FS#12815 - No keyboard input on new kernel, apple hardware (with fix)

Attached to Project: Arch Linux
Opened by Erwin Van de Velde (evdvelde) - Friday, 16 January 2009, 11:22 GMT
Last edited by Roman Kyrylych (Romashka) - Monday, 26 January 2009, 17:06 GMT
Task Type Bug Report
Category Kernel
Status Closed
Assigned To No-one
Architecture All
Severity High
Priority Normal
Reported Version None
Due in Version Undecided
Due Date Undecided
Percent Complete 100%
Votes 2
Private No

Details

Description:
If you use the parameter pb_fnmode for the hid module, this module will not be loaded anymore because the parameter has been moved to hid_apple. A message in the kernel26 upgrade would have saved me an hour of searching...

Additional info:
* package version(s)
kernel 2.6.28-3
* config and/or log files etc.
dmesg log:
hid: Unknown parameter `pb_fnmode'



Steps to reproduce:
hardware: macbook pro rev 3 (and possibly other apple hardware), hid option pb_fnmode set in modprobe.conf, boot with new kernel
This task depends upon

Closed by  Roman Kyrylych (Romashka)
Monday, 26 January 2009, 17:06 GMT
Reason for closing:  Not a bug
Comment by Olivier (litemotiv) - Friday, 16 January 2009, 19:14 GMT
i don't consider this a bug -- at least not with high severity, since it will only make you apple keyboard behave like an apple keyboard instead of like a pc keyboard (right?). the first is default kernel behaviour (whether you like it or not, i have a mac keyboard too and i don't), setting pb_fnmode is a personal decision so not really 'worthy' of a kernel upgrade notice.

Comment by Erwin Van de Velde (evdvelde) - Saturday, 17 January 2009, 01:03 GMT
I set the severity to high because the module hid does not get loaded if you have set the pb_fnmode parameter for it in modprobe.conf. I was unable to use keyboard or mouse till I fixed it over ssh. This kind of problems should be announced, preferably by the kernel developers themselves of course...
Comment by Olivier (litemotiv) - Saturday, 17 January 2009, 11:30 GMT
i agree that if you have a macbook with built-in keyboard, what you describe is a real drama. i don't use pb_fnmode myself anymore so i haven't experienced it with .28; when i used it incorrectly with previous kernels though, the module still loaded but just didn't provide the right keymappings.

as a last resort: usbinput should be available in your fallback-kernel(?), so you can always hook op an external keyboard in case something like this happens (though this obviously requires you have an extra keyboard lying around).
Comment by Erwin Van de Velde (evdvelde) - Saturday, 17 January 2009, 13:13 GMT
I did have an extra keyboard... but also an apple one, so doom over me :)
Comment by Plamen Hristov (phristov) - Sunday, 18 January 2009, 07:59 GMT
I have casual PC with wired, aluminium, apple keyboard. Have experienced the same problem, wich is hard to fix.
Any way, did someone turn on "pb_fnmode" successfully on new kernel??
Comment by . (vilefridge) - Monday, 19 January 2009, 22:52 GMT
Are you having to load hid in rc.conf in the MODULES array? As of 2.6.28, my macbook keyboard stopped working too, and I don't even have the pb_fnmode option.
Comment by Plamen Hristov (phristov) - Tuesday, 20 January 2009, 08:36 GMT
No, I have enabled MOD_AUTOLOAD. Hung depend very much on exact way pb_fnmode is activated. Should not appear in untouched configuration.
Before I use file called "hid" which contein "options hid pb_fnmode=2". More over, I add file under "FILES" section of mkinitcpio.conf .
Now, this setting are changed, standing "options hid_apple fnmode=2". Having file "hid_apple" with this content is just enough. Now, I don't use mkinitcpio.
Keyboard work in desired configuration. For manual switching on new kernel use:
echo 2 > /sys/module/hid/holders/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode
instead of
echo 2 > /sys/module/hid/parameters/pb_fnmode
Comment by Plamen Hristov (phristov) - Tuesday, 20 January 2009, 08:48 GMT
Forget to mention, that my "hid_apple" is in "/etc/modprobe.d" directory.
Comment by Roman Kyrylych (Romashka) - Monday, 26 January 2009, 17:06 GMT
@ Erwin:
"If you use the parameter pb_fnmode for the hid module, this module will not be loaded anymore because the parameter has been moved to hid_apple. A message in the kernel26 upgrade would have saved me an hour of searching..."
Well, we cannot post every single change to post_install (especially those that are not affecting significant percentage of users), neither do kernel maintainers have time to track all such changes
So I think this report can be qualified as "Not a bug".
I suggest writing such hardware-specific fixes on the wiki, so other users with such hardware can configure it properly.

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