Booting Live-CD in UEFI mode fails and breaks keyboard and touchpad on Sony VAIO SVS1311S9RB laptop

[Vladimir Rutsky]

I'm trying to boot into Ubuntu Live CD 12.04.1 (or 12.10 with the same result) in UEFI mode on Sony VAIO SVS1311S9RB.
GRUB boots, and if I select any option (try without installing, install or check disk) next thing that i see is message:

    error: couldn't read file.

    Press any key to continue...

after few seconds log with kernel panic pops out:

    Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)
    ...

After this keyboard and touchpad stops working --- I can't enter into BIOS by pressing F2 while booting. They don't work in preinstalled Windows 7 either, Windows reports that keyboard and touchpad device can't be started, error code 10 (drivers reinstallation in Windows doesn't help).
External USB keyboard and mouse works, so computer is not "bricked".

I found that keyboard and touchpad can be "fixed" by randomly repeating theese steps:
 * press power button while laptop is switched off, but do not release it for a 10-30 seconds (hold it even after laptop is shutted down);
 * press "ASSIST" button while laptop is switched off --- VAIO recovery service will boot up;
 * press other special buttons "WEB", "VAIO".

Laptop Sony VAIO SVS1311S9RB, BIOS: InsydeH2O, latest available version R0142C5.

P.S. In UEFI-mode on my laptop boots well Fedora 17 Live CD.
Ubuntu 12.04 Live CD boot well in Legacy mode (which can be enabled in BIOS).

Bootable USB flash (created using Ubuntu 12.04.1 ISO and Startup Disk Creator program) boots and works fine on this laptop.

[Asher Wood (zeklandia)]

Affected me as well with a Sony Vaio Duo 13 and Ubuntu 14.04.

Keyboard does not work in BIOS, Windows, or Ubuntu now.

[naisanza (naisanza)]

This can be replicated by booting from grub with the following commands:

1) grub> root=(hd0,gpt7)
2) grub> linux /boot/vmlinux..........
3) grub> boot
4) This causes a kernel panic
5) Keyboard is non-functional

Affects Sony Vaio Pro Duo 13 SVD132190X and Ubuntu 15.10, as well

Keyboard non-functional in BIOS, Windows, Linux. Windows reports and Keyboard error in Windows device manager.

In Windows device manger it lists under Keyboards:

- HID Keyboard Device
- PC/AT Enhanced PS/2 Keyboard (101/102-Key) <<< shows error

PC/AT Enhanced PS/2 Keyboard (101/102-Key) error:

"This device cannot start. (Code 10)

{Device Timeout}
The specified I/O operation on %hs was not completed before the time-out period expired."

[naisanza (naisanza)]

Also, can verify that "fix" posted by OP works