[gutsy] CD boot loader doesn't detect macbook's (core 2 duo) keyboard

[mon]

Hi

if I run herd2 x86 on a macbook core 2 duo, the keyboard isn't usable until the kernel has booted, i.e. it doesn't work in grub.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Turn on the macbook (NO reboot)
2. press c on macbook startup. (right after the startup sound)
3. boot from cd ubuntu 7.04 herd2 x86
4. grub doesn't detect the keyboard (i.e. you can't change to other boot options like safe mode)

thanks

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

That's not grub ...

It works for me on an Intel iMac.

[Timothy Smith (tas50)]

Can you test this with a new LiveCD so we can see if this is till an issue?

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi

This is still happening in herd3. I've also booted fedora core 7 test 1 live cd and it has the same issue.

Currently, there's a workaround that's not perfect. if you boot osx and the reboot into the live cd, the keyboard is detected, but if you boot from scratch it isn't until linux boots, so you can't select any of the boot options the live has.

thanks

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

I would like to add that this issue is quite important, since if somehow the loading of default kernel goes wrong (into kernel panic) soon before the keyboard is detected you'll get into a loop in which you couldn't repair/debug the error. Other issues like booting into safe-mode or booting another os other than grub's defafult entry would be imposible from a cold startup.

thanks

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

This has been reported in debian's wiki:
http://wiki.debian.org/MacBook

section install debian: "If you cannot type anything in the CD/DVD boot prompt (found this problem on MacBook Core 2 Duo), you can fix this with an external USB keyboard or by booting into OS X and restarting while holding the C button pressed (boots directly from CD)."

[Adam McMaster (adammc)]

This seems to also affect Edgy. A friend of mine has Ubuntu tripple-booting on a MacBook (along with Windows XP). Grub was unresponsive on the Edgy LiveCD, and the installed version of Grub is also unresponsive.

[Tribe (boikot+ubuntu)]

Same here with a Kubuntu Feisty Herd 4 daily build in a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

this issue remains in Herd5

[burnmw (burnmw1987)]

Hi, I boot my MacBook using rEFIt and have the same problem. However, if I leave rEFIt to count down about 10secs or so from when it auto-loads the default (OS X) and THEN select Ubuntu/Windows it immediately recognizes my keyboard. Might help some of you?
Cheers

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi burnmw

do you mean you load os x, reboot and keyboard is detected on grub or that you select in refit os x and then (without leaving refit) you can select ubuntu?

thanks

[burnmw (burnmw1987)]

Hi kmon,

Cold boot the Mac, then you should get the rEFIt screen asking which OS to load, it'll count down from 20sec, at about 10secs choose Linux or Windows. When GRUB loads it should also have had long enough to load the keyboard. Or at least, thats how mine works.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

burnmw: do you have an core 2 duo macbook?

[burnmw (burnmw1987)]

Yes I do, 2Ghz model...

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

thanks.

let's see if any developer can help out.

[Zach (uid000)]

I can confirm burnmw's result:
Running refit, If I cold boot, and wait several (10-15) seconds, keyboard works in cd bootloader. Otherwise it does not.

[Zach (uid000)]

Forgot to mention, I am using 7.04 beta

[GNUdental (launchpad-gnosys)]

This problem exists in grub as installed on the HDD with 7.04 final also.

The work-around (of waiting 10-15 seconds) works only part of the time for me. I've waited as long as 19 seconds and still found an unresponsive keyboard in grub. But sometimes, the work-around does work for me. I've also waited for 19 seconds at the refit screen, then as much as an additional 60 seconds (after touching the arrow key to avoid booting the default OS), then selected Windows in refit, and still found grub unresponsive to keyboard input. I've also used a USB keyboard and found the same thing. Any other work-arounds or fixes available in the last month?

[GNUdental (launchpad-gnosys)]

I should've included that this is on a 17" MBP.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

This seems to happen in lastest macbooks, both the pro and non-pro edition.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

This problem has been mentioned on the debian wiki, but not sure if they have a bug for it. I'll check

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Any clue on what's happening here?

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi

I've just booted my macbook with gutsy tribe 1 x86 live cd and the problem is still happening.

thanks

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

For the record this also happens in fedora 7 and opensuse 10.3 alpha 5.

Can someone fill this bug in upstream bugtracker?

thanks

[Christer Edwards (christer.edwards)]

this happens to me as well. I haven't been able to track down a pattern but it'll work sometimes. After a few power-downs and restarts I can get it to work long enough for the kernel to load and then I'm ok. It does work within the rEFIt boot loader, just has trouble after booting directly to a CD.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi

I've just read this on digg: http://polishlinux.org/reviews/macbook-and-linux-beauty-and-the-beast/

and this reviewer says Mepis 6.5 64 bits has a working grub on macbook. I have'nt tried yet, so if anyone can please share your experience. I'll try to do so when I have some time.

bye

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi again

Good news is that mephis 6.5 64bits boot loader (I think it's a customized grub) doesn't suffer this bug. Can someone look into mephis changes?

thanks

[burnmw (burnmw1987)]

Hi all,

I've discovered that (and yes I know this is slightly different) that whilst playing around with Windows Vista on my MacBook (I tried tri-booting) I tried to access Safe Mode, but alas, the keyboard doesn't work! It appears that it isn't a problem specific to Linux distro's running on a MacBook. Purely it's to do with the way the MacBook loads itself. If that makes sense. Hope it helps someone!

Cheers all

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi burnmw

can you try the mephis live cd? I works here fine.

thanks

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

I've subscribed kamion, since he's the one in charge of the spec: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/IntelMacSupport

Feel free to correct this if it's not the appropiate way to work.

thanks

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Robert Millan wrote (private mail):
>On Thu, Jun 21, 2007 at 12:35:25AM +0200, Javier Monteagudo wrote:
>>
>> Hi again
>>
>> Good news is that mephis 6.5 64bits boot loader (I think it's a
>> customized grub) doesn't suffer this bug. Can someone look into mephis
>> changes?
>
>Your problem sounds like broken BIOS. Does it work when you try GRUB in
>EFI mode? (grub-efi package)
>
>Also, do you know what kind of keyboard is this? Is it a standard AT
>keyboard?

AFAIK this happens on al macbooks with core 2 duo. It may be a bios bug, but apple hasn't released any updates so far.

I haven't tried grub-efi package since I'm booting from the live cd. My plan is to replace OSX with linux, but until this is solved I can't do it (I consider this bug a mayor problem: imagine a kernel panic on normal boot. With this bug I could not boot into safe mode as I could not select that option from grub).
I know I can dual (and triple) boot osx with linux, but I really don't like it and I would rather use the disk space for my music than for that other propietary o.s.

thanks.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi

I think this is also fixed in elive 1.0. Elive also uses a customized grub, so maybe it's a patch or somethng similar... don't know.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

This bug is still happening in tribe 2 ubuntu x86 cd.

thanks

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

FYI thisd still happens in tribe 3 ubuntu x86 cd.

thanks

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

mepis don't seem to use their own grub version; or if they do, it's grub-gfxboot, and I don't see any prospect of extracting some unknown patch from that to make syslinux work. I'm afraid I don't see that it's viable to fix this for beta.

[emil.s (emil.s)]

haha, lol. I have a very strange solution.
When you choose Linux in the rEFIt menu, use the "down arrow (page)" key. NOT the "Right arrow (end)". Then you can change OS to boot in Grub.

Works for me anyhow. :)

[Stefano Rivera (stefanor)]

I don't get this when I boot Gutsy Beta (amd64) by holding down the C key (boot from CD).

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Unmilestoning; there seem to be some possible workarounds, and no candidate fix is available or likely to be available for 7.10.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi

I've recently updated my macbook's firmware[1] and this issue seems to be fixed. If anyone can confirm we could close the bug

thanks

[1]: http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macbookefifirmwareupdate11.html

[juanogcx (juanogcx)]

Completely confirmed kmon. today i installed de firmware update, and the keyboard is recognized finally.

[Christer Edwards (christer.edwards)]

I have not run into this issue since updating the firmware available from Apple. I *believe* it was since the EFI firmware update. I have recently done three fresh installs (this week) using Ubuntu 7.10 alternate and LiveCD and the keyboard has worked as expected.

[mon (javiermon-deactivatedaccount)]

The bug seems to be fixed in the firmware update

[Ricky Campbell (cyberdork33)]

The firmware update seemed to fix this problem for me on a C2D 20" iMac, but it is again broken.

[Ricky Campbell (cyberdork33)]

Ok, this should be the last for this. The keyboard still does not work in grub and such if it conflicts with something else plugged into the USB ports. I switched my devices around in the ports, and now it works again.