Arch Linux

foxware

Member

Registered: 2025-10-11

Posts: 3

USB keyboard and mouse not recognized

I update everyday. I did so today as well. I left my computer idle for an hour or so and when I returned to the login screen I found my keyboard and mouse weren't recognized. I attempted to get to the bios but the key didn't work. I took the ssd and threw it in an old thinkpad and everything worked fine. The built in keyboard and same USB mouse functioned as one would expect. I reinstalled usbutils and updated before putting it back in my main computer but the issue persisted. Any tips to ID what's going on and more importantly how to fix it? I'm fairly new so I'm not the most knowledgeable. Any help is appreciated. Running systemd with Ly and KDE plasma if that matters.

archaea

Member

Registered: 2025-10-20

Posts: 20

Re: USB keyboard and mouse not recognized

Assuming you currently have this system in the computer where keyboard and mouse are recognized...

Please run the following command in Terminal:

journalctl --list-boots -r

page through the output and look for the boot ID for the boot where the issue occurred. (Press q to exit the pager)

Then run

journalctl -b BOOT_ID

for that BOOT_ID of the boot where the issue first occurred.

Paging through that output, do you see any related messages from the time period between when the keyboard & mouse were definitely working in that computer and when they stopped being recognized?

I attempted to get to the bios but the key didn't work. I took the ssd and threw it in an old thinkpad and everything worked fine. The built in keyboard and same USB mouse functioned as one would expect.

Did you also test your USB keyboard in the old thinkpad?
Do your keyboard and mouse work in different USB ports on your main computer?
Do other USB devices work in the USB ports that the keyboard and mouse are not recognized in?

foxware

Member

Registered: 2025-10-11

Posts: 3

Re: USB keyboard and mouse not recognized

I did look but I didn't see anything that stood out to me, I ended up reinstalling the kernel and that didn't fix it. I just decided to reinstall because I kinda want to change bootloaders, add more swap and expand my root partition anyway and it's not too big of a loss. I have a feeling it has something to do with some sketchy rgb software i installed because after today's update, KDE also updated - after which said sketchy software started bugging out my lights. Which lines up suspiciously with when my usbs killed themselves. I'm certainly no expert tho.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,086

Re: USB keyboard and mouse not recognized

I just decided to reinstall because I kinda want to change bootloaders, add more swap and expand my root partition anyway and it's not too big of a loss.

Did you and does the keyboard now work?

I have a feeling it has something to do with some sketchy rgb software i installed because after today's update, KDE also updated - after which said sketchy software started bugging out my lights.

Can you then replicate the failure?

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foxware

Member

Registered: 2025-10-11

Posts: 3

Re: USB keyboard and mouse not recognized

Turns out it likely majorly messed up my bios settings. I did a fresh install yet the issue persisted. I sort of figured due to the fact that it worked in my laptop. I unplugged everything and took out the battery and now I'm letting it sit for a bit. Hopefully when I boot again itll load the defaults - if not I'm kind of out of luck. Tis the price of pretty rgb ig :d