Keyboard randomly stops working, but autorepeat and mouse work

[Mats Ahlgren]

occurs in: Karmic and Lucid
hardware: Sony Vaio laptop

problem:
1-4 times a day, the keyboard will stop working. The mouse will still work though. To fix this requires either a hard-reset, or navigating to the logout button, and logging out and back in. Novice users, or users who do not use the mouse, or who are not using a desktop environment that allows saving with just the mouse, will lose their work. Unsaved files will require the user to save them using copy-pasting with the mouse.

After a few months of this problem, I noticed that holding down a key causes it to autorepeat. Thus, the keyboard is just broken "on keypress". For example, to type "testA", it would take about 10 seconds, and I would have to hold down t and let go the moment autorepeat started, then the same for e, then the same for s, then the same for t, then hold down shift for about a second, then hit A and lift up before autorepeat starts.

There doesn't seem to be any useful information in /var/log/Xorg.0.log or or /var/log/messages or dmesg, though I haven't checked extensively.

Rarity: unknown
Severity: absolutely infuriating, happens constantly, and is a major hassle and possible source of data loss for many users

WORKAROUND:
- open the System Settings > Accessibility (or type "kcmshell4 access" in a terminal)
- under "[tab]Keyboard Filters" you may see Sticky Keys enabled if you are suffering from this; disable it and hit Apply
- to prevent this from happening again, go to "[tab]Activation Gestures", disable "Use gestures to activate...", set the inactivity timeout to the lowest possible setting (1min), and enable all the notification features

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-30-generic 2.6.32-30.59
Regression: No
Reproducible: No
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-30.59-generic 2.6.32.29+drm33.13
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-30-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC262 Analog [ALC262 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: mats 28505 F.... kmix
 /dev/snd/controlC0: mats 28484 F.... knotify4
                      mats 28505 F.... kmix
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xd5200000 irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC262'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0262,104d2e00,00100302'
   Controls : 13
   Simple ctrls : 9
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'HDMI'/'HDA ATI HDMI at 0xd0030000 irq 17'
   Mixer name : 'ATI R6xx HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:1002aa01,104d2e00,00100100'
   Controls : 4
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card1.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
Date: Thu Mar 31 21:24:50 2011
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
Frequency: I don't know.
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=afae68d8-7f7a-4d31-8f2c-03f09b908b81
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
MachineType: Sony Corporation VGN-FW510F
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-30-generic root=UUID=ac25e2f1-8517-47db-afe1-3b8d5f4ecd00 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34.4
SourcePackage: linux
dmi.bios.date: 08/24/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: R4060Y0
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrR4060Y0:bd08/24/2009:svnSonyCorporation:pnVGN-FW510F:pvrC6025K0U:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: VGN-FW510F
dmi.product.version: C6025K0U
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation

[Mats Ahlgren (mats-ahlgren)]

do-dist-upgrading from karmic to lucid has resulted in this issue happening 2x a day, to once every 10 minutes

[Mats Ahlgren (mats-ahlgren)]

AHAH!

My computer got into a state somehow where this problem no longer went away when switching users, logging out, or EVEN REBOOTING. Even upgrading distributions or disabling proprietary graphics drivers (I had various hunches) did not help.

Seems related to KDE desktop session and/or kwin, since the problem only happens inside a KDE session (also using Compiz Fusion-Icon, if relevant, though problem was not replicable with the kde window decorator). That is, one can type one's username and password normally in the Xorg login screen, but once that happens, the only way letters are registered is if you hold down the key for at least a second. I am typing quite nicely now in an XFCE session.

This bug was *so severe* (typing limited to one character per second, combo keys limited to one combo per 3-5 seconds) that I had to switch away from KDE because the computer was entirely unusable. Suggested assigning to KDE and upgrading to highest severity.

Occurs not only in Karmic and Lucid, but Maverick and Natty.

[go4linux (ubuntu-desole)]

Same problem, slightly different situation.
I use gnome shell, but i had it also with unity, gnome classic and xfce (all of them after installing gnome shell, however). kde hangs.
I didn't have the problem before upgrading to natty.
I also noticed that when the problem occurs tends to occur fairly early after login, or it doesn't occur. Maybe a synchronization problem at login?
logout still seems to solve the problem

i have a dell precision m4500 with natty 64 bit

Man, writing with this keyboard sucks.

[Mats Ahlgren (mats-ahlgren)]

SUCCESSFULLY DIAGNOSED, with WORKAROUND

Many thanks to Thomas Lübking for help diagnosing

This is due to an accessibility "feature" known as "slow keys"
*Somehow*, the feature gets randomly activated during normal use of the OS.
The normal user warning for this is a system bell (which may not be heard), so it's easy to miss; there is no graphical indicator of any sort.
Normally though, this feature should not be activated in the first place.

FIX / WORKAROUND:
- open the System Settings > Accessibility (or type "kcmshell4 access" in a terminal)
- under "[tab]Keyboard Filters" you may see Sticky Keys enabled if you are suffering from this; disable it and hit Apply
- to prevent this from happening again, go to "[tab]Activation Gestures", disable "Use gestures to activate...", set the inactivity timeout to the lowest possible setting (1min), and enable all the notification features

suggested severity: Highest (because it makes people's system unusable and they have no idea how to fix it)

how this should be fixed:
- source of random activation should be found and fixed
how this can be mitigated:
- kubuntu system settings should be set to those described in "FIX" to reduce chances of occurring
- KDE code can be modified to show a prominent accessibility status indicator, or require typing "confirm"

This is bug is suspected to be due to an Ubuntu configuration of either the base system or KDE packages, though I am unsure what might affect usability settings of all desktops.

(Maybe it's also possible that there exists some activation gesture which will cause a popup to appear, but the user will hit Enter while typing?)

go4linux's comment should also be investigated, because it may indicate this problem is also occurring in other desktop environments; if so that would help track down the cause of the random activations if it's the same issue

[Andrew Burrow (albcorp)]

I suffer the same fault under Ubuntu 11.04 using GNOME shell when installed through the PPA's

    http://ppa.launchpad.net/gnome3-team/gnome3/ubuntu
    http://ppa.launchpad.net/ricotz/testing/ubuntu

I believe this to be the same case, because the accessibility settings have some impact on the behavior when the bug is triggered.

However, I have no workaround: the accessibility settings available through GNOME 3 do not reset the behavior. Perhaps this is caused by missing packages, or less than complete integration.

regards

Andrew

[Esteban Salazar (eagsalazar-b)]

Hi any update on this or info for gnome3 users??? This bug is incredibly frustrating. It definitely seems like a bug with slow keys.

However what I've noticed is that slow keys don't actually work at all, I can't turn them on except when they come on via this bug then I can't turn them off in the accessibility settings.

[Esteban Salazar (eagsalazar-b)]

Can this please be upgraded to Critical importance?

[Mats Ahlgren (mats-ahlgren)]

I second the upgrading to Critical importance, because this bug is indistinguishable from a "I have to hard-reboot my computer now" bug, even to advanced users (though, advanced users may attempt a logout with only mouse+clicks, or ctrl[wait 2 sec]+alt[wait 2 sec]+f1[wait 2 sec], then sudo /etc/init.d/kdm restart or the new equivalent command), and the cause is not traceable or understandable even to advanced users.

[Juliusz Kopczewski (julek-kopczewski)]

I can confirm this bug on Ubuntu Natty using Gnome 3. I tried submitting this bug to Gnome 3, however it was suggested there, that this is probably a more general issue that should be submitted directly to Ubuntu.

It is absolutely frustrating. Quite frankly, every time it happens I consider switching to another distribution. It makes my desktop totally unusable.

[Juliusz Kopczewski (julek-kopczewski)]

Ok, this is indeed Slow keys. The problem is caused by holding SHIFT button for N seconds. It can be turned off by holding SHIFT again for N seconds (not a permanent fix). Unfortunately it seems that under Gnome 3, there is no gui to configure this accessibility feature correctly.

[Juliusz Kopczewski (julek-kopczewski)]

... forgot to paste a link: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-control-center/+bug/41427

[penalvch (penalvch)]

kcmshell4 is part of kdeadmin. Moving.

[sanktnelson (launchpad-maibaums)]

seriously people?
There's an accessibility feature which makes it _impossible_ to access your desktop, even for advanced users , whithout any notification whatsoever that you turned it on?

I think I'll go install windows 8 now, it can't possibly be worse.

btw. I'm affected by this bug... used to be on ubuntu 12.10, now on debian testing. same crap. cheers.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.