USB-keyboard not recognized when not connected during startup

USB-keyboard not recognized when not connected during startup

[Otto Wyss]

Please CC, I'm not subscribed.

I use an USB-keyboard via an USB-switchbox on 2 computers (PC and Mac).
When I boot into Windows or MacOS9 it doesn't matter whether my USB is
connected, the keyboard gets recognized when the connection happens. Not
so on Linux (PC), there the keyboard gets only recognized if it's
connected during startup. If I forget to switch the keyboard to the PC
before I start Linux, it isn't recognized and unusable. This is mostly
annoying because I can't get rid of my AT-keyboard and just use the
USB-keyboard, a none working keyboard is identical to a system crash!
When the USB-keyboard is connected during startup everything is okay.

I've seen this behavior with my Debian (sarge) system running my own
built kernel 2.4.21 with USB input and keyboard drivers compiled in. I
also see this problem when running Knoppix live CD, therefore it's
common to any Debian based system, probably to any Linux system.

Is this problem, not recognizing an USB-keyboard when not connected
during startup, know and is there a solution for it? Is there a solution
in the upcoming 2.6 kernel? 

If anyone wants to test this and has a desktop system with USB, just
disconnect your normal keyboard, start the system and connect an
USB-keyboard after the login prompt is shown. You could use the keyboard
of a Mac if you don't have any. Also your kernel has to have
USB-input/USB-HID and USB-keyboard support compiled in.

O. Wyss

-- 
See "http://wxguide.sourceforge.net/" for ideas how to design your app

Re: USB-keyboard not recognized when not connected during startup

[Eric Sandall]

Quoting Otto Wyss <otto.wyss@orpatec.ch>:
> Please CC, I'm not subscribed.
> 
> I use an USB-keyboard via an USB-switchbox on 2 computers (PC and Mac).
> When I boot into Windows or MacOS9 it doesn't matter whether my USB is
> connected, the keyboard gets recognized when the connection happens. Not
> so on Linux (PC), there the keyboard gets only recognized if it's
> connected during startup. If I forget to switch the keyboard to the PC
> before I start Linux, it isn't recognized and unusable. This is mostly
> annoying because I can't get rid of my AT-keyboard and just use the
> USB-keyboard, a none working keyboard is identical to a system crash!
> When the USB-keyboard is connected during startup everything is okay.
> 
> I've seen this behavior with my Debian (sarge) system running my own
> built kernel 2.4.21 with USB input and keyboard drivers compiled in. I
> also see this problem when running Knoppix live CD, therefore it's
> common to any Debian based system, probably to any Linux system.
> 
> Is this problem, not recognizing an USB-keyboard when not connected
> during startup, know and is there a solution for it? Is there a solution
> in the upcoming 2.6 kernel? 
> 
> If anyone wants to test this and has a desktop system with USB, just
> disconnect your normal keyboard, start the system and connect an
> USB-keyboard after the login prompt is shown. You could use the keyboard
> of a Mac if you don't have any. Also your kernel has to have
> USB-input/USB-HID and USB-keyboard support compiled in.
> 
> O. Wyss

Have you tried installing hotplug? That should automatically load the
modules/devices needed when you plug it in after boot.

-sandalle

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Re: USB-keyboard not recognized when not connected during startup

[Otto Wyss]

Eric Sandall wrote:
> 
> Quoting Otto Wyss <otto.wyss@orpatec.ch>:
> > Please CC, I'm not subscribed.
> >
> 
> Have you tried installing hotplug? That should automatically load the
> modules/devices needed when you plug it in after boot.
> 
Of course I use hotplue and so probably does Knoppix. I'll try Morphix
but I'm quiet sure it also shows this problem. This is a worse USB bug
in kernel 2.4.21 and I'm not sure if it's fixed in one of the later ones.

O. Wyss

-- 
See "http://wxguide.sourceforge.net/" for ideas how to design your app

Re: USB-keyboard not recognized when not connected during startup

[Greg KH]

On Mon, Nov 10, 2003 at 07:35:47PM +0100, Otto Wyss wrote:
> Please CC, I'm not subscribed.
> 
> I use an USB-keyboard via an USB-switchbox on 2 computers (PC and Mac).
> When I boot into Windows or MacOS9 it doesn't matter whether my USB is
> connected, the keyboard gets recognized when the connection happens. Not
> so on Linux (PC), there the keyboard gets only recognized if it's
> connected during startup. If I forget to switch the keyboard to the PC
> before I start Linux, it isn't recognized and unusable. This is mostly
> annoying because I can't get rid of my AT-keyboard and just use the
> USB-keyboard, a none working keyboard is identical to a system crash!
> When the USB-keyboard is connected during startup everything is okay.

Do you have something like "USB Legacy support" enabled in your BIOS?
Or it might be called something else.  Try disabling that.

Good luck,

greg k-h

Re: USB-keyboard not recognized when not connected during startup

[Otto Wyss]

Greg KH wrote:

> Please CC, I'm not subscribed.
> > 
> Do you have something like "USB Legacy support" enabled in your BIOS?
> Or it might be called something else.  Try disabling that.
> 
No, there is no "USB Legacy support".

O. Wyss

-- 
See "http://wxguide.sourceforge.net/" for ideas how to design your app