[HARDY] Wont' work with KVM switch

[John Franklin]

Since Dapper, Ubuntu hasn't worked with my KVM switch, or those of others judging by forum messages.
The mouse is unusable, moving very erratically and selecting items without pressing any buttons.
The keyboard adds characters to what is typed.
If the Ubuntu machine is not selected at the time, Ubuntu boots up with low-definition video instead of that last used or set through preferences.
I've tried more than one mouse/track ball. My KVM switch is a Starview SV411, one year old.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Dec 14 09:42:30 2007
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 7.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/yelp
Package: yelp 2.20.0-0ubuntu3
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcCmdline: yelp
ProcCwd: /home/john
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/usr/games
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: yelp
Uname: Linux Linux 2.6.22-14-386 #1 Sun Oct 14 22:36:54 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux
[lspci]
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 645xx [1039:0648] (rev 50)
     Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. Unknown device [1462:5850]
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation NV18 [GeForce4 MX 440 AGP 8x] [10de:0181] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
     Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. Unknown device [1462:8950]

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

Hi we would need a lot more info.

First we need to check if this bug is related to kernel or xorg directly so please add the information as explained here

for checking if it's a kernel bug

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies

and for identifying mouse problems

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingMouseDetection

Also please add the output for this commands:

xprop -root

gconftool-2 -R /desktop/gnome/peripherals

contents of Xorg.0.log

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

could this be related to

http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=4564

?

thanks for the input

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

Thanks for your report please help us to get the most information asked in the previous comments so it can be processed

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

SEAQ - Andres Mujica wrote on 11 August 2008 at 02:42:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> could this be related to
>
> http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3D4564

This page gives the error '3D4564 is not a valid bug number nor an alias to a bug'.

John Franklin

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

I've carried out the requested checks and the result files are attached.

I've since discovered that the keyboard fault is only present when the mouse is connected via the KVM switch. If I connect the mouse directly, the keyboard is OK. However, the video problem occurs irrespective of how the mouse is connected.

The bugzilla 4564 may be related but is not identical. My problem occurs from boot up - it appears that 4564 occurs only after changing the KVM.

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

The right link is:

http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=4564

bugzilla kernel 4564

Anyway it seems to be a problem of ps/2 protocol between de KVM and the MB of your system according to what i've found.

Try putting any of this parameters at the end off kernel boot line

psmouse.proto=exps or psmouse.proto=bare or psmouse.proto=imps

Also you can try unloading the psmouse module and reloading with this parameters

proto=imps resync_time=10

try using the different protocols.

Also to get the most information let's get this output as root:

- "echo 1 > /sys/modules/i8042/parameters/debug"
- switch to your other box
- wait 5 seconds
- switch back to linux box
- Press left mouse button once
- "echo 0 > /sys/modules/i8042/parameters/debug"
- upload dmesg

About the video issue i believe we would need a different bug report for that one. in the meantime i'm marking this related to upstream bug 2082 and 4564. Not exactly the same but similar enough.

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

Can you please tell me where to find the kernel boot line. Also how to unload/reload the psmouse module. I'm not that familiar with Linux yet.

I'll submit a separate bug report for the video problem.

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

no problem

for testing at kernel boot

- restart your server
- when the grub loading 5..4..3.. secs appears press ESC
- you'll get a list of installed kernels. press letter a
- you'll get the kernel boot line.. press SPACE one time, add psmouse.proto=exps

test after that several times with each options in order to check the issue and change the proto to the ones listed above.

for testing loading and unloading module

sudo rmmod psmouse
sudo modprobe psmouse proto=imps resync_time=10

again, test with the different protocols, if you've catched one that works without problem use it.

If you want to leave this setting as default (i mean if this solves the problem) go like this:

sudo gedit /etc/moprobe.d/psmouse

at the end of the file add:

options psmouse proto=exps resync_time=10

(use the protocol that works for you)

for the debug commands

sudo su - (beware this turns you into real root.. use with care)

and execute the commands listed above

hope this helps

regards

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

None of the three psmouse.proto parameters made any difference on the boot line. I can't try loading and unloading while the mouse is connected through the KVM as the desktop is unusable.

The attached file is the result of the echo commands, but please note that this was done with a mouse connected directly, not through the KVM, for the same reasons given above.

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

ok. so that dmesg is with the mouse directly, no through kvm?

in order to try to find the bug we need to get a dmesg using the kvm.

so try this

start your system using the kvm in order to get the crazy mouse

via ssh connect to your server remotely follow the previous procedure try to move the mouse and keyboard in order to get some data from the behaviour, and send that back.

at this point we really don't have enough information only some tips of the problem, you've helped a lot so far but we would need the dmesg with the debug enabled... (the echo commands)

Thanks again for your patience and help

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

OK, I managed to do this via SSH and attach the log which should show up the erratic movement of the mouse and a couple of button presses.

Incidentally, if we can't fix this today I'll be away for 2 weeks so there'll be a pause.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

I've tried the Alpha5 release (as a CD) and I'm afraid that the mouse problem remains.

[thom (tsk)]

I had a similar problem when using an old KVM switch between mouse and computer.
my solution was:

sudo sh -c 'echo options psmouse proto=imps > /etc/modprobe.d/kvm-fix'
sudo modprobe -r psmouse
sudo modprobe psmouse

if it doesn't work for you, just do:

sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/kvm-fix
sudo modprobe -r psmouse
sudo modprobe psmouse

and everything will be as it was.
note that the name "kvm-fix" is just an arbitrary name, could be any non-used name actually.
hope this helps.

[John Franklin (john-quinze)]

I tried what you suggest some time ago and also the other mouse protocols. Unfortunately, none resolved the issue.

I've not heard from the development team since trying the Alpha5 release. Is this problem still under investigation?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[Closing out -keyboard and -mouse tasks; if it's a kernel bug, it is unnecessary to file against these. In addition, we use evdev now instead of keyboard/mouse drivers anyway.]

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug was filed against a series that is no longer supported and so is being marked as Won't Fix. If this issue still exists in a supported series, please file a new bug.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.