Keyboard and Mouse Not Working After Logging Into Xorg (New to Zorin and Linux)

I was trying to use Touchégg/Touché, but it wasn't working in Wayland. So, I decided to test Xorg instead. However, after switching to Xorg, I encountered a critical issue:

Both my keyboard and mouse worked on the login screen but stopped working immediately after logging in.

I tried checking Xorg log files, but they were missing.

To troubleshoot, I used Zorin Connect’s Remote Input to run a few commands and log out. However, this was painfully slow.

I also tried connecting an external mouse and keyboard, but they didn’t work either.

System Information

PC Model: Dell Inspiron 5558
8GB DDR3L RAM
1TB HardDisk (128GB alloted to Zorin)
Intel HD Graphics
Intel i5 4th Gen (U)

Operating System: Zorin Core 17 (Dual boot with Windows 10)

Xorg Version: x11

Wayland xinput list Output:

Xorg:


Custom udev Rule: I have a udev rule to disable the touchscreen, as it was clicking on its own. Reference: How to disable touchscreen (Wayland)

Additional Information

This is what ChatGPT suggested about the issue:

It looks like the Xorg log file is missing. Let's check where it's located and troubleshoot further.

1. Check if Xorg logs exist in alternative locations

Try running:

ls /var/log/Xorg*
or
ls ~/.local/share/xorg/
If a log file exists, open it with:
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | less
or
cat ~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log | less

2. Check if your system uses Wayland instead of Xorg
If you're running a Wayland session, Xorg logs won't exist. Run:
echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
If it returns wayland, then you're using Wayland, and Xorg logs won't be available.

3. Check if the Xorg service is running
If you're on Xorg, check the status with:
ps aux | grep Xorg
If there's no output, Xorg isn't running.

4. Check journal logs for input errors
Since system logs might still contain input device issues, run:
journalctl -b | grep -i input
This will show input-related logs from the current boot.
Let me know what you find!

Would appreciate any help in resolving this! Let me know if I should provide more details.

Hi and welcome.

There seems a lot of reference to 'virtual' in your screenshots. Are you running Zorin as a VM (Virtual Machine)? Additionally, did you check the SHA256 checksum of the downloaded iso of Zorin before installing?

1 Like

I am not using a virtual machine. I installed Zorin OS directly on my system via a bootable USB around two weeks ago.
This is a native installation on my hardware.

Additionally, I did not check the SHA256 checksum during installation, as I wasn’t aware of it at the time. I still have the ISO file saved in my Windows directory.

SHA256 checksum of my installation : e68d49172964e4d0aa39ac1d77674d724b0b835658836a56fc1b318680deaed6

EDIT : Previously I installed Zorin Lite and decided to switch to Zorin Core. To do this I opened disk management and deleted the Linux Partition then I removed GRUB and restored Windows Boot Loader (Followed YouTube tutorials).

Always best to check the checksum. I have been blasé about downloading other isos as never had an issue, but recently found the need to check. Additionally you should avoid Download Accelerators.

Welcome to the Forum!

Are Your Keyboard and Mouse connected with Cable or wireless with a Dongle or Bluetooth?

I am using a Dell laptop's inbuilt keyboard and Logitech wireless mouse (Uses Dongle).
I have tried using an external logitech keyboard (Uses Dongle) but still it did not work.
Also the inbuilt touchpad is not working.

I would first suspect that Wayland / Xorg is a symptom, rather than a cause. Configuring Touchegg in Wayland, then switching to Xorg may have left a conflicting configuration, intended for Wayland. You might try (You can use tty or the Recovery Menu terminal to run commands):

mv ~/.config ~/.config.bak

rm -f ~/.Xauthority ~/.xsession

To create a backup of your home configuration file and generate a new one set to all defaults.
In terminal, run

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

Log out and back in, test if your keyboard and mouse are working.

2 Likes

Thank you, it's working now.

However, I noticed that all my settings, including the theme and Firefox customizations, have reverted to default. I didn't expect this, but at least the system is working again.

That was addressed here:

Since you have a backup, you can retrieve the saved system theme, firefox or other customizations from ~/.config.bak safely and move them to ~/.config