Disable Touch Controller on Ubuntu Server

Friends,

I have continuous log messages about failing to start up the Melfas LGD AIT Touch Controller on a Dell laptop acting as a server running Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS. When I search for disabling this or any touch screen controller in Ubuntu I get xorg results - I have no GUI installed, this is server-only. I am unable to disable this device in the Dell BIOS.

Can you suggest how I can disable this in Ubuntu so it will stop attempting to start the driver/mod/etc for it?

Just in case it's helpful I've included one iteration of the repeating set of logged messages:

Jan 19 07:14:35 lt2 kernel: [  630.844743] usb 1-1-port7: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
Jan 19 07:14:35 lt2 kernel: [  630.924518] usb 1-1.7: new full-speed USB device number 66 using ehci-pci
Jan 19 07:14:35 lt2 kernel: [  631.420504] usb 1-1.7: device not accepting address 66, error -32
Jan 19 07:14:35 lt2 kernel: [  631.423246] usb 1-1-port7: attempt power cycle
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.876744] usb 1-1-port7: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.956498] usb 1-1.7: new full-speed USB device number 68 using ehci-pci
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.986924] usb 1-1.7: New USB device found, idVendor=1fd2, idProduct=5001, bcdDevice= 5.00
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.986930] usb 1-1.7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.986934] usb 1-1.7: Product: LGD AIT Touch Controller
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.986937] usb 1-1.7: Manufacturer: Melfas
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.992266] input: Melfas LGD AIT Touch Controller as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.7/1-1.7:1.0/0003:1FD2:5001.00D8/input/input236
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.992500] input: Melfas LGD AIT Touch Controller Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.7/1-1.7:1.0/0003:1FD2:5001.00D8/input/input237
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.992975] hid-multitouch 0003:1FD2:5001.00D8: input,hiddev0,hidraw1: USB HID v1.00 Mouse [Melfas LGD AIT Touch Controller] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.7/input0
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  633.994328] hid-generic 0003:1FD2:5001.00D9: hiddev1,hidraw2: USB HID v1.00 Device [Melfas LGD AIT Touch Controller] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.7/input1
Jan 19 07:14:38 lt2 kernel: [  634.068679] usb 1-1.7: USB disconnect, device number 68
Jan 19 07:14:40 lt2 kernel: [  636.612743] usb 1-1-port7: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
Jan 19 07:14:41 lt2 kernel: [  636.692417] usb 1-1.7: new full-speed USB device number 70 using ehci-pci
Jan 19 07:14:41 lt2 kernel: [  637.188471] usb 1-1.7: device not accepting address 70, error -32
Jan 19 07:14:41 lt2 kernel: [  637.191272] usb 1-1-port7: attempt power cycle

aTdHvAaNnKcSe!

Edit: I tried disabling by adding the line "blacklist hid_multitouch" to the blacklist.conf followed by a "update-initramfs -u" and then a reboot but that seemed to make no difference.

You could always block the device by ID via udev to ensure it isn't loaded. Here's how:

0. SSH in to the device (or use the console)
1. Create a block file that will allow you to disable devices. For example:

   sudo {editor of choice} /etc/udev/rules.d/01-usb-block.rules
   

   ^{Note: Be sure to replace {editor of choice} with your editor of choice.}
2. Add the following to the file:

   ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'for host in /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb*; do echo 0 > $host/authorized_default; done'"
   ACTION=="add", ATTR{idVendor}=="1fd2" RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo 1 >/sys$DEVPATH/authorized'"
   

   _{Note: The 1fd2 value for ATTR{idVendor} comes from your initial question. You can edit the 4-character code to filter on any vendor, though.}
3. Save the file
4. Reboot

This will tell the system that any hardware that is from vendor 1fd2 is not to be used.