Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:54:59 -0500 From: Steve Polyack <korvus@comcast.net> To: Jan Henrik Sylvester <me@janh.de> Cc: questions-list freebsd <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>, Jeremy Chadwick <freebsd@jdc.parodius.com> Subject: Re: Keyboard repeat issues with Dell Optiplex 980s Message-ID: <4D383EB3.9090401@comcast.net> In-Reply-To: <4D36F695.30903@janh.de> References: <4D3608BD.7010604@comcast.net> <20110118225617.GA16727@icarus.home.lan> <4D36EB91.1050406@comcast.net> <4D36F695.30903@janh.de>
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On 01/19/11 09:35, Jan Henrik Sylvester wrote: > On 01/-10/-28163 20:59, Steve Polyack wrote: >> On 1/18/2011 5:56 PM, Jeremy Chadwick wrote: >>> On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 04:40:13PM -0500, Steve Polyack wrote: >>>> We've recently upgraded a few desktop workstations from Dell >>>> Optiplex 960s to Optiplex 980s. We were running FreeBSD >>>> 8.1-RELEASE. The migration was performed by simply swapping the >>>> drives into the new systems. Immediately after switching people >>>> over, they all began to report bizarre keyboard issues - things like >>>> infinite key repeats (letters, numbers, "enter") for keys they did >>>> not hold down. The key repeats continue indefinitely until another >>>> key is pressed. Occasionally, even mouse input will trigger similar >>>> infinite keyboard input repetition. In addition to the repeat >>>> issue, sometimes physical key-presses are not registered by FreeBSD, >>>> leading to typos and angry developers. >>>> >>>> We've tried doing fresh installs of FreeBSD 8.2-RC2 on two of these >>>> systems, and the issue persists. Because of the observed behavior, >>>> I'm thinking that this is due to new hardware in the 980s which >>>> isn't timing or handling interrupts correctly under the FreeBSD >>>> kernel. >>>> >>>> Looking at a 'pciconf -lvb' from each system, I noticed that the 980 >>>> has two USB controllers which probe under ehci(4), while the 960 >>>> (which does not exhibit this problem), enumerates six uhci(4) >>>> controllers and two ehci(4) controllers. To cut to the chase here, >>>> the 960 users' keyboards probe under a USB1.0 uhci(4), while the >>>> 980s only have ehci(4) devices to attach to. >>>> >>>> So, I guess what I'm asking is - has anyone else seen any keyboard >>>> repeat or other USB craziness with ehci(4) ports or otherwise Intel >>>> PCH controllers? Any fellow Optiplex 980 users? I'd be more than >>>> happy to provide pciconf or other output if requested. >>> Try adding the following to /boot/loader.conf then reboot and see if >>> the "excessive repeat" behaviour changes: >>> >>> hint.kbdmux.0.disabled="1" >>> >>> It would also help if you would state exactly what brand/model of >>> keyboard is used. Yes, believe it or not, it matters. dmesg output >>> would be helpful in this case. >>> >> The keyboard is also a Dell model - model KB1421, or listed as "Dell >> QuiteKey Keyboard" under dmesg. The same keyboard does not exhibit the >> strange behavior when used with the older model of tower (Optiplex 960). >> >> I'll reboot today with the loader.conf hint you provided. I'll let you >> guys know if it helps. Thanks! > > I have 8.1-RELEASE running on an Optiplex 980 with no keyboard > problems, but not with a Dell keyboard as we ordered Cherry keyboards > with our Dells (the person evaluating the Dells thought the keyboard > was way too light and fragile). > > Since I usually have the keyboard plugged into the hub in the display, > I just tried it directly in the (rear) usb ports with no difference. > Trying the Fujitsu and Sun keyboards from the other machines in my > office does not immediately lead to problems, either. (Or how much > would I have to type to reproduce the problem?) > > Maybe it is just the keyboards? Or a bios setting? (I cannot currently > reboot to check if there are any keyboard related bios settings I > changed.) > Based on this post, I switched my keyboard so that it runs through the hub in my monitor. It seems to have fixed the problem, as I haven't seen the keyboard repeat in almost a day. I'm still curious as to what the actual problem is. Maybe the fact that running it through a hub first will help to narrow down the issue. Thanks, Steve
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