keyboard starts repeating the last pressed key

[Woo]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-input-evdev

I've upgraded from 9.10 to 10.04 a few days ago.
Sometimes when I am typing on (USB) keyboard random key starts to repeat, as if I am holding it down (but I am not). Repetition stops when I press some other key.
This is happening randomly. Sometimes 3 times in 5 minutes, sometimes once in 2 hours. I feel like it's load dependent (it occurs more often under higher load).

I have tried several keyboards to prove it is not hardware issue.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: xorg 1:7.5+5ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.36-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Jun 28 12:50:44 2010
DkmsStatus: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
MachineType: LENOVO 2007FUG
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=/dev/mapper/nb-root ro
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: xorg
UdevDb: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
dmi.bios.date: 09/12/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 79ETE3WW (2.23 )
dmi.board.name: 2007FUG
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr79ETE3WW(2.23):bd09/12/2008:svnLENOVO:pn2007FUG:pvrThinkPadT60:rvnLENOVO:rn2007FUG:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 2007FUG
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T60
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: lucid
 architecture: i686
 kernel: 2.6.32-22-generic

[Woo (w-digmia)]

This seems related to Bug #548909

[Steve Davison (wrongo-cox)]

I hit the same symptoms when trying to upgrade from karmic to lucid, but had to go back and reinstall karmic as the installation got hosed.

I then tried with the live Cd version of meerkat (10.10 alpha) with the same results.

[therockita (anthony-arrascue)]

Same problem here in Dell Studio 1535
Description: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS
Release: 10.04

This bug is related to Bug #613395

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

I have same problem - but in my case, once the key starts repeating, I can't stop it.
Any window that gets the focus starts receiving the endless key repeats. Hitting other keys has no effect. Only the mouse can be used, and I have to use it to restart the computer.

The bug has only appeared after a long editing session or user session. It also appears to be related to using the shift key or other key modifier. The last time this happened, I was trying to type '&' but got an endless repeat of 777777....

I have tried two different keyboards with same results - it is not a hardware fault.

I tried lowering the auto-repeat threshold and the auto-repeat frequency - bug is still there.

This bug is actually quite serious - a real show stopper. While you are editing, the threat of it appearing and forcing a restart is ever present. It can really mess up your day.

I have always been running compiz, don't know if this is a factor.

I have not been running VMware or other virtual stuff.

I found this in the messages log from the last time it happened (relevance unknown):

Aug 17 20:58:55 vento kernel: [19627.369566] __ratelimit: 9 callbacks suppressed
Aug 17 20:58:55 vento kernel: [19627.369570] wnck-applet[1479]: segfault at 4 ip 007d2f60 sp bfbe0e30 error 4 in libcairo.so.2.10800.10[7c3000+77000]
Aug 17 20:58:56 vento kernel: Kernel logging (proc) stopped.

Other Details:
Release 10.04, upgraded from 9.1
Kernel 2.6.32-24-generic
GNOME 2.30.2
Keyboard : PS/2 (not a USB)
Motherboard : Asus P7P55D EVO
Nvidia graphics.

If relevant, my xorg.conf:
----------------------------
Section "Screen"
 Identifier "Default Screen"
 DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Section "Module"
 Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "Device"
 Identifier "Default Device"
 Driver "nvidia"
 Option "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection
------------------------------

Possibly related:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg-server/+bug/194214
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/194343

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

"The bug has only appeared after a long editing session or user session. It also appears to be related to using the shift key or other key modifier."

I need to amend this.

Today the bug appeared immediately after power on and using firefox. I was entering data in an online form and ... wham!
Again, it happened when pressing the shift key in combination with another.

So to summarise:

- Shift key is definitely a trigger
- Can happen at any time

This makes using Ubunutu even more fraught when doing, for example, an on-line purchase.

[Nicholas Christian Langkjær Ipsen (ncli)]

I have the same problem with the ctrl-key on a Gigabyte 1028X.

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

Tried this (suggested by other users having similar problems) - Manually configure the keyboard and mouse in /etc/X11/xorg.conf:

 Section "InputDevice"
     Identifier "Keyboard0"
     Driver "kbd"
 EndSection

So far, so good - no run-away key repeats. But still too early to say if this is a successful work-around.
With this mod in, I did once get a keyboard lock-up (but there was lots other other stuff running - could have been another issue. Fortunately the mouse was still working, so I could still exit gracefully).

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

Unfortunately the above hack of modifying xorg.conf isn't a solution for 10.4.
After several weeks of joy, the bug struck again.

I was lazily editing a document and leaned on the keyboard, probably pressing the ctrl or shift key. Bam, the space key started to auto-repeat. Had to power off.

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

Problem still there after upgrade to 10.10.
(& with default / minimal xorg.conf).
It is rare, but when hits, I have to reboot the machine.

Release 10.10
Kernel 2.6.35-22-generic
GNOME 2.32.0
Keyboard : PS/2 (not a USB)
Motherboard : Asus P7P55D EVO
Nvidia graphics.

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

Some more info:

When the bug hits, I found I can reclaim my session by doing a suspend, and then un-suspending.

The bug is still there if I tell Ubuntu that I'm using a Dell keyboard rather than a generic one.

[Bob Thomas (bobthomas06)]

I am having a problem with version 10.10 just tried to install on a Pentium 4. Once I get to the who are you? screen as soon as I start to type after about 4 or 5 characters it just repeats whatever key I press at that time, no specific letter. It also happens when I try to detect keyboard layout automatically. When it asks you to select different letters it eventually locks up. When the window is closed using the mouse and if I click on an entry box it then shows what key has been repeating. It has happened everytime in the same screen now going on 4 intalls.

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

After a long period of not seeing this bug (with many software updates in between), it struck again today.
Letter oooooooo.... repeating.
Happened shortly after power on, with firefox 3.6.16 running.

Release 10.10
2.6.35-28-generic
GNOME 2.32.0

[ticket (tickettothemoon2004)]

I'm now on 11.04.

Decided to switch off autorepeat.

Seems to help - but not a complete cure, because twice now I have had the keyboard simply stop working.
Again, recovery is by doing a suspend.

Seems I now have two choices for the bug: non-stop repeating keys, or no keyboard response at all!

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Woo, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p xserver-xorg-input-evdev REPLACE-WITH-BUG-NUMBER

Please note, given that the information from the prior release is already available, doing this on a release prior to the development one would not be helpful.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xserver-xorg-input-evdev (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]