Opensuse 12.3 - Dell USB Keyboard and Mouse not working after Grub

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

I upgraded from 12.1 to 12.3. When I select the default kernel it boots into emergency mode. When I select the desktop kernel it boots into KDE. But in either case my keyboard and mouse don’t function. A couple of times I managed to edit the kernel options to include “nomodeset” and was able to get into a text session where the keyboard works. I ran YAST and tried to activate the GPM mouse but it wouldn’t work. Strangely, “nomodeset” doesn’t always stop in the text mode and sometimes continues to boot into KDE.

Once, I decided to try repeatedly hit numlock (because the light was the only visual indicator that the keyboard was responding) and somehow it booted into KDE with the keyboard working (but not the mouse). I’ve tried to repeat that but without luck.

I’ve read about xorg.conf changes, and some other “try editing this file” suggestions. I managed to try the AutoAddDevices suggestion once when the keyboard was working (through nomodeset) but it didn’t change anything. Since most of the time I can’t get the keyboard to work at all - is there a “foolproof” way to boot into text mode to be able to edit files and try other suggestions - and what might those suggestions be?

Thanks,
Jeff

#2

Tell us about the PC, the keyboard and the mouse and include the model number for keyboard and mouse. Are they wired or wireless? Is it plugged into a USB 3 port or USB 2? I actually read where using a USB 3 port can interfere with the 2.4 GHZ wireless mouse range and that placing the wireless devices as close to the receiver as possible can help. Several people have indicated USB 3 port issues where USB 2 worked OK.

Thank You,

#3

It’s a Dell Dimension 5150. Wired mouse and Keyboard. Logitech Optical Wheel Mouse branded by Dell as P/N 0C8639 and a Dell USB Keyboard/Hub SK-8135. USB 2 only.

And it seems that booting into single user mode (using the desktop kernel) boots into emergency mode but lets me use the keyboard, so at least I’ve found a way to edit files, now all I need to know is what to edit to make it work properly…

Thanks,
Jeff

#4

Wired USB keyboard and Mice just almost always work. I see your PC has two USB ports on the front and five on the back. Can I assume you are using two of the five ports on the back? Does your PC BIOS setup have a legacy keyboard support option and is it enabled?

Thank You,

#5

I’ve tried the keyboard in the front and the keyboard in the back usb ports. I’ve tried the mouse in the front, in the back and the the keyboard hub. There is no legacy keyboard/usb option in my PC BIOS. And, a small correction - single user mode reports booting into “rescue” not “emergency” mode.

Thanks,
Jeff

#6

Another update: I’m pretty sure now that the keyboard and mouse “die” when X starts. If I’m running in single user mode and then I start X, I lose control of the keyboard and don’t have control of the mouse. Mind you, I also didn’t have mouse on text in text-based YAST and I those that I did in 12.1 and prior. I’ve played with xorg.conf and I’ve also tried removing that and just relying on xorg.conf.d, but to no avail.

Any new ideas?

Thanks,
Jeff

#7

Yes, do you have access to a different mouse and keyboard, just to see if that makes any difference?

Thank You,

#8

https://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/alternative-distributions-based-opensuse/tumbleweed/477037-no-keyboard-after-update-kernel-3-5-a.html

I had a similar problem when I updated from kernel 3.4 to 3.5, maybe the thread helps.

#9

I tried another Dell Keyboard (a different model) and it still didn’t work.

I tried downgrading the kernel from 3.7.10 to 3.4.4 and it didn’t make a difference either.

Note, this is a dual boot machine and mouse and keyboard works fine in Win XP Pro 32.

Should I wait for 13.1 and hope it straightens out then?

Thanks,
Jeff

#10

Ensure that multiple kernels are supported /enabled on your machine

And then you might optionally try the latest " Kernel:stable" for 12.3 from this page

software.opensuse.org:

#11

With respect, my view is that a superior approach to just hoping for something to be straightened out in the ‘next’ version, is to be more proactive and to (1) write a bug report on the existing version, and (2) to test the newest version via the liveDVDs (or via liveUSB) and if it does not function there - then to raise a bug report also on the new release …

wrt bug reports, one can use their openSUSE forum username and password to log on to the openSUSE bugzilla, where there is guidance here: openSUSE:Submitting bug reports - openSUSE

wrt the latest development releases for testing, the download ISOs can be found here: software.opensuse.org: Download openSUSE 13.1 RC1

I confess that I, in the open source operating system environment, where the operating system improved functionality to a large extent moves forward due to the volunteer contributions of others, I don’t have much faith in relying on someone else to fix problems that I encounter if I don’t tell anyone about my problems via a bug report. … I do have faith in my problems being fixed if I tell others about the problems via a bug report. …

… but maybe that’s just me.

#12

This is just more info because I don’t have a fix either.

I’m currently loading an IBM x3300 with an E5-2407 CPU. The keyboard problem exists if I use the 32 bit version of SLES but it doesn’t exist when using the 64 bit version. I have tried many different loads, including text only with no X interface and the results are the same. About every other boot the keyboard comes up dead and many times the keyboard just dies while nothing is being done on the system. I have never noticed it locking up while I was using it but I’ve only been testing for a week trying to find a solution with no success.