Problems with keyboard

[amx]

Hello,

Quite often, for periods of a few minutes, my keyboard will stop working. During those times, I can't type letters or numbers into my browser window or any other application. However, the fn keys like volume etc and capslock still work. Eventually the functionality returns, but it happens so often that it's interfering with my use of the os.

I have run hwinfo, which tells me the following:

42: PS/2 00.0: 10800 Keyboard
[Created at input.226]
Unique ID: v4Uw.l4ksZDBtJg8
Hardware Class: keyboard
Model: "BRLTTY 5.2dev Linux Screen Driver Keyboard"
Device: "BRLTTY 5.2dev Linux Screen Driver Keyboard"
Compatible to: int 0x0211 0x0001
Device File: /dev/input/event15
Device Number: char 13:79
Driver Info #0:
XkbRules: xfree86
XkbModel: pc104
Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas. Thanks!

[Pjotr]

Please generate an overview of your system like this:
- Launch a terminal window (this is how to launch a terminal window);
- make the terminal window full screen, to avoid chopped lines;
- copy/paste this command into the terminal:

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

(if you type: the letter F is a capital letter)

Press Enter.

Copy/paste the output in your next message.

Also: what keyboard is it? Make, model, USB / Bluetooth / PS/2?

[amx]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply.

Here is the terminal output:

System: Host: am Kernel: 3.16.0-4-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 4.8.4)
Desktop: Cinnamon 2.4.8 (Gtk 3.14.5)
Distro: LinuxMint 2 betsy
Machine: System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Pavilion 11 x360 PC v: 0975100002405F00010420180
Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 2209 v: 57.39
Bios: Insyde v: F.17 date: 12/16/2014
CPU: Quad core Intel Pentium N3540 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 17305
Clock Speeds: 1: 582 MHz 2: 577 MHz 3: 499 MHz 4: 499 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1366x768@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Bay Trail
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.3.2 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.16.0-4-amd64
Network: Card-1: Ralink RT3290 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe
driver: rt2800pci v: 2.3.0 bus-ID: 02:00.0
IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Card-2: Realtek RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 1000 bus-ID: 04:00.0
IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (3.3% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST500LT012 size: 500.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 459G used: 16G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 27.0C mobo: 27.0C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 207 Uptime: 13:50 Memory: 966.9/3854.3MB
Init: SysVinit runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.9.2
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.301) inxi: 2.1.28

It's a laptop and the keyboard is a PS/2 keyboard:

38: PS/2 00.0: 10800 Keyboard
[Created at input.226]
Unique ID: nLyy.+49ps10DtUF
Hardware Class: keyboard
Model: "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard"
Vendor: 0x0001
Device: 0x0001 "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard"
Compatible to: int 0x0211 0x0001
Device File: /dev/input/event0
Device Files: /dev/input/event0, /dev/input/by-path/platform-i8042-serio-0-event-kbd
Device Number: char 13:64
Driver Info #0:
XkbRules: xfree86
XkbModel: pc104
Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

It appears to be an AT Translated Set 2 keyboard.

Thanks again!

[Pjotr]

How did you connect the PS/2 keyboard to your laptop? Does your laptop have a PS/2 port or did you use a USB converter?

[amx]

It is actually the laptop's built-in keyboard. No peripherals etc.

[Pjotr]

Might be a driver issue. First try the easy generic solutions:

Note: the instruction below is written for mainstream Mint; I don't know if it'll work the same for LMDE.

a. Install the latest kernel from the 3.16 series:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... el-updates
(item 3, right column)

Then reboot.

b. When no improvement: install the latest kernel from the 3.19 series.

Then reboot.

c. When no improvement: install the latest kernel from the 4.2 series.

Then reboot.

d. When still no improvement: check for a newer BIOS / UEFI and when available, install it.