I've been searching high and low for a way to get my usb keyboard to work. The consensus seems to be to toss it out and use a PS2. So far I've just set it aside... I like the feel of it, and finding a solution to the problem seems like a better idea than contributing to the landfill.
I've installed Redhat 7.3 (using an old PS2 keyboard as suggested by the consensus), and the really frustrating thing is that the HP USB "internet" keyboard that I'm trying to use is actually one of the choices during the install, but it still doesn't work.
Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ray

Hi
I don't use any usb but i came across some usb
issues in suse see these;
http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/usb80.html
http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/usb_prob73.html
and there ares some others in their supportdatabase
concering older kernels.
Maybe you can extract a solution for your redhat distro,
keep in mind that suse keeps config files etc. on other places
then redhat
Hope this leads to some sort of solution
regards

I beleive you need to load usb-core, and usb hid modules (i dont know the exact names) but USB HID should handle your keyboard. Somehow find out the names of the modules for usb his and usb core / generic support (perhaps look in /etc/modules.conf) then use modprobe to load them as root, THEN plug in your USB keyboard, and check /var/log/syslog if it gives any signs of life.
If it does, cool, you need a way to make it a default keyboard, i have no idea how, i guess you should change some symlinks in /dev but i dunno which ones, i have never done this. If it doesn't work, look in syslog, and /var/log/messages if it gives any clues, maybe you should consider recompiling the kernel as well...
HTH
-NSKL

Thanks,
I'm still working through these suggestions, but I had a couple of questions. NSKL, I found a listing in /etc/modules.conf for
alias usb-controller usb-uhci
is this the usb hid module you refer me to?
When booting I get messages

mounting USB filesystem succeeded
initializing USB HID interface (usb-uhci) suceeded
initializing usb keyboard succeeded
initializing usb mouse succeeded

that makes it appear that all is well.

Also I have been unable to locate anything like a usb core, any further guidance there?

The keyboard works in LILO but not in the login window, and the mouse (which is USB) works if I connect it directly to the hub in the back of the computer OR if I connect the keyboard and then connect the mouse to the keyboard. In other words, the USB hub seems to be communicating, and signals can travel through the keyboard (from the mouse) but the keys on the keyboard still don't do anything.
Thanks,
Ray

Ok, forget about usb-core etc... since you said that at startup you are told:
mounting USB filesystem succeeded
initializing USB HID interface (usb-uhci) suceeded
initializing usb keyboard succeeded
initializing usb mouse succeeded
Which means all these steps are already done for you.
Now, thr problem seems to be that your keyboard is a file in /dev just for simplicity i will assume its /dev/usbkey (BUT its not, i dont know what it is, you will have to find this out somehow, perhaps look through /proc/usb) and the normal keyboard is /dev/key (and again its not, im only explaining it, you will need to find out what normal keyboard is, maybe some user will know to tell, but i dont) now what you have to do is symlink (ln -s) /dev/usbkey to /dev/key to make your system think that your usb keyboard is the normal keyboard.
Things you need to do:
1. Find out what /dev/file is your usb keyboard represented by
2. Find out what /dev/file are normal keyboards represented by
3. Symlink usb keyboard /dev file to normal keyboard /dev file

Now, i have never done something like this before, which means i might be totally wrong, but that is the only thing that came to my mind. It's kinda like a blindman leading a blindman, so i suggest wait to see if someone else can give you a better answer before following what i said.
Sorry i couldnt give you a clear answer... but i tried
-NSKL