Erratic keyboard repeat

[jhansonxi]

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6-386

Ubuntu Lite 6.06 LTS
Keyboard is randomly erratic with linux-image-2.6.15-26 loaded. With 2.6.15-23 it is always stable. The symptom is a random logical key sticking causing multiple characters to be generated for a single keypress. It affects all X.org apps but never the terminals (tty1-6). It doesn't always occur, but when it occurs, it is constant untill reboot. If it doesn't start by login (wdm), it never occurs during the entire session. There are no messages in the log that indicate any problem and a comparison between those of good and bad sessions yields no clues. I'm not sure if it is related to bug 39315 (https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/39315). I had similar problems with Xubuntu 6.06 LTS.
Here is some info from a bad session (nothing distinctive compared to a good session):

uname -a

Linux ubuntult 2.6.15-26-386 #1 PREEMPT Thu Aug 3 02:52:00 UTC 2006 i586 GNU/Linux

lspci

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 530 Host (rev 02)
0000:00:00.1 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev d0)
0000:00:01.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS85C503/5513 (LPC Bridge) (rev b1)
0000:00:01.1 ff00: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] ACPI
0000:00:01.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 11)
0000:00:02.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] Virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge (AGP)
0000:00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Macronix, Inc. [MXIC] MX987x5 (rev 20)
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 530/620 PCI/AGP VGA Display Adapter (rev a2)

dmesg | grep -i acpi

[17179569.184000] BIOS-e820: 000000000f7f0000 - 000000000f7f3000 (ACPI NVS)
[17179569.184000] BIOS-e820: 000000000f7f3000 - 000000000f800000 (ACPI data)
[17179569.184000] ACPI: RSDP (v000 AWARD ) @ 0x000f70a0
[17179569.184000] ACPI: RSDT (v001 AWARD AWRDACPI 0x30302e31 AWRD 0x00000000) @ 0x0f7f3000
[17179569.184000] ACPI: FADT (v001 AWARD AWRDACPI 0x30302e31 AWRD 0x00000000) @ 0x0f7f3040
[17179569.184000] ACPI: DSDT (v001 AWARD AWRDACPI 0x00001000 MSFT 0x0100000c) @ 0x00000000
[17179569.184000] ACPI: PM-Timer IO Port: 0x5008
[17179574.412000] ACPI: Looking for DSDT ... not found!
[17179574.416000] ACPI: setting ELCR to 0200 (from 0408)
[17179574.480000] ACPI: bus type pci registered
[17179574.500000] ACPI: Subsystem revision 20051216
[17179574.512000] ACPI: Interpreter enabled
[17179574.512000] ACPI: Using PIC for interrupt routing
[17179574.516000] ACPI: PCI Root Bridge [PCI0] (0000:00)
[17179574.516000] ACPI: Assume root bridge [\_SB_.PCI0] bus is 0
[17179574.528000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0._PRT]
[17179574.536000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 14 15) *0, disabled.
[17179574.536000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 14 15) *0, disabled.
[17179574.540000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 *10 11 12 14 15)
[17179574.540000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 14 15) *0, disabled.
[17179574.544000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKE] (IRQs *3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 14 15)
[17179574.560000] pnp: PnP ACPI init
[17179574.580000] pnp: PnP ACPI: found 11 devices
[17179574.580000] PnPBIOS: Disabled by ACPI PNP
[17179574.580000] PCI: Using ACPI for IRQ routing
[17179575.056000] ACPI wakeup devices:
[17179575.056000] ACPI: (supports S0 S1 S5)
[17179579.804000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:00.1[A]: no GSI - using IRQ 14
[17179583.308000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKE] enabled at IRQ 3
[17179583.308000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:01.2[A] -> Link [LNKE] -> GSI 3 (level, low) -> IRQ 3
[17179609.304000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] enabled at IRQ 10
[17179609.304000] ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:0b.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ 10
[17179612.448000] ACPI-0674: *** Error: acpi_ev_gpe_dispatch: No handler or method for GPE[ 7], disabling event
[17179627.396000] ACPI: Power Button (FF) [PWRF]
[17179627.396000] ACPI: Power Button (CM) [PWRB]
[17179628.044000] ibm_acpi: ec object not found
[17179628.208000] pcc_acpi: loading...
[17179637.392000] apm: overridden by ACPI.

dmesg | grep -i input

[17179575.048000] input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /class/input/input0
[17179608.624000] input: ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse as /class/input/input1
[17179608.964000] input: PC Speaker as /class/input/input2

dmesg | grep -i 8042

[17179574.976000] serio: i8042 AUX port at 0x60,0x64 irq 12
[17179574.976000] serio: i8042 KBD port at 0x60,0x64 irq 1

dpkg -l | grep -i xorg-input

ii xserver-xorg-input-all 7.0.0-0ubuntu45 the X.Org X server -- input driver metapacka
ii xserver-xorg-input-elographics 1.0.0.5-0ubuntu1 X.Org X server -- ELOGraphics input driver
ii xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1.1.2-0ubuntu3 X.Org X server -- evdev input driver
ii xserver-xorg-input-kbd 1.0.1.3-0ubuntu3 X.Org X server -- keyboard input driver
ii xserver-xorg-input-mouse 1.0.3.1+cvs.20060109-0ubuntu1.1 X.Org X server -- mouse input driver
ii xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 0.14.3+seriouslythistime-0ubuntu3 Synaptics TouchPad driver for X.Org server
ii xserver-xorg-input-wacom 0.7.2-0ubuntu6 X.Org X server -- Wacom input driver

[Vassilis Pandis (pandisv)]

rejecting duplicate task ...

[jhansonxi (jhansonxi)]

This problem was again evident in Xubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft. It affects anything that uses X including xdm, gdm, kdm, XFCE, GNOME, and KDE. It only occurs on the LegendQDI Superb 1 motherboard I have which uses the SiS530/5595 chipset and a K6-2/350MHz CPU. The same installation works correctly with a SiS5598 and Via MVP3 motherboard. While reading through the comments for Bug #39315 the suggestion by colonius to change the kernel caught my attention. Switching from the generic (SMP) kernel to i386 (2.6.17-10-i386) eliminated the problem.

[Haz (haz2a)]

I had this problem in Xubuntu 6.06 LTS (XFCE) on an old AMD K6-2/500 with SiS 530/5595 chipset. Very difficult to login at the login window.

Add the kernel parameter 'clock=tsc' in GRUB (ie: to the 'kernel' line of the top kernel entry in /boot/grub/menu.lst).

[Bob7 (tylertacky)]

I am having the same issue on Ubutnu 7.04 64 bit, except here, it can happen any time during the session. My motherboard is an Asus P5N-SLI. I'm using a wireless keyboard plugged in via USB. Occasionally, when I have my mouse or joystick plugged into USB, they will also stick. This does not occur in Windows (which I have booting on the same system) and things like USB drives have no issues.

My system info is included in the attached text file.

[jhansonxi (jhansonxi)]

Post a question in the Ubuntu users forum to see if anyone else is having a problem with those models. Change to PS/2 devices, different distros (try a livecd like Knoppix), or set up Ubuntu on a different system with a different motherboard to narrow down the cause.

[imanauto (ian-imanauto)]

I recently upgraded my home server from Ubuntu 5.10 to Ubuntu 7.10. I had this exact problem after upgrading. The erratic keyboard repeat would also occur after booting from the installation CD.

There were a lot of kernel log messages indicating a problem with USB. example :

Feb 22 01:20:12 imanserver1 kernel: [ 257.668386] usb 3-1.1: reset low speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 3
Feb 22 01:20:13 imanserver1 kernel: [ 258.239408] usb 3-1.2: reset low speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4
Feb 22 01:20:14 imanserver1 kernel: [ 259.621041] usb 3-1.1: reset low speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 3
Feb 22 01:20:15 imanserver1 kernel: [ 260.295885] usb 3-1.2: reset low speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4
Feb 22 01:20:16 imanserver1 kernel: [ 261.409977] usb 3-1.1: reset low speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 3
Feb 22 01:20:17 imanserver1 kernel: [ 262.324410] usb 3-1.2: reset low speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4

After tearing my hair out for a while, I found that I could fix the problem by editing /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist and adding the line "blacklist usbhid" and uncommenting the "blacklist usbmouse" and "blacklist usbkbd" lines. I had to do this by booting from another linux CD as the erratic repeat problem is so severe as to be completely unusable. This fix wasn't perfect though, as the occasional keypress is now ignored - may be an unrelated problem with the usbkbd module.

So the usbhid module seems to have a particular problem with my usb keyboard & mouse. The peculiar thing about them is that they are connected via a KVM switch (ATEN CS-62U), which attaches both keyboard and mouse via the one USB port. No problems with this setup when running Ubuntu 5.10, only after moving to 7.10.

Apart from this problem, the upgrade went smoothly. The issue with some keypress events being ignored is annoying though - i'll continue to look for a solution to that.

[Derek (bugs-m8y)]

I was running into similar behaviour.
If I clicked the left mouse button repeatedly while holding down a key (usually an arrow key since I was playing a game) the key would jam until restart.
I will try some of the possible fixes mentioned here.

The kernel version doesn't match, although the symptoms do.

Using Ubuntu Hardy - only started after switch to the hardy alpha.
2.6.24-8-generic

Not sure if low priority is appropriate for this bug.

[Derek (bugs-m8y)]

After some experimenting.
Disabling usbhid/hid and using usbkbd/usbmouse did not help.
When problem occurred, there was no info in ~/.xsession-errors or the Xorg log file or dmesg.

While the problem was occurring, unplugging the USB keyboard and plugging it back in, or loading/unloading hid/usbhid did not halt the error.

I suspect then the flaw is in X - in keyboard repeat I guess.
Holding down the key while clicking on mouse befuddles its simple brain?

Will look for similar X errors.

[Derek (bugs-m8y)]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/124406
Was where I should have been. Nevermind.

[seisen1 (seisen-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

Is this still a problem in Hardy or even in Intrepid Ibex?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this linux-source-2.6.15 kernel bug to the new "linux" package. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Also, if you would be interested in testing the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release, it is available at http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . Please let us know your results. Thanks!

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!