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

On Thu, 5 Dec 2002 [email protected] wrote:

> 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.

It does not stop working. I do cat /dev/psaux and can happily continue to
type, can do CTRL-C and get back to the prompt.

What gives?

Mind you, I can reproduce this on two completely different machines, a
recent one and a two years old one.
*t

PS: Thanks for replying Paolo!

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         Tomas Pospisek
         SourcePole   -  Linux & Open Source Solutions
         http://sourcepole.ch
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         Tel: +41 (81) 330 77 11
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