My Keyboard Randomly Stops Working..... :>

blackneos940

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Hello everyone..... I'm sorry to post so much, but this is a serious issue..... :( My Keyboard on my Asus X205TA stops working randomly, and it seems to happen while using Google Chrome and playing Minecraft (which runs on Java)..... :( Anywho, here's the relevant Hardware info..... :3
Code:
    description: Notebook
    product: X205TA (ASUS-NotebookSKU)
    vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
    version: 1.0
    serial: EANLBC07754842E
    width: 64 bits
    capabilities: smbios-2.7 dmi-2.7 smp vsyscall32
    configuration: boot=normal chassis=notebook family=X sku=ASUS-NotebookSKU uuid=B0BE1300-4E0E-2F33-FFFF-6CFAA732AB0C
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       product: X205TA
       vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
       physical id: 0
       version: 1.0
       serial: BSN12345678901234567
       slot: MIDDLE
     *-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
          physical id: 0
          version: X205TA.212
          date: 09/04/2015
          size: 64KiB
          capacity: 960KiB
          capabilities: pci upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int14serial int17printer acpi usb smartbattery biosbootspecification uefi
     *-memory
          description: System Memory
          physical id: a
          slot: System board or motherboard
          size: 2GiB
          capabilities: ecc
          configuration: errordetection=multi-bit-ecc
        *-bank
             description: DIMM DDR3 1333 MHz (0.8 ns)
             product: Array1_PartNumber0
             vendor: A1_Manufacturer0
             physical id: 0
             serial: A1_SerNum0
             slot: A1_DIMM0
             size: 2GiB
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 1333MHz (0.8ns)
     *-cache:0
          description: L1 cache
          physical id: f
          slot: CPU Internal L1
          size: 224KiB
          capacity: 224KiB
          capabilities: internal write-back
          configuration: level=1
     *-cache:1
          description: L2 cache
          physical id: 10
          slot: CPU Internal L2
          size: 1MiB
          capacity: 1MiB
          capabilities: internal write-back unified
          configuration: level=2
     *-cpu
          description: CPU
          product: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU  Z3735F @ 1.33GHz
          vendor: Intel Corp.
          physical id: 11
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU Z3735F @ 1.33GHz
          slot: SOCKET 0
          size: 1447MHz
          capacity: 2400MHz
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 83MHz
          capabilities: x86-64 fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology tsc_reliable nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer aes rdrand lahf_lm 3dnowprefetch epb pti tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid tsc_adjust smep erms dtherm ida arat cpufreq
          configuration: cores=4 enabledcores=4 threads=4
     *-pci
          description: Host bridge
          product: Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series SoC Transaction Register
          vendor: Intel Corporation
          physical id: 100
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
          version: 0f
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          configuration: driver=iosf_mbi_pci
          resources: irq:0
        *-display
             description: VGA compatible controller
             product: Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display
             vendor: Intel Corporation
             physical id: 2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
             configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
             resources: irq:32 memory:90000000-903fffff memory:80000000-8fffffff ioport:1000(size=8) memory:c0000-dffff
        *-generic
             description: Encryption controller
             product: Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Trusted Execution Engine
             vendor: Intel Corporation
             physical id: 1a
             bus info: pci@0000:00:1a.0
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=mei_txe latency=0
             resources: irq:35 memory:90700000-907fffff memory:90600000-906fffff
        *-usb
             description: USB controller
             product: Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series USB EHCI
             vendor: Intel Corporation
             physical id: 1d
             bus info: pci@0000:00:1d.0
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci-pci latency=0
             resources: irq:30 memory:9080d000-9080d3ff
           *-usbhost
                product: EHCI Host Controller
                vendor: Linux 4.16.0-sound-31 ehci_hcd
                physical id: 1
                bus info: usb@1
                logical name: usb1
                version: 4.16
                capabilities: usb-2.00
                configuration: driver=hub slots=8 speed=480Mbit/s
              *-usb
                   description: USB hub
                   vendor: Intel Corp.
                   physical id: 1
                   bus info: usb@1:1
                   version: 0.15
                   capabilities: usb-2.00
                   configuration: driver=hub slots=4 speed=480Mbit/s
                 *-usb:0
                      description: Video
                      product: USB Camera
                      vendor: 04081-00092400E9669X
                      physical id: 1
                      bus info: usb@1:1.1
                      version: 0.12
                      serial: 200901010001
                      capabilities: usb-2.00
                      configuration: driver=uvcvideo maxpower=500mA speed=480Mbit/s
                 *-usb:1
                      description: USB hub
                      product: USB2.0 Hub
                      vendor: Genesys Logic, Inc.
                      physical id: 2
                      bus info: usb@1:1.2
                      version: 32.98
                      capabilities: usb-2.00
                      configuration: driver=hub maxpower=100mA slots=4 speed=480Mbit/s
        *-isa
             description: ISA bridge
             product: Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Power Control Unit
             vendor: Intel Corporation
             physical id: 1f
             bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.0
             version: 0f
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: isa bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=lpc_ich latency=0
             resources: irq:0
  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       physical id: 1
       logical name: wlan0
       serial: 6c:fa:a7:32:ab:0c
       capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=brcmfmac driverversion=6.10.190.55 firmware=01-6cb01dcc ip=192.168.1.12 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11

Any ideas.....? :< Support for this Laptop out of the box is limited, so a guy at the Ubuntu Forums had to create a custom Kernel to get the Hardware to work..... :3 Everything is GREAT, really..... But the Keyboard just up-and-stops working..... :< Any help at all is MUCH appreciated, guys..... :3 I thank you from the bottom of my Heart..... :3
 


No need to apologise mate, stuff happens ;)

I'll be very (pleasantly) surprised if I can actually help you, but may I coax a little more information out of you for others to help?

  1. What OS and or what Distro (including DEs) are you running? If Windows is also on it, which version?
  2. Is this an eeebook or other?
  3. Do you perform backups? If so, using what tool?
  4. Does the touchpad work or does it stop too?
  5. Do you have Firefox available to compare with, or just Chrome?
  6. What output does the custom kernel reveal from
    Code:
    uname -r
    ?
  7. Can you give us a link to any relevant thread from the Ubuntu Forum?
You get the picture.

Cheers

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 
The specs of your notebook are quite low.
The chances are that the freezes are because of high resource usage when running Chrome (which is known to be a resource hog) and minetest (which, being a game AND Java based is probably also using a big chunk of system resources)

My family's main Linux desktop (plugged into our TV in the living room) is also fairly low spec. We experience the same issues with the keyboard freezing when running Chrome or certain other large applications. Periodically when trying to type into text boxes in a web page (or in any other open application) the system appears to stop responding to input from the keyboard for a few seconds.
But when the system responds again, anything that was typed usually appears on-screen.

I'm fairly certain that increasing the RAM (if possible) will completely fix, or at least, reduce the problem.

Also I don't know, but increasing the size of the swap partition might help.

But at the same time, it could be the times that the system is swapping to disk that are causing the problem. In which case, increasing the RAM would be the better option.

Most Netbooks/Notebooks are deliberately designed with low specs, because rather than running software installed on the machine - they are designed to run a minimal operating system and are meant to primarily run web or cloud based software, where most of the computation is done by external servers. So all your netbook needs to do is be able to run a browser and send keyboard/mouse data and render the results.
So typically netbooks/notebooks have smaller hard drives and less RAM than a laptop or a desktop PC.
 
Last edited:
I saw your reply, @wizardfromoz, but I thought I'd update this little thing..... :3 So I ran dmesg when my Keyboard stopped responding again, while Minecraft was running..... :3 It has something to do with i2c, I think..... :3

Code:
[ 7386.241094] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: i2c_dw_xfer_msg: invalid message length
[ 7386.241168] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.266104] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.266114] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.293992] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.294002] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.317932] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.317952] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.340426] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.340449] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.374278] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.374289] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.397263] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.397281] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7386.421676] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7386.421690] i2c i2c-0: i2c read failed
[ 7392.570277] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7393.797865] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7395.988620] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7446.435416] i2c_designware 80860F41:00: timeout waiting for bus ready
[ 7454.729958] usb 1-2.1: new low-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[ 7454.829309] input: HID 0b38:0010 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-2/1-2.1/1-2.1:1.0/0003:0B38:0010.0002/input/input13
[ 7454.884057] hid-generic 0003:0B38:0010.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [HID 0b38:0010] on usb-0000:00:14.0-2.1/input0
[ 7454.888541] input: HID 0b38:0010 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-2/1-2.1/1-2.1:1.1/0003:0B38:0010.0003/input/input14
[ 7454.943899] hid-generic 0003:0B38:0010.0003: input,hidraw2: USB HID v1.10 Device [HID 0b38:0010] on usb-0000:00:14.0-2.1/input1

At the end of the File (I left out the unimportant parts from earlier in dmesg), there is something about a USB device..... :3 That's my USB Keyboard that helped me get closer to the issue!..... :3 What do you think, guys.....? :) Any ideas about what could be causing this issue.....? :) I don't think it's RAM..... :3 Now, I better exit Chrome before it happens again..... :3
 
You've caught me between my 1st and 2nd coffee for the morning, so I am largely non compos mentis - which also reflects my usual state, come to think of it.

But I'll give it a try. Morning all.

(Wizard appears in a puff of smoke, drowsy, reaches for and sips a mug containing horn of toad, chokes, goes for coffee, sighs with pleasure)

For the benefit of The Viewers, the OP refers to this thread https://www.linux.org/threads/my-keyboard-randomly-stops-working.18030/

Better to keep them together, Mate? One is in General Linux, the other in General Computing :)

[Moderator edit: Merged the two threads together here. :D]

  1. Can you tell us what Linux Distro you are using, down to version and DE?
  2. Can you give us the output of
    Code:
    inxi -Fxs
    
    #and
    
    uname -srv
    
    #and
    
    xinput
    ?
  3. Is the keyboard built into a laptop or standalone with a desktop?
The "i2c_designware" reference from dmesg might provide problems, if all modules were built in to the Custom Kernel you mentioned at the other thread. That is not necessarily always a good idea.

See what you come back with from the above, and if it is beyond my paygrade, I will be hoping for help from eg @JasKinasis , @nuna , or anybody :D:D

Cheers

Wizard
 
You've caught me between my 1st and 2nd coffee for the morning, so I am largely non compos mentis - which also reflects my usual state, come to think of it.

But I'll give it a try. Morning all.

(Wizard appears in a puff of smoke, drowsy, reaches for and sips a mug containing horn of toad, chokes, goes for coffee, sighs with pleasure)

For the benefit of The Viewers, the OP refers to this thread https://www.linux.org/threads/my-keyboard-randomly-stops-working.18030/

Better to keep them together, Mate? One is in General Linux, the other in General Computing :)

  1. Can you tell us what Linux Distro you are using, down to version and DE?
  2. Can you give us the output of
    Code:
    inxi -Fxs
    
    #and
    
    uname -srv
    
    #and
    
    xinput
    ?
  3. Is the keyboard built into a laptop or standalone with a desktop?
The "i2c_designware" reference from dmesg might provide problems, if all modules were built in to the Custom Kernel you mentioned at the other thread. That is not necessarily always a good idea.

See what you come back with from the above, and if it is beyond my paygrade, I will be hoping for help from eg @JasKinasis , @nuna , or anybody :D:D

Cheers

Wizard
Right, sorry..... :3 I should have just continued there, as you said..... :3 Also, you're funny!..... :D I had some Coffee today too..... :3 Anywho, here's the output of the Commands you said to type in..... :3

Code:
System:    Host: name_redacted-X205TA Kernel: 4.15.0-23-generic x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0 Desktop: LXDE (Openbox 3.6.1)
           Distro: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Machine:   Device: laptop System: ASUSTeK product: X205TA v: 1.0 serial: EANLBC07754842E
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: X205TA v: 1.0 serial: BSN12345678901234567
           UEFI: American Megatrends v: X205TA.212 date: 09/04/2015
Battery    BATC: charge: 23.2 Wh 99.2% condition: 23.4/38.0 Wh (62%)
           model: Intel SR 1 SR Real status: Discharging
CPU:       Quad core Intel Atom Z3735F (-MCP-) arch: Silvermont rev.8 cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10662
           clock speeds: max: 1832 MHz 1: 1286 MHz 2: 1344 MHz 3: 619 MHz 4: 598 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.19.6 drivers: modesetting (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: [email protected]
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Bay Trail version: 4.2 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel HDMI/DP LPE Audio driver: HdmiLpeAudio Sound: ALSA v: k4.15.0-23-generic
           Card-2 chtrt5645 driver: chtrt5645
Network:   Card: Failed to Detect Network Card!
Drives:    HDD Total Size: NA (-)
           ID-1: /dev/mmcblk1 model: N/A size: 31.3GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 29G used: 16G (58%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/mmcblk1p2
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 50.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 0
Info:      Processes: 209 Uptime: 3:33 Memory: 1370.

And

Code:
Linux 4.15.0-23-generic #25-Ubuntu SMP Wed May 23 18:02:16 UTC 2018

And

Code:
⎡ Virtual core pointer                        id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                  id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Elan Touchpad                               id=12    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                       id=3    [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard                 id=5    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Asus Wireless Radio Control                 id=6    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                   id=7    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                                id=8    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button                                id=9    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ USB Camera: USB Camera                      id=10    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Asus Keyboard                               id=11    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Asus WMI hotkeys                            id=13    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ gpio-keys                                   id=14    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ gpio-keys                                   id=15    [slave  keyboard (3)]

You might notice that I'm not using a custom Kernel..... :) I've booted a stock Kernel, as Scotsgeek told me on the phone today, and, 'lo and behold, no issues!..... :3 (So FAR..... :)) Anywho, I'll post again if anything does (or doesn't) happen..... :3 I think it was the custom Kernel..... It's the latest too (4.16)..... :3
 
Homer tried flexing his moderator muscle, and it worked! Merged the two related threads together... something I've not done before.

Ooh, I think that deserves a Duff beer! :D:D

Carry on, gentlemen.

Cheers
 
Thanks Stan, makes it easier to work with :D. You pay your airfares, and I'll pay for the beer.

@blackneos940 ... that's great Mate, and thanks to @Scotsgeek too ;)

That was one of the directions I was headed for, was to see if you had an alternative kernel to boot from.

If the keyboard modules were built into the customised kernel, it makes them nearly impossible to remove without decompiling the kernel. It also means that the option to blacklist a module to see if it is the cause of the problem cannot be exercised.

But all's well that ends well, and you are back in business. Now would be a good time to read up on Timeshift and see if it can be put to use in your circumstances.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Thanks Stan, makes it easier to work with :D. You pay your airfares, and I'll pay for the beer.

@blackneos940 ... that's great Mate, and thanks to @Scotsgeek too ;)

That was one of the directions I was headed for, was to see if you had an alternative kernel to boot from.

If the keyboard modules were built into the customised kernel, it makes them nearly impossible to remove without decompiling the kernel. It also means that the option to blacklist a module to see if it is the cause of the problem cannot be exercised.

But all's well that ends well, and you are back in business. Now would be a good time to read up on Timeshift and see if it can be put to use in your circumstances.

Cheers

Wizard
Yeah, I know!..... :3 It just goes to show that Linux is actually EASIER than Windows to fix..... :3 For one thing, you don't get cryptic error messages, but instead, you get plain human LANGUAGE to help with debugging things..... :3 I'll check that Post out!..... :3 Thanks!..... :D
 

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