From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Aug 3 18:32:18 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8D45416A41A for ; Fri, 3 Aug 2007 18:32:18 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsilver@chrononomicon.com) Received: from trans-warp.net (hyperion.trans-warp.net [216.37.208.37]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4B1ED13C469 for ; Fri, 3 Aug 2007 18:32:17 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsilver@chrononomicon.com) Received: from [127.0.0.1] (unverified [65.193.73.208]) by trans-warp.net (SurgeMail 3.8f2) with ESMTP id 129384633-1860479 for multiple; Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:31:51 -0400 Message-ID: <46B374AF.2010607@chrononomicon.com> Date: Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:32:15 -0400 From: Bart Silverstrim User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.12 (X11/20070604) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Oscar Chavarria , User Questions References: <716841580708030818g5644b89ie570cf73803f1ab9@mail.gmail.com> <46B35107.7050400@chrononomicon.com> <716841580708031108lfb533d7o8b1bcb2e15b1ca76@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <716841580708031108lfb533d7o8b1bcb2e15b1ca76@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Authenticated-User: bsilver@chrononomicon.com Cc: Subject: Re: USB keyboard not recognized at bootup X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:32:18 -0000 Oscar Chavarria wrote: > On 8/3/07, Bart Silverstrim wrote: >> Oscar Chavarria wrote: >>> I have a GENERIC kernel. The /usr/src/sys/i386/conf/GENERIC file >> contains >>> the following under the USB Support section (among other devices): >>> >>> device usb #USB Bus (required) >>> device uhid #"Human Interface Devices" >>> device ukbd #Keyboard >>> >>> Nevertheless, the keyboard is useless, not recognized until FreeBSD >> takes >>> control, for example to choose the type of bootup: safe, single user, >>> reboot, etc. >>> >>> Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance. >> How old is the computer? Does the BIOS support USB devices...? You may >> need a BIOS update, or the system you have just doesn't support USB at >> bootup... >> > > > It's quite new, less than a year (Pentium IV, VIA motherboard) and it does > support USB. As a matter of fact, the keybr does work after bootup. I also > mounted a USB HDD on /usr/home with no problem. Ah. Some motherboards support USB but need to have the OS support them, hence the reason that things would work after bootup and initialization is complete. Other systems have built-in handler code in the BIOS so that you can use USB-based toys for things like booting from USB thumbdrives or USB keyboards to configure BIOS settings. If your system is the former, it would explain why you see things working after the OS takes over (much like some hard disks not being seen correctly until Linux bypasses BIOS code) and you may need an update to the BIOS. If the latter, then I don't know why your system isn't seeing USB toys until after the OS drivers take over. -Bart