Non-responsive keyboard at boot

[PhilT]

Hi folks,

I do not know if this is a Karmic problem or an Nvidia problem . I have a twin-hard drive system with Jaunty on one drive and Karmic on the other. Running 64-bit systems with Ext4 file structure. I was having lots of trouble with my ATI video card and decided to change to an Nvidia card: GeForce 9500 GT with 1 GB of ram. After I installed the new card I immediately got much faster trouble-free graphics so I was well satisfied - EXCEPT THAT - now, when the system boots my Logitech diNovo Cordless keyboard and mouse are not recognized at the boot menu screen and I have to use a plugged-in keyboard to make boot choices . As soon as the K welcome screen appears the cordless keyboard works perfectly. I'm using the boot menu generated by the Karmic install.

Is this a Karmic boot problem? It's not a show stopper - just a nuisance; the keyboard worked fine with the ATI card before the swap.

Any ideas?

[dibl]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

Brilliant choice on your video card!



I don't actually know the precise answer on your cordless keyboard, but here's an observation. The computer hardware that you have working when Grub is running (that is the mini-OS that starts and shows your boot menu) is really just the very basic stuff -- a VGA screen and enough USB capability that a connected USB keyboard will work. But there probably is not a wireless link established at that point, unless that is a BIOS level wireless keyboard setup. When you boot the real OS, that is when network drivers and video drivers and all the other higher-level functionality that you use gets implemented for your system. So I'm speculating that you actually have no wireless keyboard connection at the point when you're looking at the boot menu, due to the lack of a running driver to support it on your hardware.

[PhilT]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

Thanks dibl; I purchased that particular card following your recommendation on another post . My Radeon card gave a lot of trouble; even tried compiling the specific driver, but never got good video. I used to have an Nvidia card in an older machine and only put an ati card in this new box following the "blogs" about ATI opening up their source code and Nvidia being reluctant. I guess there's no trouble free track.

I agree about the timings of the USB stuff - but the problem remains: why did it work before and then stop working with the new card (if it is the card's fault). I'm wondering whether to re-install the Jaunty grub boot files to see if that would show anything - i.e. if it would work with that, then it must be a Karmic issue (probably my bad karma).

I may download the new ALPHA5 image and try a new Karmic install; but still wondering whether to bother.

[dibl]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

If you previously only had a single OS installed, then it will automatically boot the latest kernel with no keyboard interaction at all. Just a thought.

[doctordruidphd]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

Question:
Are you able to get into your bios/setup screen with your wireless keyboard?

If not, then it's probably not related to either grub or karmic.

I suspect there may be some sort of low-level hardware argument going on between the video card and the wireless controller, that only gets sorted out once the software drivers come into play. In the old days, I'd say there was a conflict between interrupts or something like that, but nowadays most of that is automatically programmed, which may be the problem.

But then again, if you are using a usb wireless controller, but a plugin usb keyboard works, then it's probably not the usb port itself.

Just thinking out loud here.

Another thing to try is, if you have sufficient USB ports, to plug in your wired and wireless keyboards, hit the arrow keys on the wired keyboard a couple of times, and see if your wireless keyboard works then.

Also wondering if it might be a delay issue -- if adding more delay time to your menu.lst file would give the wireless setup more time to come online.

[PhilT]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

Thanks dibl; but it worked with the ATI card with both OS's installed!

Thanks doctordruidphd; No I cannot get into the bios setup screen with the wireless keyboard. The other keyboard is not USB; its an old fashioned one plugged into the motherboard. Your suggestion about hardware arguments seems probable. Already tried hitting the arrow keys on the wired keyboard but, no luck. I'll try the delay suggestion but how does one do that with the new Karmic grub.pc files? I don't think it uses the menu.lst file - or am I mistaken?

[PhilT]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

I think it must be a hardware conflict; just tried loading my Ubuntu 9.04 live CD; this worked fine with the old ATI graphics card; now I have no keyboard
It's a shame to have obtained super Nvidia graphics at the expense of keyboard problems!!
I have no idea how to resolve the conflict. Any suggestions?

[doctordruidphd]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot

Regarding the initial bootup delay, I'm sure there is a way to do it, but learning grub2 is still on the todo list here...

You might try raising this issue on the NVIDIA linux forum since it really does sound like a hardware problem.
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[PhilT]

Re: Non-responsive keyboard at boot (SOLVED)

Just in case this helps anyone else.

I found out that the reason why my diNovo radio keyboard did not operate at boot was because the USB cable with the radio dongle was plugged into an extension USB port and not into one of the USB ports on the motherboard. (When I changed from the ATI to NVidia card and re-connected all the cables behind the desk I inadvertently used the wrong socket ).

It looks like the motherboard USB sockets get configured by the BIOS (at boot) and the extension USB sockets get configured by the software (after boot). No doubt there is a more technical explanation.

But the message is: make sure that time-dependent USB devices are plugged into motherboard USB sockets!!