[SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

ShikadaSorel · 2013-05-03 15:46:30

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and to arch, and I hope someone can help me out.

Over year ago, I quit using linux on my main computer. I had Ubuntu at the time. The
reason I quit is this bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour … bug/877010

I am finally fed up with windows and I wanted to try arch. Since it's a new disto and
much newer kernel I hoped that the problem would be gone. Unfortunately, no such luck.
The exact same symptoms are happening on arch as well. Keep in mind that in windows
the keyboard never freezes.

I would be really grateful if someone would help me with this frustrating problem, since it
makes linux unusable for me. I am willing to get my hands dirty, provide any additional
information you want and generally work hard on solving this problem, but I need guidance.

Last edited by ShikadaSorel (2013-05-12 16:40:54)

oboenerd · 2013-05-03 15:54:19

Maybe this is a problem with evdev? Try manually configuring your keyboard to use the kbd driver instead.

Section "InputDevice"
     Identifier "Keyboard0"
     Driver "kbd"
EndSection

ShikadaSorel · 2013-05-03 16:40:53

oboenerd,

thanks for your reply. I tried to set that in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf.
After setting the driver to kbd the keyboard didn't work at all.

I might be missing something. Trying googling around but didn't find anything
relevant.

oboenerd · 2013-05-03 18:33:27

Sorry about the incomplete analysis. After more searching around, it appears that this could possibly be a problem with the catalyst driver.

see thread: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=141342

Try using the radeon driver for a while to see if that fixes the problem - if we can narrow it to that then we can try the proposed config changes. You should revert the change I suggested earlier.

ShikadaSorel · 2013-05-03 18:42:31

oboenerd, again, thanks for you help.

I am using the open source radeon driver. Also, I just got a keyboard freeze while in the command
line, before starting X O_o

I am also able to SSH into the machine while the keyboard is locked up, and my mouse is always working
properly and I can interact with the rest of the system.

mich41 · 2013-05-03 18:53:37

So it happens rather often? Are you sure there are no problems in Windows? Like that it doesn't reset this keyboard from time to time (making it blink its leds and freeze for a second or so)?

ShikadaSorel · 2013-05-03 19:25:15

It's very random. Sometimes I'll work for 3 or 4 hours with no freeze, sometimes it takes only 10 minutes.
I am 100% sure it doesn't happen in Windows. I play starcraft in my spare time, I would notice

oboenerd · 2013-05-03 20:12:48

I'm convinced now that X has nothing to do with this - perhaps the kernel's handling of your motherboard (and the PS/2 port as a result) may be the issue. The fact that USB still works seems to confirm this. A certain link I found had a way of working around the problem by some sort of kernel modification, I'll see if I can find it again.

Honestly I would just recommend finding a USB keyboard and switching to it permanently if it works. I'll see what else I can find.
EDIT: Found it, but I honestly don't know if this would help. http://forum.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=141&p=391128

What is your computer and motherboard model?

Last edited by oboenerd (2013-05-03 20:17:36)

mich41 · 2013-05-03 20:26:47

OK, so first of all, if you use a USB PS/2 controller the problem will probably go away

If you are still here, start with evtest:
1. Get evtest-1.30.tar.gz from http://cgit.freedesktop.org/evtest/ , unpack it and run make evtest to compile. You'll need gcc and make, obviously.
2. Login as root over ssh, run evtest, tell it to monitor the keyboard and just start using this box.
3. Check if evtest goes silent once the keyboard locks up. It likely will, meaning that the problem lies somewhere between the kernel/drivers and the hardware.

Oh, and once the keyboard is dead again, trying to restart keyboard driver over ssh with

echo -n atkbd >/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio0/drvctl

certainly won't make situation any worse

Last edited by mich41 (2013-05-03 20:59:10)

ShikadaSorel · 2013-05-12 13:10:41

Just wanted to report back. After trying out various methods, I gave up and got a new USB keyboard.
No problems whatsoever with USB.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to help me out

oboenerd · 2013-05-12 13:26:59

Awesome! Please mark this thread as [SOLVED]

koralgolek · 2013-07-02 21:30:40

I've got the same problem. Ps2 keyboard randomly freezes and doesnt respond or simetimes generates last pushed key. Is there any other solution except buy new usb keyboard?

Every time I have to do: echo -n atkbd >/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio0/drvctl to unlock keyboard

I've bought cheap usb keyboard but there are also some problems. Dmesg:

[17152.362622] hid-generic 0003:1A2C:0023.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [USB USB Keykoard] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.2/input0
[17162.375645] hid-generic 0003:1A2C:0023.0003: usb_submit_urb(ctrl) failed: -1
[17162.375688] hid-generic 0003:1A2C:0023.0003: timeout initializing reports

In general usb keyboard works but when system boots, after grub starts kernel, it takes about 10 seconds of typing "/////////////" x2 lines which ends with usb_submit_urb(ctrl) failed: -1 and system continious normal starting.

Last edited by koralgolek (2013-07-02 21:31:46)

ShikadaSorel · 2013-07-02 23:21:29

I'm sorry, but I found no other solution, just bought the USB keyboard and been happy ever since.

I wish I could help, but I couldn't even help myself

Arch Linux

#1 2013-05-03 15:46:30

[SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#2 2013-05-03 15:54:19

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#3 2013-05-03 16:40:53

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#4 2013-05-03 18:33:27

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#5 2013-05-03 18:42:31

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#6 2013-05-03 18:53:37

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#7 2013-05-03 19:25:15

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#8 2013-05-03 20:12:48

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#9 2013-05-03 20:26:47

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#10 2013-05-12 13:10:41

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#11 2013-05-12 13:26:59

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#12 2013-07-02 21:30:40

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

#13 2013-07-02 23:21:29

Re: [SOLVED]Random keyboard freezes

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