DebuggingKeyboardDetection
This page is potentially out of date as of Intrepid due to input-hotplug. Please remove this message if you update the page. |
This page is part of the debugging series — pages with debugging details for a variety of Ubuntu packages. |
Introduction
Problems with keyboard detection typically fall into one off these categories:
- Your keyboard doesn't work at all.
- Your USB keyboard stops working after a while.
- Some keys of your keyboard don't work (as expected).
How to file a bug report
Keyboard related bugs should initially be filed against xserver-xorg-input-evdev. If the bug turns out to be a kernel bug or a bug in another package, bug triagers can assign the bug additionally to that package and mark the xserver-xorg-input-evdev task as invalid.
General information
For all bug categories the following general information should be provided:
What brand and model is your keyboard.
How is your keyboard connected to your PC: DIN, PS/2, USB, USB wireless, ...For a USB keyboard enter the following command on a terminal/console:
$ lsusb -v > ~/lsusb-v
Open a terminal/console and enter the following commands (minimal information as described in KernelTeamBugPolicies):
$ uname -a > ~/uname-a $ cat /proc/version_signature > ~/version_signature $ sudo lspci -vvnn > ~/lspci-vvnn
Attach ~/lsusb-v, ~/uname-a, ~/version_signature and ~/lspci-vvnn to the bug report as separate attachments.
In case your keyboard doesn't work at all
Provide the general information.
- If you have a PS/2 keyboard make sure it was connected before booting Ubuntu. To complete the steps below you will need to connect a USB keyboard.
- If you have a USB keyboard unplug it an replug it to see if it starts working. If it doesn't you should have connected a PS/2 keyboard before booting Ubuntu in addition to your USB keyboard to complete the steps below.
Enter the following command in a terminal/console:
$ dmesg > ~/dmesg
Attach ~/dmesg and your /var/log/Xorg.0.log to the bug report in separate attachments.
In case your USB keyboard stops working after a while
For debugging this problem you either need a PS/2 keyboard or 2 computers in a network.
If the second machine runs Windows you need to install putty.exe from http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html.
Provide the general information.
- If you don't have a PS/2 keyboard install the openssh-server package on the machine with the keyboard problem. If you have a PS/2 keyboard connect it addition to your USB keyboard before booting Ubuntu.
Direct after logging in to GNOME, KDE or Xfce open a terminal and enter the following commands:
$ dmesg > ~/dmesg_boot $ cp /var/log/Xorg.0.log ~/Xorg.0.log
- Wait until your USB keyboard stops working. Try if switching to a Virtual Terminal still works by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F1, are you able to login and enter commands? Try to unplug your USB keyboard and replug it to see if it starts working again.
- If replugging or the Virtual Terminal works then goto step 6. If it doesn't work you should use either the PS/2 keyboard or the second machine in the LAN to login to your machine of which the keyboard stopped working. If your second machine is Linux use the command ssh user@host, if it is Windows use putty.
Type the following commands in the terminal:
$ LANG=C $ dmesg > ~/dmesg $ diff -ns ~/dmesg_boot ~/dmesg > ~/dmesg_diff $ cp /var/log/Xorg.0.log ~/Xorg.0.log_tmp $ diff -ns ~/Xorg.0.log ~/Xorg.0.log_tmp > ~/Xorg.0.log_diff
Attach ~/dmesg_boot, ~/dmesg_diff, ~/Xorg.0.log and ~/Xorg.0.log_diff to the bug report in separate attachments.
In case some keys of your keyboard don't work (as expected)
Provide the general information.
Open a terminal/console and enter the following commands:
$ xprop -root | grep XKB > ~/xkb $ gconftool-2 -R /desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard/kbd > ~/gconf
Attach ~/xkb and ~/gconf to the bug report in separate attachments.