Dell Vostro 1510 + Slackware 12.0 = Keyboard error?

morphynoman · 11-19-2008, 09:03 AM

Hi again,

When LILO starts I ALWAYS can hit Enter to skip the default waiting time but when it arrives to runlevel 3 (by default) sometimes (4/10) keyboard is dead so I have to restart.

I have been googling around and I've found some threads similiar to this but not exactly equals so I can't fix the problem.

Tell me what information you may need.

Thanks to those who lost 1 second with this.

Alien_Hominid · 11-19-2008, 10:20 AM

Does it work when running Slack from boot cd?

morphynoman · 11-19-2008, 06:50 PM

Sometimes, not always.

T3slider · 11-19-2008, 08:01 PM

You should check your BIOS and see if legacy USB support is enabled if you're using a USB keyboard.

morphynoman · 11-20-2008, 01:50 AM

Sorry but a Dell Vostro 1510 is a laptop, so no USB kbd plugged. Moreover, if you read again my 1st post you'll see that when LILO boots, I ALWAYS can press ENTER, so the problem/s come later.

T3slider · 11-20-2008, 11:41 AM

Sorry about that, when I wrote that I was in a hurry and didn't read your post very carefully (I actually missed several important points). Since the keyboard only goes dead *sometimes*, it is possible that there is a module conflict. You should post the output of `lsmod` when the keyboard is working (and I realize you can't exactly post that when the keyboard isn't working, unfortunately). Which kernel are you using (huge, generic, huge-smp or generic-smp)? The generic-smp kernel is definitely recommended (note that you need to create an initrd to use the generic-smp kernel -- see /boot/README.initrd).

It would help to have the `lsmod` output when the keyboard isn't working as well. The only thing I can think of is to add the following line to /etc/rc.d/rc.local (create the file if it doesn't exist, and make sure it is executable):

Code:

echo NEW BOOT >> /path/to/lsmodoutput.txt
lsmod >> /path/to/lsmodoutput.txt

That would create small log file for you, just containing the lsmod output from each boot (with the lsmod output from each boot separated by a "NEW BOOT" line). When the keyboard doesn't work, hopefully the lsmod output will still be appended to that file. Upon the next boot, hopefully the keyboard IS working and the last two entries will show the not-working and the working lsmod output, in that order.

That may not be the problem, but I can't really think of anything else right now (and I am still pressed for time as I write this reply).

morphynoman · 11-20-2008, 07:28 PM

First of all, thanks again for your attention, and now here is what returns lsmod:

Code:

Morphy ~ # lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
i915                   25216  0
drm                    74516  1 i915
vboxdrv                65432  0
snd_seq_dummy           6788  0
snd_seq_oss            34688  0
snd_seq_midi_event     10240  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                50640  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device         10636  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            41504  0
snd_mixer_oss          18432  1 snd_pcm_oss
pcmcia                 35244  0
pcmcia_core            36628  1 pcmcia
capability              7304  0
commoncap               9344  1 capability
fuse                   41876  0
lp                     13864  0
parport_pc             27940  0
parport                34888  2 lp,parport_pc
pcspkr                  6400  0
psmouse                38792  0
arc4                    5888  2
ecb                     6656  2
iwl3945               169844  0
mac80211              157192  1 iwl3945
cfg80211                9352  1 mac80211
serio_raw               9220  0
r8169                  29704  0
sdhci                  18828  0
mmc_core               25988  1 sdhci
snd_hda_intel         411540  0
snd_pcm                70148  2 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_intel
snd_timer              22788  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
ata_generic             9220  0
snd_page_alloc         12552  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
snd_hwdep              10756  1 snd_hda_intel
snd                    51620  10 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_hwdep
i2c_i801               11536  0
sg                     30364  0
soundcore               9824  1 snd
shpchp                 33300  0
intel_agp              25500  1
agpgart                31304  3 drm,intel_agp
evdev                  12032  5

My kernel:

Code:

Morphy ~ # uname -a
Linux Morphy 2.6.21.5 #4 SMP Thu Apr 10 04:23:56 GMT 2008 i686 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     T8100  @ 2.10GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

And now something different, or at least puzzling to me, that makes no much sense (?):

If during the boot- after LILO- I pulse repeatedly a key (e.g space bar), keyboard doesn't die NEVER.

morphynoman · 11-22-2008, 10:39 AM

Dear T3slider, your comment was very acute as the difference between a correct boot sequence and a bad one is the loading of 'serio_raw' module, that curiously is in

Code:

/lib/modules/2.6.21.5/kernel/drivers/input/serio/serio_raw.ko

Now, if the problem is summarized that the module is loaded, why is loaded sometimes and sometimes not? and, even more, how could I ensure that it loads at boot?

PD: Why does it load when I press repeatedly any key while booting?

Thanks to those who lost 1 second with this

T3slider · 11-22-2008, 03:18 PM

The serio_raw module should hopefully be present in /lib/modules/2.6.21.5-smp/kernel/drivers/input/serio/serio_raw.ko as well, since you're using the SMP kernel. Otherwise, you won't be able to modprobe it successfully. There are a few possible ways to load the module, and they're all a bit hackish. I will describe a possible method that attempts to avoid trying to load the module twice (so you won't have an annoying error in `dmesg` output all the time). Add the following line to the end of /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist:

Code:

blacklist serio_raw

Then, add this to the end of /etc/rc.d/rc.modules-2.6.21.5-smp:

Code:

/sbin/modprobe serio_raw

Note that I'm assuming rc.module-2.6.21.5-smp is the one getting checked. rc.S runs the first file it finds, looking in this order:
rc.modules.local
rc.modules-$(uname -r)
rc.modules

Therefore, if you have an rc.modules.local file, you should edit that instead (though since you're using a Slackware default kernel, you should probably just use rc.modules-2.6.21.5-smp instead of creating an rc.modules.local file).

This is really just a hack, and I'm not knowledgeable enough to determine *why* the module isn't being loaded by udev. If anyone else knows more, feel free to chime in.

morphynoman · 11-22-2008, 07:46 PM

Blacklisting serio_raw and adding the load command for that module seems to work fine. If something goes wrong I'll report here. Anyway thanks again in special to you T3slider.

morphynoman · 11-26-2008, 02:19 AM

It happened again.

Stealthy_C · 02-12-2009, 08:36 AM

I have the exact same problem but im using 12.2 on a Vostro 1710.
I found this link while searching google. - http://satish.playdrupal.com/?q=node/79

Here is my lsmod dump during bootup.

Here is the dump when the keyboard did NOT work.

Code:

NEW BOOT
Module                  Size  Used by
vmnet                  49348  13 
vmblock                19408  3 
vmci                   58664  0 
vmmon                  79216  0 
ipv6                  286280  12 
pcmcia                 40984  0 
pcmcia_core            39844  1 pcmcia
serio_raw              10372  0 
ppdev                  12552  0 
lp                     16132  0 
parport_pc             32296  0 
parport                41136  3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
fuse                   60992  1 
mmc_block              14728  0 
nvidia               8110704  0 
snd_hda_intel         473420  0 
iwlagn                103428  0 
uvcvideo               62088  0 
sdhci_pci              12672  0 
iwlcore                85828  1 iwlagn
joydev                 15616  0 
sdhci                  21380  1 sdhci_pci
thermal                23200  0 
compat_ioctl32         13440  1 uvcvideo
snd_pcm                83336  1 snd_hda_intel
mmc_core               57440  2 mmc_block,sdhci
processor              42548  1 thermal
videodev               40576  2 uvcvideo,compat_ioctl32
i2c_i801               14364  0 
led_class               8584  1 iwlcore
evdev                  15648  8 
snd_timer              26256  1 snd_pcm
video                  24596  0 
wmi                    10944  0 
v4l1_compat            19332  2 uvcvideo,videodev
battery                16904  0 
snd_page_alloc         12816  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
button                 11680  0 
ac                      9352  0 
r8169                  35204  0 
snd_hwdep              12552  1 snd_hda_intel
rtc_cmos               15160  0 
rtc_core               22596  1 rtc_cmos
dcdbas                 12464  0 
output                  7424  1 video
mac80211              178472  2 iwlagn,iwlcore
snd                    64456  4 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_hwdep
thermal_sys            17216  3 thermal,processor,video
rtc_lib                 7168  1 rtc_core
mii                     9344  1 r8169
cfg80211               31376  3 iwlagn,iwlcore,mac80211
intel_agp              34672  0 
sg                     35936  0 
soundcore              11296  1 snd
hwmon                   6984  1 thermal_sys

Working keyboard in this dump

Code:

NEW BOOT
Module                  Size  Used by
vmnet                  49348  13 
vmblock                19408  3 
vmci                   58664  0 
vmmon                  79216  0 
ipv6                  286280  12 
pcmcia                 40984  0 
pcmcia_core            39844  1 pcmcia
serio_raw              10372  0 
lp                     16132  0 
ppdev                  12552  0 
parport_pc             32296  0 
parport                41136  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
fuse                   60992  1 
thermal                23200  0 
mmc_block              14728  0 
processor              42548  1 thermal
sg                     35936  0 
video                  24596  0 
iwlagn                103428  0 
snd_hda_intel         473420  0 
iwlcore                85828  1 iwlagn
sdhci_pci              12672  0 
led_class               8584  1 iwlcore
mac80211              178472  2 iwlagn,iwlcore
intel_agp              34672  0 
i2c_i801               14364  0 
uvcvideo               62088  0 
sdhci                  21380  1 sdhci_pci
joydev                 15616  0 
mmc_core               57440  2 mmc_block,sdhci
snd_pcm                83336  1 snd_hda_intel
snd_timer              26256  1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc         12816  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
snd_hwdep              12552  1 snd_hda_intel
cfg80211               31376  3 iwlagn,iwlcore,mac80211
dcdbas                 12464  0 
battery                16904  0 
thermal_sys            17216  3 thermal,processor,video
hwmon                   6984  1 thermal_sys
evdev                  15648  9 
rtc_cmos               15160  0 
compat_ioctl32         13440  1 uvcvideo
nvidia               8110704  0 
r8169                  35204  0 
mii                     9344  1 r8169
rtc_core               22596  1 rtc_cmos
rtc_lib                 7168  1 rtc_core
ac                      9352  0 
output                  7424  1 video
wmi                    10944  0 
snd                    64456  4 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_hwdep
soundcore              11296  1 snd
videodev               40576  2 uvcvideo,compat_ioctl32
v4l1_compat            19332  2 uvcvideo,videodev
psmouse                46876  0 
button                 11680  0