External USB keyboard not work in Linux (work in Bios and win...)
 

I have old notebook Acer ferrari 3000. The built-in keyboard does not function any more so I attached a USB-keyboard to that notebook. The USB-keyboard work ok in Windows and in BIOS and all the way to select boot OS in grub, but as soon as the system boots in to the Linux system (I have tried both Mint and now Mageia), the keyboard stop working. I did have other USB-keyboard that did work, but it was much bigger and when I did move from one country to another I did leave that keyboard behind (to big in the notebook bag). Now I have two USB-Keyboard in the home, both working on my desktop computer (in Linux), but not on my notebook computer. Now I am not able to use the notebook unless using Onboard (on-screen) keyboard and that is very very boring.
The Bios configuration don't have any function to enable USB-keyboard and don't have any option to dissable USB2.0 (both solutions I have found when searching the Internet), so I am stuck here.
Is there something I can do to solve this?

I did try to use the inxi command to get informations, but the command seems not to work on this mageia linux. Instead I used the lspci command

[root@localhost ~]# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8378 [KM400/A] Chipset Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 PCI Bridge
00:07.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 02)
00:08.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments TSB43AB21 IEEE-1394a-2000 Controller (PHY/Link)
00:09.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 03)
00:10.0 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.1 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.2 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.3 USB controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
00:11.6 Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 80)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 74)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc M9+ 5C61 [Radeon Mobility 9200 (AGP)] (rev 01)

Hope there is some solution for this.
thanks.

first of all please post the output of commands in code tags
like such
second, since you are looking for a usb device the command you are looking for is lsusb

such as

Thank you for your advice.
Firs of all there is no button to make this code, and because I am not posting on forums every day, I am not sure how to make that code (until now when I see it on the input window). I know I can make few testings to try to make the text appears like this, but I would prefer a button or info on how to do it, while I am typing questions.
For the second advice, I am going to work after few minutes, so I will post the lsusb output after I'm back home from work.

Sorry for not send the output of the lsusb, yesterday. But I was working until very late (03:00 after midnight), and did just want to go to sleep, when I finished work.
But here it is.

I don't know how this should look like, but notice that the keyboard is not on the list. Only thing here is the card-reader.

hmm, well the keyboard for whatever reason isn't detected at ALL, my lsusb doesn't show a kb or mouse because i have a ps/2 mouse but you claim that yours is usb
are you sure of that?

Put a boot code (or kernel parameter) like "waitusb=xxx" in TinyCoreLinux ?
If I remember correctly it happens one time to me on my AMD K6-III: the new USB mouse and keyboard were not recognized. Personally, I would have a look at https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documenta...parameters.txt and see which code make your mint or mageia waiting for the USB (I could not find the code immediately)

or solution like http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=115561

or acpi=off? http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=32425

.. use google "kernel parameter for usb keyboard recognized at boot mint" or other

I am sure it is a USB keyboard. My notebook (like most notebooks/laptops), don't have any ps/2 ports.
I have read somewhere that these USB keyboards are not all the same and doesn't use same standards. I am not sure, but is it possible that some of these USB kayboards (lot of them) are using ps/2 standards but having USB plugs?
If it is, then it seems to be lot of keyboards (at least on cheap price) that are like this. I have try many keyboards (all of them USB of course, because I don't have ps/2 on my notebook) and only 2 did work. Before I did move to Iceland, I did bought small size keyboard and it did look like it was design small for using with laptops. I was in hurry packing and didn't test it. Now I am not able to use it. Well the truth is that I can use it in windows, but I prefer to use Linux and there somehow Linux just turn it off when Linux load. The numlok led is on until Linux load, the led will then go of and the keyboard will not function more until exit Linux (reboot to windows or just in BIOS).

Thank you for your advice. Because I am going to work after few minutes I will look at this later this evening (if I would not be very late home). I will tell you then if it will work.

Nothing seems to work.
There is something I have found (searching), but don't understand so much about is USBHID and HIDBP.
Is this something you can deal with in boot parameters, or do I have to compile Kernel (that I don't know anything how do).

Thanks.

put your keyboard on the place of the card reader?
is there no USB recognition in the bios?
Can you boot from the CD reader? if yes, can you boot with the "UBCD" and USB via plop?

I would try to boot that PC with knoppix using different boot parameters (from USB or from CD).

Or use an older ubuntu https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupp...nesLaptopsAcer (your notebook is there)
and try to understand with that which modules are necessary before you move to a newer system (really necessary?)

The card-reader is part of the notebook body, so to plug my keyboard to that port, I would need to open the notebook case and find how the card-reader is plugged to the main-board. I think I am not doing that at the moment. Other USB devices seems to work. I have flash drive that is working and external CD reader/writer that is working well (I did install the Linux using that device because the internal CD reader have some problems to read/write).
It is so long time since I did install the CD, but if I remember right, the keyboard didn't work with the live CD. I will test it tomorrow, to be sure. Sorry for this but I have been having long working days and then spending many hours on that problem and I am just very tired tonight so I want to go to sleep. I thank you for your help but I am just very tired and I will try the CD tomorrow.
The BIOS is very simple with almost nothing to change. Nothing about USB in the BIOS, so I cannot do anything there to solve this. Have to do it in the OS.
Another thing I have been thinking about is USBHID and HIDBP. How does these things work and is it possible to control these settings in the boot parameters. There must be some difference how Linux and Windows working with these HID devices, because I am able to use that Keyboard in Windows, but not with Linux.
One more thing is I don't know or understand (not native English speaking), "UBCD" and USB via plop. What is that and how do I do that?

Edit 1.Feb.2013 14:26 GMT
Now I did try to use live CD and the keyboard stop working as soon as in the Linux OS (Linux Mint 13 Xfce). Here I don't find On-screen keyboard and cannot get the system information (like inxi) in terminal (can use "Character Map" to get the characters, but impossible to press on the "Enter" button).
Starting normally in Linux Mageia and plug in the CD reader/writer and the flash drive (and of course the USB-keyboard) gave me this in lsusb
The USB-keyboard isn't seen here.

I notice one thing. After booting to Linux, then if I use the lsusb I get this.
But if I unplug the USB-keyboard and replug it again, then when using lsusb, one line is missing
The "Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1a2c:0002" line is missing.

a "pci=noacpi" or "noacpi" boot code?

at the moment I have some problem logging in.
At start I did try to use "noacpi" but was not able to log in to Mageia (error appears). Next I did use the "pci=noacpi" and was able to log in to the Mageia. But the keyboard did not work.
I did then try again to use "noacpi" but the boot will not go all the way in to the system (error). I did thought try few times always result in error.
I don't know but now I am not able to boot to the system normally. Changing the boot parameters to "splash=verbose" I can read between the lines and see something
and this seems to keep on long time, always with new number on the USB device, untill the screen will blank and I will just turn off the notebook. At this time the keyboard seems not working (I can see that from the num-lock led, that is off and if I press that button (num-lock), nothing happen. The led is always off.
Maybe I should just give up now, and wait until I have bought new keyboard (taking the notebook to the shop to test the keyboard before I will buy it).

look at setups for 1a2c:0002

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/inde...t-1594898.html
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t...2-start-0.html
...

= create a new xorg.conf ?


what is in
dmesg
xorg.0.log ?

head up! we will find something... just need few time.

"UBCD" = ultimate boot CD (see the net how to make this CD)
"USB via plop" = the plop bootloader is in the "UBCD" and can start (most probably) an operating system which would be on a bootable USB.
This was an idea from me to see if the USB ports are recognized; but now I think yes. Dont need to follow this path anymore in my opinion.