Keyboard Problem

[ChaiTan3]

I have ubuntu 6.10 installed.
the keyboard that i have is ps/2.
The keyboard works on the grub prompt.
But after that when ubuntu starts up it doesnt work.
I can make the keyboard to work in ubuntu by repeatedly tapping the caps lock key while pressing enter on the ubuntu entry in grub.
Keyboard works fine on XP.

Is there any way to make the keyboard work without tapping the keys at startup?

[ChaiTan3]

I read on some forum that there are problems with ps/2 mouse/keyboard in the kernel that comes with edgy.
they recommended to upgrade the kernel or apply a kernel patch
i upgraded my kernel from 2.6.17-10 to 2.6.21.5 using the following guide
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=85064
the kernel compiled fine
when i booted from the new kernel it got stuck at the ubuntu loading screen
then i booted in recovery mode
it was stuck at:

[some no.] drivers/usb/input/hid-core.c: v2.6:USB HID core driver

there was no line after that. it was configuring my usb mouse at that time.
it gave an error like "device not accepting address 2. error -71" a few lines before.
why is it getting stuck?

[praka123]

first of all the error is due to not selecting modules(usb) to be made while compiling the kernel.
Post your pc hardware specs here,which mobo?esp.
make it clear u got a ps/2 or usb kbd?
what make is ur kbd(exact model)?I strongly suspect ur kbd seems a USB one?otherwise are you sure?

Another thing is you can manually select your model from GNOME menu System>preferences>keyboard .for eg:most the time generic kbd option works.

http://www.linux-usb.org/USB-guide/x194.html
if you have ps/2 kbd,u shud try appending "acpi=off" (without quote) in the kernel line in the grub and try booting.
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu...+question/6925
Sometime it can be due to X server too(means /etc/X11/xorg.conf kbd line).
for a ps/2 kbd,these lines must be there in xorg.conf

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier    "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver        "kbd"
    Option        "CoreKeyboard"
    Option        "XkbRules"    "xorg"
    Option        "XkbModel"    "pc104"
    Option        "XkbLayout"    "us"
EndSection

other causes:U can check BIOS to enable PS/2 controller

Yes, for the time u need a working kbd to do this all

[ChaiTan3]

i have a ps/2 kbd and a usb mouse
the keyboard works in ubuntu if i repeatedly tap a key while booting otherwise no
in bios i have disabled usb keyboard support
n the keyboard is of hcl n the it is ps/2
chked tht by looking at the back of my computer
i'll reply again after booting into ubuntu
my mobo is of asus...dunno the model

and in xorg.conf file here is the input device section
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:ralt_switch"
EndSection

EDIT:
acpi=off did the trick
does that option have any side effect?

[praka123]

sideeffect? acpi of ur system may be old or newer.so may be some irq problems(i am not an expert).so if u have a laptop it does have some effect.else dont care.

[ChaiTan3]

By side effect i meant whether another problem would crop up.
And it did.
now when i try to shutdown the system it stops on a black screen with the cursor blinking and i have shutdown the comp by pressing the power button

[praka123]

OK,it seems weird.attach ur /var/log/kern.log in http://pastebin.ca and post the link here.it will be good,if u try to figure out each log for eg:syslog,dmesg,messages etc in /var/log dir for irq related error.
Now if, "pci=routeirq" works.<----------just give a try as:

pci=routeirq

else

noirqbalance

noapic

or

nolapic

or

irqpoll

^ not suggested
I am no expert in IRQ handling in Linux kernel.
try in some Linux forums too.as with Ubuntu edgy,this is identified as a bug.also do post ur keyboard model.

[ChaiTan3]

heres my kern.log file
http://pastebin.ca/597392

[praka123]

#
Jun 30 21:29:05 ChaiTan3 kernel: [   14.916104] input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /class/input/input0

^ It detects your Keyboard,now can you have us which company make/model the keyboard is?
Now on June 28th ur keyboard is detected as:

Jun 28 15:32:44 ChaiTan3 kernel: [17179571.312000] input: AT Raw Set 2 keyboard as /class/input/input0

^is it working when detected as AT Raw Set 2 keyboard?
So while working today at Jun 30 21:29:05 what kernel options did u gave?will it be working?

[ChaiTan3]

even i read that line
my keyboard is of HCL
i dont know the model number
but even my mouse is of HCL(label on the mouse)...but it is detected as a logitech mouse
how do i know the model number??

The change would be acpi=off
on 28th i didnt add acpi=off to the kernel line in grub
i did that today by editing menu.lst of grub

[praka123]

Now as of today is it working and do u remember what kernel options did u passed on while booting?
I think ur keyboard is a ps/2 non-standard keyboard may be.
let the other experts to come.we already pinpointed the think.this is a irq problem?
Edit:
also post the section of ur /var/log/Xorg.0.log of Keyboard details.

[ChaiTan3]

(**) Option "CoreKeyboard"
(**) Generic Keyboard: Core Keyboard
(**) Option "Protocol" "standard"
(**) Generic Keyboard: Protocol: standard
(**) Option "AutoRepeat" "500 30"
(**) Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
(**) Generic Keyboard: XkbRules: "xorg"
(**) Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
(**) Generic Keyboard: XkbModel: "pc105"
(**) Option "XkbLayout" "us"
(**) Generic Keyboard: XkbLayout: "us"
(**) Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:ralt_switch"
(**) Generic Keyboard: XkbOptions: "lv3:ralt_switch"
(**) Option "CustomKeycodes" "off"
(**) Generic Keyboard: CustomKeycodes disabled
(**) Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
(**) Configured Mouse: Device: "/dev/input/mice"
(**) Configured Mouse: Protocol: "ExplorerPS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Configured Mouse: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(**) Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
(**) Configured Mouse: Emulate3Buttons, Emulate3Timeout: 50
(**) Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
(**) Configured Mouse: ZAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) Configured Mouse: Buttons: 9
(**) Option "SendCoreEvents"

I just noticed one thing. Restart works fine, whereas Shutdown gets stuck on the black screen

[praka123]

the problem is ACPI is buggy and irq problem arises.for a reliable o/p u may try to disable ACPI and yes,it wont shutdown,u have to manually do that.

[ChaiTan3]

That leaves me with two options:
1. Press the keyboard like mad at startup.
2. Wait for the comp to shutdown
both are equally disgusting.

One more thing.
after reading the thread about the super key
i set to run the terminal by pressing the super_l key through system->preferences->keyboard shortcuts
but the new shortcut doesnt work...

[praka123]

I urge you to post this problem in http://ubuntuforums.org as well.you'll get better attention there and possibly a solution too.
::and did u tried latest Ubuntu 7.04?hope they got this problem fixed.
As with super_L kbd shortcuts,it depends-sometime it works,with some upgrade u may loss the changes.

[ChaiTan3]

i just searched for shutdown problems on ubuntuforums
got a solution at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=359190&page=2
i had to add apm to the grub file n also in /etc/modules
now it shutdown is proper and my keyboard is also working
thanks for the help praka
and i tried feisty....same keyboard problems over there also
actually while booting from the live cd of edgy
i had to press the caps lock button repeatedly till the desktop appeared
if i had known about acpi=off then.......

[praka123]

glad ur problems are over so ur mobo seems older.is it?
So ur kbd supports APM,ACPI is replacing APM

Advanced Power Management (APM) is an API developed by Intel and Microsoft which enables an operating system running an IBM-compatible personal computer to work with the BIOS (part of the computer's firmware) to achieve power management.
ACPI is intended as the successor to APM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Power_Management
u can read about this in wikipedia.
still i suggests add ur comment at the end of the ubuntu forum thread.it kicks the thread up and hopefully helps some newbies frustrated get help
Enjoy GNU/Linux and best!

[ChaiTan3]

my mobo is intel 915 gv/gl based
so cant say that it is old
i'll post on ubuntuforums now.

[praka123]

I got the same chipset and ACPI is working well for me
so post in ubuntuforums and linuxquestions.org too

[ChaiTan3]

the linux kernel 2.6.17-10 was the problem..
i successfully compiled the 2.6.21.5 kernel by enabling the sata controllers
with the new kernel i have no keyboard problems with acpi on