Type: XIButtonClass
        Buttons supported: 7
        Button labels: "Button 0" "Button Unknown" "Button Unknown" "Button Wheel Up" "Button Wheel Down" "Button Horiz Wheel Left" "Button Horiz Wheel Right"
        Button state:
        Class originated from: 13. Type: XIKeyClass
        Keycodes supported: 248
        Class originated from: 13. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 0:
          Label: Rel X
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 13. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 1:
          Label: Rel Y
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 13. Type: XIValuatorClass
        Detail for Valuator 2:
          Label: Rel Horiz Wheel
          Range: -1.000000 - -1.000000
          Resolution: 1 units/m
          Mode: relative
        Class originated from: 13. Type: XIScrollClass
        Scroll info for Valuator 2
          type: 2 (horizontal)
          increment: 1.000000
          flags: 0x0

which shows a different number of buttons.

Solution 1

I got it back working again. That is what I did:

1. Booting up Windows (don't know if this is really necessary)
2. Changing my mouse-profile via the profile button at the bottom of the device and the mouse-speed-buttons.
3. Being very happy that its finally working again.

Might be that one of the profiles saved in the mouse had a weird setup and that I was changing the profile without being aware of it :$

Solution 2

I just fixed mine... there is a sensor that can be blocked. After reading this, I simply got the can duster out with the straw, tilted the wheel and gave it several good sprays on each side of the wheel. It immediately started working again... I'm hoping I can squeeze a few more years out of, what is now a $350.00 mouse, given it's limited availability.

Solution 3

Gaming mice are pretty weird at times with Ubuntu.

• If you can, boot into a Windows PC
• Install the s/w that came with the Mouse.
• Configure your 'Mouse Profile' to what you wish.
• Boot back into Ubuntu to check if it's working fine now.

Comments

[Kathy001]

Run xev in a terminal, anything show while scrolling? If not you might try cleaning the insides of the mouse.

[hugo der hungrige]

@tufkab No its the same result as for xinput test #

[Kathy001]

You will probably need to take the mouse apart and check and clean the optical sensor for the scrollwheel.

[hugo der hungrige]

@tufkab The mouse is working fine when booting windows, so I suppose there is nothing wrong with it.

[Kathy001]

So, the scroll-wheel works OK in Windows but not Linux?

[hugo der hungrige]

@tufkab Exactly.

[David Foerster]

To close voters: The last paragraph of the answer cites/paraphrases the linked resources.

[Fabby]

@DavidFoerster: thanks for the heads-up. user447711: my apologies...

[Fabby]

And an upvote today as I was out of upvotes yesterday...

[Paul]

I can't believe this was my problem! It started happening right after I installed a big bundle of package updates, so I was sure there was some new USB bug. But just like you said, two quick sprays and it works again! Thanks!