[solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

SanskritFritz · 2010-12-14 10:46:50

This is really strange. I was already using kernel26zen-git, now I upgraded to zen-kernel, and suddenly grub doesnt recognise my usb keyboard, the normal keyboard still works ok. How is this possible? I thought grub comes before the kernel even gets executed. How can a different kernel have such influence on grub? Reinstalling the kernel26zen-git package makes grub work again with both keyboards.
For the record, after I wait for the timeout in grub and boot archlinux, everything works well, including the usb keyboard.
Please help me.

Last edited by SanskritFritz (2010-12-17 10:03:14)

Ber · 2010-12-14 12:38:54

indeed grub takes place before the kernel is even loaded. Maybe compare grub's config file before and after you install the problematic kernel (with pacman I guess), but if I remind correctly archlinux doesn't touch this file when installing kernel. Other than that I don't see how it is possible.

SanskritFritz · 2010-12-14 13:48:41

No change was made in grub of course, except that I changed the menu.lst to point to the new kernel. I'm perplexed, this is a mystery for me.

bangkok_manouel · 2010-12-14 14:47:53

SanskritFritz · 2010-12-14 15:40:12

but how do I solve this? how can I tell grub to use the usb keyboard?

SanskritFritz · 2010-12-17 10:02:34

Ok, too much mystery hurts my brain, so I went on and double checked my first statement. I reinstalled kernel26zen-git again, and sure enough, grub didnt work with my usb keyboard this time either. Just by coincidence, I happened to install the new zen-kernel the same time as I bought this new keyboard. All that remained was to find out why grub doesnt recognise the usb keyboard.
So, for the record, here is how: I just enabled the legacy usb setting in the bios.

pany · 2010-12-17 15:22:58

In a similar situation, i had to add HOOKS="... usbinput ... " in my /etc/mkinitcpio.conf, before building the kernel.

SanskritFritz · 2010-12-17 18:26:31

pany wrote:

In a similar situation, i had to add HOOKS="... usbinput ... " in my /etc/mkinitcpio.conf, before building the kernel.

I don't think that would do anything with Grub behavior.

pany · 2010-12-18 09:22:23

Sorry there SanskritFritz. Missed the part that your problem stayed with grub.
In your case enabling "USB Legacy Support" in BIOS, was the right thing to do.
That's a "low level setting" and in my opinion should always be enabled for
compatibility reasons (hardware, boot-loaders, OSes).

In my case, if i recall correctly, the problem appeared when i tried to connect
a newly bought ms wireless keyboard + mouse pack, after a kernel upgrade. The
thing wasn't working, neither in grub nor in KDM, thus adding "usbinput" in "HOOKS",
and rebuilding the same kernel, solved it for me.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-12-14 10:46:50

[solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#2 2010-12-14 12:38:54

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#3 2010-12-14 13:48:41

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#4 2010-12-14 14:47:53

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#5 2010-12-14 15:40:12

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#6 2010-12-17 10:02:34

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#7 2010-12-17 15:22:58

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#8 2010-12-17 18:26:31

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

#9 2010-12-18 09:22:23

Re: [solved] zen-kernel installed, now grub doesnt work with usb keyboard

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