Re: X disables ps2 keyboard if ps2 mouse not plugged in

Quoting Tomas Pospisek's Mailing Lists <[email protected]>:

  Hi,

> OK, I'll try again:
> 
> Why does X disable the ps2 keyboard when there's no ps2 mouse?
> 
> If and only if the ps2 mouse is plugged in at *boot* [1] will X give me
> a
> ps2 keyboard. Otherwise X will start perfectly but without keyboard
> input.
> In the meantime the console is just fine. Gpm is also able to use the
> mouse. [2]
> 
> The *grave* problem with that behaveour is that lacking a network one
> has
> to *powercycle* the machine. There's no other means. And endure the fs
> check afterwards etc.
> 
> Setup:
> 
> * linux kernel 2.4.18
> * debian stable
> * xfree 4.1
> * various i386 machines
> 
> Can this problem be avoided? Why does X do this?
> *t
> 
> [1] Even before the OS boots
> [2] One will *not* be able switch into the console though!

  Try this in the console after booting with the mouse not plugged:

$ cat /dev/psaux

  If the keyboard stops working, you should check your kernel. I
saw this problem a long time ago, but don't remember how it got
fixed in the Conectiva kernel, but I believe there is a kernel
build option for the broken motherboards that show this problem.

> --
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>          Tomas Pospisek
>          SourcePole   -  Linux & Open Source Solutions
>          http://sourcepole.ch
>          Elestastrasse 18, 7310 Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
>          Tel: +41 (81) 330 77 11
> -----------------------------------------------------------

Paulo