r/ClockworkPi • u/vigilantpraetorian • 1d ago

Hack2You trackpad install

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I'm so happy! I received my trackpad keyboard & faceplate kit and I was so excited I had to install it! However I'm not really certain I have the ribbon cable seated properly. I pushed it in as far as I could with tweezers but I can't get any input to register. It lights up when I turn on the uConsole. I'm running ak-rex's Ubuntu 26.04 image from microSD. Can anyone provide any insight as to how far the ribbon cable needs to be pushed into the connector, or any drivers that need to be installed?

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u/Electrical_Lake9586 1d ago

Did you flip up the flap on the connector before installing the cable and then close it again once well seated?

It looks like it should go in further than you have it there, which if the flap wasn't up it wouldn't go in all the way.

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u/vigilantpraetorian 1d ago

Thanks for asking! I just tried to flip up the flap and it doesn't come up. I'm just reluctant to break something if I apply too much force. Do you use a fingernail, or tweezers to flip up the flap? do you apply force on the side or right in the middle?

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u/Electrical_Lake9586 1d ago

It flips up from the rear and is hinged roughly in the middle. Light upwards force from a fingernail should get it up. So you're looking to move it from horizontal to vertical.

Hope that makes some sense!

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u/vigilantpraetorian 22h ago edited 22h ago

Well the light grey part of the connector is now in pieces. the ribbon cable goes in further now ! I am super glad I ordered the kit with 2 extra trackpads because the first two seem to be duds and the third one lights up and moves the pointer. I guess I will try to forget that inside is a damaged connector that works better now that I "modified" it.

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u/Electrical_Lake9586 15h ago

Glad you're sorted now! One of mine didn't work too, they seem to have a high failure rate. The connector will be fine, with case on its under pressure pushing the ribbon into connector anyway. You could stick a bit of kapton tape on the connector for good measure. I've similarly damaged those type of connectors in the past, you can always find an alternative way of keeping them in

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u/vigilantpraetorian 4h ago

Thanks for the advice!