Booting Puppy and a USB keyboard: order of driver loading

Using applications, configuring, problems
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robvnl
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Booting Puppy and a USB keyboard: order of driver loading

#1 Post by robvnl »

Hi,
When I boot pupyy on my pent4 with a USB keyboard it asks for what type of keyboard I use. However, my keyboard is not configured yet at that particular moment during startup. There the show is over because it keepts waiting for answer while my keyboard is not working. Probably the USB drivers will be loaded after the keyboard configuration. Or it might be a BIOS issue (Asus P4TE, award). With fedora I cannot use the keyboard either during startup, but it picks a default and continues.
Anyone has a suggestion? Many thx beforehand!

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danleff
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#2 Post by danleff »

Something has changed in the new release and the new kernel. Previously, my usb keyboard did work and now it does not. What I found is that you needed to have a PS/2 keyboard to start Puppy, then configure the USB keyboard. However, in the new version, this fails to work now.

Check and see if USB keyboard support is active (set to on) in the bios.

But I suspect that it is a kernel issue and what USB modules are loaded in what order, as mine fails with USB support enabled.

I got this working before in older versions and only took a quick look at the modules loaded in 1.0.2, which are specific for the new kernel 2.6. I will try to see if I can ascertain what this issue is.

However, I think we will need Barry's input on this.
I love it when a plan comes together

--Hannibal Smith

Rich
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#3 Post by Rich »

That's a bit of an unfortunate arrangement really, you need a ps2 keyboard to tell the system that it has a USB keyboard ! :?

Always reminds me of the bios error on boot up...........

Keyboard Error...press F1 to resume :D

It is something that needs addressing though. Surely the computer knows that there's nothing in the PS2 port - can't this knowledge be accessed and, if it turns out there's no keyboard in the standard socket, default to USB?

Rich

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danleff
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#4 Post by danleff »

Ok...her eis what I found so far. If I;

unload usbhid with modprobe -r usbhid

unload psmouse

modprobe usbmouse

modprobe usbkbd

I get usb mouse and keyboard support, and I can use the PS/2 keyboard, as well. This is with both the mousedevice file set at /dev/mice and keyboardtype file retained at PS/2.

It seems that in my case, full usbhid support disables any attempt to load my usb keyboard. It is detected as an input device sans full usbhid support. I can't recall what the old term is for this, but I seem to remember it is something like treating the keyboard as an input device, not a hid? I also seem to remember a comment in building the 2.4 kernel about this, while compiling the kernel.

Perhaps Barry or someone more adept at this can comment.

So, I guess, the question is, where can I disable full usbhid support?

Rich, there is also a possible bios issue in some systems, like older laptops and desktops, where the bios setting of "legacy usb" causes an issue. So, part of the issue can be found within the bios settings and how Linux reads usb support from the bios.
I love it when a plan comes together

--Hannibal Smith

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BarryK
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#5 Post by BarryK »

I think I had a usb keyboard and mouse working together okay.

usbhid.ko is the full hid module.
usbkbd.ko and usbmouse.ko are the simpler usb modules.

you could try unloading usbhid and then try the simpler modules.
"modinfo" also will provide interesting info.

They are located in /lib/modules/2.6/usb/input/.

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danleff
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#6 Post by danleff »

OK, I've changed a few things. Puppy was stalling loading ndiswrapper. I edited-out the value, sleep 3 during the loading of ndiswrapper in rc.local and added the usbkbd module to rc.local. Now full usbhid is not loaded automatically and the usb keyboard works. No more hangs on boot.

If you use the simplier, not-full usbkbd module for your keyboard, and you want a usb mouse to work as well, then you would have to add the usbmouse module to rc.local.

Hardware issues can be a problem!

In terms of Rich's or Robvnl's problem. Is usb keyboard support enabled in the bios, or is this a laptop? I have a PS/2 2 port switch, so this presents a little problem for me. But is also the reason why I could configure a usb keyboard easier in Puppy.

I know that this may not answer the original question of usb keyboard support on boot, but maybe we can sort out the specific issues in your systems.

The modinfo command is big a help, but one apparently has to figure out which supports their hardware, the full usbhid module, or the others.
I love it when a plan comes together

--Hannibal Smith

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robvnl
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#7 Post by robvnl »

Many thanks for all ideas. I have to try out all above. I will connect my old ps/2 and play around with the usb modules this week. I will post my results. Furthermore, I suspect my mobo of having a limitation because there is not any setting regarding the usage of a usb keyboard. Besides, it is an older board (i.e. 2002, asus p4te) with usb 1.1. Anyway, it is interesting.

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robvnl
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#8 Post by robvnl »

Regarding to the boot and usb keyboard above I had to connect a PS/2 keyboard first (next to the already connected usb keyboard, they work both at the same time). The question for what type of keyboard (us qwerty) came again and I answered with the ps/2 keyb of course. Puppy continued and then started to load the usb drivers (like I suspected already). From the desktop I configured the keyboard setting again to USB. Since then it boots always properly. So, it is the order of loading the drivers. I will search the /etc/rc scripts for it. Furthermore: Puppy is a wonderful product!

hgpuke
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Joined: Fri 28 Oct 2005, 22:44

I don't have a PS/2 keyboard. Is there a working solution?

#9 Post by hgpuke »

I have been reading this thread, but don't understand whether the knowledge you aquired led to fixes in the subsequent releases of Puppy? Today I downloaded Puppy 1.0.5 and unfortunately I cannot use it because it doesn't recognise my wireless (chicony chipset) keyboard. At first it does, but then after booting it is asking about my keyboard layout, and then the keyboard has stopped working. Should I try a different release of Puppy?
Or is there some way that I can modify 1.0.5 starting up a different version of Linux (Kubuntu)?

Beniahl
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Joined: Thu 03 Nov 2005, 13:51

#10 Post by Beniahl »

This is certainly a problem for me too. I'm using a wireless (Logitech) mouse and keyboard and the keyboard stops responding during the boot.
So it may not be a driver order problem as such, but rather that more specialised drivers (for non-standard USB devices) aren't loaded initially.

As a thought, this could be resolved by having a timeout on the question rather than a mandatory "hit return to continue". Even if the timeout was 30 seconds it would be better than nothing...

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