Re: NetBSD installation doesn't like keyboard

That makes a lot of sense now since it's only affecting the installation and it's somewhat random.  I've gotten the system installed finally so now I don't have to face the bug for now.

My new problem is trying to get ntpd to take my GPS and PPS inputs and verify that it's all working.  NMEA works but PPS I'm not sure about.  But that's a subject for a different email (and perhaps a different list).

--- On Sun, 8/14/11, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:

> From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: NetBSD installation doesn't like keyboard
> To: [email protected]
> Cc: [email protected]
> Date: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 10:12 AM
> 
> > Has anyone ever experienced the NetBSD installation
> screens accepting what seems to be two keypresses from
> console when only one is made?
> > 
> > In this case, if I press return (Type4 or Type5
> keyboard), it moves to a submenu but then somehow assumes
> I've pressed enter again.  This happens at the first
> Install menu (menu choice A to install NetBSD from
> scratch).  It goes to the next screen which asks "are
> you sure" but "No" is highlighted.  Suddenly it jumps
> back to the main menu again as if I answered "no". 
> Some menus don't do this.  The reinstall option doesn't
> do it but the distrubtion sets underneath do.
> > 
> > I'm not sure why it's behaving this way but it's
> certainly making it hard to install.
> 
> I've seen this.  It's an interaction between
> NetBSD/sparc's PROM
> console output functions and its keyboard repeat, triggered
> when
> there's a lot of output to do after a keypress (like when
> you hit
> Enter to change to another sysinst menu).
> 
> It goes something like this: you press Enter.  A
> callout is scheduled
> to repeat the key later if you haven't released it by
> then.  Then the
> Enter is given to sysinst, which gives the new menu to
> output to the
> kernel.
> 
> Now, NetBSD/sparc's PROM console output functions disable
> soft
> interrupts while in the PROM.  Since the PROM isn't so
> fast,
> especially on slower systems, this means that soft
> interrupts are
> disabled for a while.
> 
> While these interrupts are disabled, you release
> Enter.  A soft
> interrupt to cancel the repeat-callout is requested, and is
> held
> pending.  Then, the timer interrupt that triggers the
> repeat-callout
> happens.  Now we're past the point of no return -
> Enter will repeat.
> 
> I should have filed a PR for this a while ago.  I
> remember that I
> could usually get by if I was really really quick to
> release keys.
> And this might only affect INSTALL kernels?  I think
> maybe after
> the install, the GENERIC kernel might have non-PROM
> framebuffer
> console drivers?
> 
> --
> Matt Fredette
> 
>