LinuxQuestions.org - Lost 2-button middle click function on Dell Inspiron 15z

The loss of the 2-button middle click, followed 224 updates, to complete the installation of LM15.
Now, the mouse button clicks now result in unusual behavior, such as inconsistently producing a pop-up menu.

Early on, I saw a reference to this problem as due to Vim or a Vim update.
That was from a couple of years ago and I'm not familiar with Vim.

I lost the abiiltiy to past highlighted text, as well as open links with the 2-button middle click.

I was in Firefox > about:config, going into the search bar, when something seemed to grab the pointer.

In about:config: (Note: In composing this thread, edit functionns do not work and I must manually enter the code tags, ie: [ Code]...[ /Code]

Code:

middlemouse.contentLoadURL = True

middlemouse.paste = True

From the terminal:

Code:

 $ gnome-settings-daemon



** (gnome-settings-daemon:759): WARNING **: You can only run one xsettings manager at a time; exiting



** (gnome-settings-daemon:759): WARNING **: Unable to start xsettings manager: Could not initialize xsettings manager.



** (gnome-settings-daemon:759): WARNING **: Name taken or bus went away - shutting down

In System Settings:

Code:

The box is checked to Emulate middle click by clicking both left and right buttons.

Touch pad is Enabled.

Disable touchpad while typing is checked.

Enable mouseclicks with touchpad is enabled.

Right-click > Open Link in New Tab still works.
Touchpad Srolling still works, horizontal and vertical.

$ gpointing-device-settings for Device SynPS/2 Synaptics Touchpad:

Code:

An X error occurred. The error was BadAtom (invalid Atom parameter).

The settings look OK.
Disable touchpad is not checked.
Disable tapping and scrolling is not checked.
Set Guest Mouse Off is not checked.

The $ sudo rmmod psmouse command, in terminal, removed touchpad control of the pointer.
I had to shut down via terminal and reboot.
And, it was a challenge getting to the terminal.

More from the terminal:

Code:

$ synclient -l

Parameter settings:

    LeftEdge                = 1766

    RightEdge              = 5382

    TopEdge                = 1642

    BottomEdge              = 4528

    FingerLow              = 25

    FingerHigh              = 30

    FingerPress            = 256

    MaxTapTime              = 180

    MaxTapMove              = 236

    MaxDoubleTapTime        = 180

    SingleTapTimeout        = 180

    ClickTime              = 100

    FastTaps                = 0

    EmulateMidButtonTime    = 0

    EmulateTwoFingerMinZ    = 282

    EmulateTwoFingerMinW    = 7

    VertScrollDelta        = 107

    HorizScrollDelta        = 107

    VertEdgeScroll          = 1

    HorizEdgeScroll        = 1

    CornerCoasting          = 0

    VertTwoFingerScroll    = 0

    HorizTwoFingerScroll    = 0

    MinSpeed                = 1

    MaxSpeed                = 1.75

    AccelFactor            = 0.0371885

    TrackstickSpeed        = 40

    EdgeMotionMinZ          = 30

    EdgeMotionMaxZ          = 160

    EdgeMotionMinSpeed      = 1

    EdgeMotionMaxSpeed      = 430

    EdgeMotionUseAlways    = 0

    TouchpadOff            = 0

    LockedDrags            = 0

    LockedDragTimeout      = 5000

    RTCornerButton          = 2

    RBCornerButton          = 3

    LTCornerButton          = 0

    LBCornerButton          = 0

    TapButton1              = 1

    TapButton2              = 3

    TapButton3              = 0

    ClickFinger1            = 1

    ClickFinger2            = 1

    ClickFinger3            = 0

    CircularScrolling      = 0

    CircScrollDelta        = 0.1

    CircScrollTrigger      = 0

    CircularPad            = 0

    PalmDetect              = 0

    PalmMinWidth            = 10

    PalmMinZ                = 200

    CoastingSpeed          = 20

    CoastingFriction        = 50

    PressureMotionMinZ      = 30

    PressureMotionMaxZ      = 160

    PressureMotionMinFactor = 1

    PressureMotionMaxFactor = 1

    ResolutionDetect        = 1

    GrabEventDevice        = 1

    TapAndDragGesture      = 1

    AreaLeftEdge            = 0

    AreaRightEdge          = 0

    AreaTopEdge            = 0

    AreaBottomEdge          = 0

    HorizHysteresis        = 8

    VertHysteresis          = 8

    ClickPad                = 1

    RightButtonAreaLeft    = 3574

    RightButtonAreaRight    = 0

    RightButtonAreaTop      = 4158

    RightButtonAreaBottom  = 0

    MiddleButtonAreaLeft    = 0

    MiddleButtonAreaRight  = 0

    MiddleButtonAreaTop    = 0

    MiddleButtonAreaBottom  = 0

Since LM9, I have never had the ability to highlight text in GEDIT, and middle-click to paste elsewhere in GEDIT. From GEDIT to other applications worked fine, and from other applications to GEDIT. Just not within GEDIT.

I am still very much a Linux rookie and will need to know where files are located, if I need to edit them.

Is this an easy fix? Will the problem recur?
A similar post at http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=147477
has had 74 views, but no replies, after a full week.