Random problem with opensuse 12.1 for a Sun Java Workstation: mouse and keyboard dont work at login

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Dear All,

I am trying to run opensuse 12.1 in a Sun Java Workstation W2001z, with 2 AMD Opteron 264 processors.
When I was trying to install, I got the first problem. I started using the boot DVD and selected installation. At the moment I reached the first page of the installation process, where you have to check the license agreement, the mouse and keyboard are lost and I have to manually shutdown the computer using the reset button. Mouse and keyboard are USB devices, there are no PS2 ports. I tried several times until I selected Safe Mode using the F5 key for the installation. Then I could use the mouse and keyboard to proceed with the installation.
The installation was completed and I could login without any issues.
However, after shutdown and restarting, I reach the login screen, and the mouse and keyboard sometimes work, and I can continue, but most of the times they stop working and I cannot do anything but shutdown manually. Bad thing is that this happens even in failsafe mode. So its like a lottery, sometimes I will be able to use the mouse and keyboard, and sometimes not.
I have read some of the posts about mouse and keyboard freeze, but none of them have helped me.
I checked that USB legacy in BIOS is enabled, and still do not get it to work.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance

G

#2

Strange hardware produces strange problems :slight_smile:

pure guess since this is hit or miss I suspect a possible sync problem with the new systemd stuff. Try booting using systemV. I think you press F5 at boot screen then select.

#3

Thanks for the advice… however, it didn’t work…
I played around and I found that if I start with the following boot settings I can avoid the problem:

showopts noresume nosmp highres=off nomodeset x11failsafe

So now it seems to work… however, as you say, strange hardware produces strange problems… I have found that I am supposed to have two processors, however, only one processor is recognized… any clue about this?

Thank you very much for your help.

#4

On 2012-03-23 15:16, gtmartine wrote:

> So now it seems to work… however, as you say, strange hardware
> produces strange problems… I have found that I am supposed to have two
> processors, however, only one processor is recognized… any clue about
> this?

Failsafe booting has that effect. nosmp.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)

#5

and it seems that is the problem… if I boot without the option nosmp, then I loose the mouse and keyboard at login… if I boot with it, then I loose the 2 processors (with 6 cores each)…
It seems that this machine worked under opensuse 9.1 previously. Does anyone know where I can get the ISO for this version? I will try to downgrade to that version. I have been surfing the web to get the installation files, but it seems to be too old, since I cannot find a working link to get.
Or if anyone knows the how to fix the issue with the processors vs mouse/keyboard in version 12.1, I will be very thankful.
Thank you for your help,

G

#6

I strongly suspect that you have a problem not with openSUSE specifically, but the kernel (2.6)

For example a Google search using relevant keywords reveals reported bug(s)
https://encrypted.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&gs_nf=1&pq=sun%20java%20workstation%20linux%20kernel%202.6&cp=52&gs_id=6g&xhr=t&q=Sun%20Java%20Workstation%20linux%20kernel%202.6%20mouse%20keyboard&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Sun+Java+Workstation+linux+kernel+2.6+mouse+keyboard&aq=&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=d86f7c32fa4c71d2&biw=1057&bih=858

Judging from that, before you commit to using this machine however powerful it might be, you might want to research Linux kernel compatibility issues.

IMO,
TS

#7

Note that Suse 9.1 is long long out of date. There is NO support for it ie no fixes for bugs and security issues.

#8

Hi, thank you very much for your comments. Its been a while since I didn’t answer, since I have been looking for more information about this issue. Quite limited although.
It seems that TS has shown me the more likely issue: the kernel version.

Now my question is: Can I use kernel 2.6.35.14-95 in Opensuse 12.1??? If yes, how can I get it and make it run?
So far I have searched for it, but not being able to find it. Also, the kernels that I have found (similar versions, but not the one that is supposed to work) need to be compiled and I have not been able to achieve this.
Is the quest of downgrading the kernel as painful as it looks?
Thank for your help,

G

#9

You would need to compile it from the source on kernels.org but I doubt it would work too much new stuff has been added and programs most likely depend on them.

A Sun workstation can be very odd hardware wise.