grub does not detect usb keyboard

[Reuben Firmin]

USB keyboards are not exactly esoteric. However, grub cannot detect them, and therefore users with USB keyboards are locked out of the grub menu. (With such joyous results as when X is hosed - due to faulty updates, say - the only way to recover the system is to boot the live cd, mount partitions manually, and take it from there, because there's no other way to get to text mode.)

I understand that grub has a very small footprint, and that the USB module is loaded much later in the boot sequence. However, please don't dismiss this request out of hand - it seems that USB keyboards are becoming more popular rather than less, so this is something worth spending brain cycles on.

[Tollef Fog Heen (tfheen)]

Problems in grub shouldn't be filed against Xorg.

[Reuben Firmin (reubenf)]

This is not a problem if the legacy bios support is enabled. However, the bios *can* detect the keyboard without this setting (otherwise I couldn't get into the bios to change it!) so there may be a way for grub to, also.

[Turbo Fredriksson (turbo-bayour)]

On a (black) MacBook, there IS no BIOS, so I'm left without keyboard in grub. However, what makes it extreamly weird, is that _sometimes_ (very rare though) I DO have a working keyboard in grub...

[Alex Stylianos (alex-creativepulse)]

Workaround & possible hint for GRUB devs:

I had the same problem and I solved it by plugging to a normal USB socket rather than the USB hub I have.

If its any help for the devs let me also say that my MS natural keyboard used to work normally in my fresh installation of Gutsy Gibbon (v7.10). I don't know what triggered the problem. I also tried using an adaptor to transform the USB to a PS/2 connection, but this didn't work either.

[deathguppie (wayne-tedder)]

This problem is quite apparent on my Dell e520. Yes I bought the system with ubuntu preinstalled.

Grub cannot see the USB keyboard, there is no option in the bios for legacy keyboard or any other options for that matter.

I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine that one should be able to mount the ISO and replace grub with an older version and then it should work, scince I know this didn't happen with fiesty, or gutsy.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

deathguppie,

Your comment is very puzzling to me, because feisty, gutsy, and hardy have identical upstream versions of grub, and I know for sure that there have been no changes to the actual bootloader code in grub between gutsy and hardy. Did you install each of gutsy and hardy on this system and found this difference in keyboard handling? Or maybe when you tested with gutsy, it was an upgrade from feisty rather than a new install (which would not cause the bootloader to be overwritten)?

[Retromingent (ray-rwalk2730)]

I was running Gutsy with a USB connected keyboard for a long time and had no issues with Grub detecting and responding to it. But as soon as I upgraded to Hardy, Grub no longer detects the keyboard. No equipment changes, only the Ubuntu version. I, too, have no option for legacy keyboard in the BIOS, but then I've never needed it with this equipment. This same BIOS, motherboard, and keyboard worked fine on Gutsy.

[Zoubidoo (zoubidoo)]

Ditto.
USB keyboard works in BIOS and once 8.04 has started but not in grub.

[markoloka (markoloka)]

I have similar problem tho i have PS/2 keyboard.
After Grub has loaded my keyboard comes to life. Cannot dual boot or choose anything in grub since my keyboard is dead. I tried another keyboard=same problem.
I'm using Kubuntu 8.04 w/ latest updates and xp w/ latest updates (updated 2 weeks ago).
After grub has passed my keyboard works just fine.

[Retromingent (ray-rwalk2730)]

One additional bit of information: I am hooked through a KVM switch.
However, this does not seem to matter. Grub does not recognize a USB
connected keyboard (and I've tried different keyboards) ever since upgrading
from 7.10 to 8.04 regardless if I go through the KVM or not.

On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 10:39 AM, markoloka <email address hidden> wrote:

> I have similar problem tho i have PS/2 keyboard.
> After Grub has loaded my keyboard comes to life. Cannot dual boot or choose
> anything in grub since my keyboard is dead. I tried another keyboard=same
> problem.
> I'm using Kubuntu 8.04 w/ latest updates and xp w/ latest updates (updated
> 2 weeks ago).
> After grub has passed my keyboard works just fine.
>
> --
> grub does not detect usb keyboard
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/60177
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

--
Sincerely,
Ray Walker

[JohnEglinton (johneglinton)]

Ubuntu Hardy
Logitech USB wireless keyboard worked fine until a memory upgrade

Now works fine to edit BIOS configuration
Works fine in ubuntu

But when the GRUB menu is displayed I can manage (variably) up to 3 up/down movements before keyboard stops working.

For what it's worth I submit because this behaviour suggests fault may lie with power supply to USB, rather than USB being detected as such.

(Tho why this started after a memory upgrade is another issue altogether)

[Retromingent (ray-rwalk2730)]

I found that this is not necessarily a Linux error per se, but seems to be a BIOS/boot loader compatibility problem (yet, oddly, it worked with Ubuntu 7.10 and whatever Grub version came with the 7.10). The BIOS is old, 2004, when I turned over the box to be used with Vista it too had the same issue on it's boot loader: only a PS/2 connected keyboard would work on the loader, the USB did not. In both cases, Linux and Vista, once the OS loaded it was fine.

I suspect it is a compatibility issue with new boot loaders and the old BIOS.

[Sitsofe Wheeler (sitsofe)]

If your BIOS has a legacy USB keyboard option enabling it can sometimes work around this issue (this type of feature may be toggled by the "OS installation" option if your BIOS has that and not the legacy USB keyboard option).

[Retromingent (ray-rwalk2730)]

The computer that I originally reported this problem on has been recycled as a Vista machine now. Vista, too, does not work with a USB connected keyboard on a boot selection. So: it worked under Ubuntu 7.10, and with Windows XP, but not under Ubuntu 8.10 and not under Vista. I suspect that makes it a BIOS problem with the more current OS's. In any case, it's no longer an issue for me because I don't care about Vista.

[Ariel Faigon (ariel.faigon)]

just to confirm.

ever since I upgraded to grub2 (I believe), my USB keyboard isn't functional while in the grub menu.

The keyboard is recognized and functional while in the BIOS menus (before grub2 takes over) and once linux boots (after grub2).
It is not recognized while in grub2.

The problem never existed when I was using lilo.

I'm not sure when exactly I started seeing it: was it when I switched from lilo to grub or from grub to grub2.

[marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra)]

Also here from Ubuntu Linv install cd ( Ubuntu 9.10 32 and Ubuntu 10.04 beta 2 ) with a Logitech y-uf49 USB keyboard:

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:c311 Logitech, Inc.
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0409:0056 NEC Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Thank you
Best regards

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

USB keyboard support is a function provided by the bios, not grub. Usually there is an option you need to enable in the bios. Since this is not a bug in grub, I am closing this report.

[delance (olivier-delance)]

@Susi: if it's true that USB keyboard is managed by BIOS, at appears in some workarounds found in the net that it is also managed by Grub, which provides some module.
If you don't agree, please escalate to some expert e.g. Collin Watson.

[delance (olivier-delance)]

N.B. in https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+questions?field.search_text=keyboard&field.sort=RELEVANCY&field.sort-empty-marker=1&field.actions.search=Search&field.language=de&field.language=en&field.language=es&field.language=fr&field.language-empty-marker=1&field.status=OPEN&field.status=NEEDSINFO&field.status=ANSWERED&field.status=SOLVED&field.status-empty-marker=1 you can find some questions and answers about keyboard issues.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Grub2 has modules to control USB devices directly, but this bug is for grub legacy, which does not.

[delance (olivier-delance)]

@ariel.faigon: could you open a question with
   package "grub2"
   title [Keyboard] Can't move in grub menu
After, I will manage the issue.