Re: [RFT/PATCH] i8042: remove polling timer (v6)

[Dmitry Torokhov <dtor@insightbb.com>]

On Sunday 29 October 2006 18:20, Dave Neuer wrote:
> On 8/23/06, Dmitry Torokhov <dtor@insightbb.com> wrote:
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > Here is another version of the patch removing polling timer from i8042
> > which is needed if we want tickless kernel. Keyboards should now work
> > on boxes that do not have mouse plugged in. PLease give it a test.
> 
>  What's the intent of this; just to allow tickless?

Yes, that was the intent.

>  Or is it also to 
> make the i8042 driver less racy? 

I think we agree that i8042_aux_write() is not racy, do you see any other
races in i8042?

> I ask because I've applied this over 
> (a modified) 2.6.18 on my Compaq Presario X1010us laptop which has
> been driving me crazy w/ Synaptics problems and keyboard problems
> (intermittent, but   frequent enough lately that I finally figured I
> needed to do something about it).
> 

Have you tried limiting Synaptics rate to 40 packets per second (using
psmouse.rate=40 option)? Some KBD can't handle full Synaptics rate of
80 pps; it usually manifests in keyboard troubles.

> 
> I don't really know if or how much the races in this driver are
> contributing to my problems (keyboard getting stuck repeating last
> key, or ignoring interrupts, or synaptics touchpad freezing, last of
> which requires cold boot to fix).

You mean even reloading psmouse module can't revive the touchpad?

> Maybe more likely an ACPI thing? 

Coudl be.

-- 
Dmitry