From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Apr 10 16:25:35 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 016BA16A401 for ; Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:25:35 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from cswiger@mac.com) Received: from mail-out4.apple.com (mail-out4.apple.com [17.254.13.23]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DDB2213C45B for ; Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:25:34 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from cswiger@mac.com) Received: from relay8.apple.com (relay8.apple.com [17.128.113.38]) by mail-out4.apple.com (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id l3AGPYCr027977; Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:25:34 -0700 (PDT) Received: from relay8.apple.com (unknown [127.0.0.1]) by relay8.apple.com (Symantec Mail Security) with ESMTP id 1B053404F5; Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:25:34 -0700 (PDT) X-AuditID: 11807126-aff31bb00000669a-2a-461bba7df65e Received: from [17.214.13.96] (cswiger1.apple.com [17.214.13.96]) (using TLSv1 with cipher AES128-SHA (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by relay8.apple.com (Apple SCV relay) with ESMTP id BDB0C4007A; Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:25:33 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v752.2) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Message-Id: <76BA0043-1D47-42FB-AB77-BB6C7A69E792@mac.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Chuck Swiger Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:25:32 -0700 To: "Marc G. Fournier" X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.752.2) X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAA== Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: adding keyboard after reboot with no keyboard ... 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: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:25:35 -0000 On Apr 10, 2007, at 7:55 AM, Marc G. Fournier wrote: > I hate it when a subject doesn't easily present itself ... but ... > > Is there something that I'm missing, such that if I add a keyboard > to a server > *after* rebooting it with no keyboard, that will have that keyboard > recognized? > > Basically, I have several remote servers, with no keyboards, but if > I need a > tech to check something on the console (ie. the ethernet went down > for some > reason), when they plug a keyboard back in again, there is no > signal until they > actually power cycle the machine ... which of course, is too late > to do any > diagnosis :( You should be able to add a USB keyboard and have it be recognized, at least by the newer versions of FreeBSD. If you're talking about a PS/2 keyboard, probably not...the BIOS recognizes and configures them at boot time, and if one isn't present then, the resources aren't allocated for one to be added later. You should also be aware that PS/2 isn't a "hot plug" interface-- some people have blown fuses on their motherboards by hot-plugging a PS/2 keyboard while the system is running. Someone's suggestion about using a KVM is a good thought, however... -- -Chuck