Re: console: no USB keyboard!

On Sun, 14 Mar 2021 11:42:13 +0200
Andriy Gapon <avg_at_FreeBSD.org> wrote:

> On 13/03/2021 21:01, Hartmann, O. wrote:
> > Running 14-CURRENT on several boxes (i.e. FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT #49
> > main-n245422-cecfaf9bede9: Fri Mar 12 16:08:09 CET 2021 amd64) with custom and/or
> > GENERIC kernel and USB-only equipment (mouse if available, keyboard).
> > In multiuser mode, there is no problem using the USB keyboard. On single user console
> > (for maintenance purposes), no USB keyboard is available. The same is true while
> > booting and the rc scripts are worked on. Usually, one can hit the enter key and
> > inserts a newline, this doesn't work anymore until the box is completely up! 
> > 
> > I do not know when this problem as been introduced, the very same config is used since
> > 13-CURRENT in its earlier time and has been modified accordingly, but I can't see
> > obvios changes which would explain the wrecked behaviour now. 
> > 
> > I got aware of this problem, when a small mistake in /etc/fstab rendered a box
> > unbootable, I had to head for the datacenter and wasn't even capable of interrupting
> > the stuck system. Checking on other boxes running recent 14-CURRENT revealed the same
> > problem.
> > 
> > The interesting part is, that as long as those boxes are with the loader present (all
> > boxes are UEFI booting!), the USB keyboard works as expected and I'm able to select
> > kernel/kernel.old and so on.
> > 
> > How to fix this?  
> 
> Can't help with fixing the problem, but here's some info.
> When you are at the loader prompt, BIOS provides emulation of a standard /
> legacy keyboard for the USB keyboard.  That's why loader can work even though it
> doesn't know much about USB.
> When a FreeBSD driver for the USB controller takes over then the BIOS emulation
> stops.  Until a FreeBSD peripheral driver like ukbd attaches, it's not possible
> to use the keyboad, unfortunately.  You can check your dmesg to see when that
> happens.
> 
> Personally, I try to avoid "legacy free" solutions and always have a PS/2
> keyboard (even if it's a really a USB one using PS/2 <-> USB adapter).
> 
> Of course, it would be great to reduce the dead window for USB keyboards and I
> think that it is doable.
> 
> 

Hello,

thank you very much for the explanation. For usual, I compile all necessary module
staticlly into the kernel, the USB mouse, massstorage, keyboard. There was a message
about some changes with uhid/hid, I tried all variants coming to my mind, starting from
GENERIC up to add-ons statically compiled in. The systems in question I observed this
the first time are quite old (Z77/IvyBridge era) and do have PS/2 sockets, but others
(KabyLake) doesn't. Most KVM we use today in the datacenters are VGA/USB based, so there
is no chance to attach PS/2 equipment :-(

Kind regards,

oh