Inspiron 8200 keybaord: Does not work in X11, but works on console

[dracus]

Greetings, all;

I have a problem with the keyboard on my Dell Inspiron 8200 (yeah, I know, but I can't replace it until cash flow becomes positive again). It works from the text console just fine, no problems. However, it does not work in X at all. I have tried GNOME and FCE. I have switched between the kbd and keyboard drivers, and changed the protocol between standard and Xqueue. I have tried connecting USB keyboards, and they do not work, either. I have even tired setting 'Option "Device"', but that just added an additional error into my X log. The keyboard and kbd drivers are supposed to work for anything that works for the OS, but in this case, they do not, and I do not know what to do. Distro is Slackware 13.1, but this does not feel like a distro problem. I am mostly using Gnome Slack Build, but it does not work for FCE, either, so I can not see it being a desktop manager issue. It seems like either a laptop or X issue, and I am putting this here because this is the only system that has this problem from these install disks, X works fine elsewhere. Any ideas on what else to try to get it to work? Kudos and thanks in advance.

I have been trying to post the xorg.conf file here, but the system will not let me, stating "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." However, my xorg.conf file does not have any URLs in it, so pointers on how to post a conf file would be greatly appreciated.

Dracus

[Rubberman]

To post a URL here before 15 posts, just put some spaces in critical locations as in:
ww w . this_is_a_url. html

Anyway, did this work at one time? Did you change anything just before it broke (updates, new software, etc)?

[oz]

I have been trying to post the xorg.conf file here, but the system will not let me, stating "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." However, my xorg.conf file does not have any URLs in it, so pointers on how to post a conf file would be greatly appreciated.

In addition, any "@" symbols will prevent you from posting, so you can remove them, or try adding a text attachment to your post by clicking the "Add Attachments" button found below the text entry box of your post.

More on that and other pointers about using the forums here:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/fee...ng-forums.html

[dracus]

Anyway, did this work at one time? Did you change anything just before it broke (updates, new software, etc)?

Yes, worked with Slackware 12 and 12.1, and whatever version of X they were using. I ended up skipping 13 on the laptop, since it was working, and I was focusing on the desktop and servers. At any rate, here is my xorg.conf file (thanks for the tips - ended up replacing the at signs with 'at' as a word in the modes comments):

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier     "Single"
        Screen      0  "SingleScreen" 0 0
        InputDevice    "ps2mouse" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "usbmouse "
        InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier     "Vesa"
        Screen      0  "VesaScreen" 0 0
        InputDevice    "ps2mouse" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "usbmouse"
        InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection


Section "Modes "
	Identifier "Laptop Modes"

        # 1400x1050 at 60Hz, 65.8 kHz hsync
        Modeline "1400x1050"  129   1400 1464 1656 1960
                              1050 1051 1054 1100 +HSync +VSync

        # 700x525 at 60Hz, 32.8 kHz hsync
        Modeline "700x525"  32   700 732 860 976
                              525 526 527 546 +HSync +VSync
EndSection

Section "Module"
        Load  "evdev"
        Load  "int10"
        Load  "vbe"
        Load  "dbe"
        Load  "extmod"
	Load  "fbdevhw"
	Load  "dri"
        Load  "glx"   
        Load  "record"
        Load  "freetype"
        Load  "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier  "Keyboard0"
        Driver      "keyboard"
        Option      "CoreKeyboard"
        Option      "XkbRules" "xorg"
        Option      "XkbModel" "inspiron"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "usbmouse"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Buttons"		    "5"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping"	    "4 5"
	Option	    "SendCoreEvents"	 "on"
	Option      "Emulate3Buttons"	"no"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "ps2mouse"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "SendCoreEvents"	 "on"
	Option	    "Emulate3Buttons"	 "on"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "Dell LCD"
        VendorName   "Dell"
        ModelName    "15 inch laptop LCD monitor"
        HorizSync   31.5-68.0
        VertRefresh 59.9-60.1
        Option "dpms"
	UseModes "Laptop Modes"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (single)"
        Driver       "nv"
        VendorName   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"
        BoardName     "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"

	Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
	Option "NoLogo" "true"
	Option "NvAGP" "0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier   "SingleScreen"
        Device       "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (single)"
        Monitor      "Dell LCD"
	DefaultDepth	24

	Subsection "Display"
        	Depth       24
                Modes       "1400x1050" "700x525"
	EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (vesa)"
        Driver       "nv"
        VendorName   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"
        BoardName     "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"

	Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
	Option "NoLogo" "true"
	Option "NvAGP" "0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier   "SingleScreen"
        Device       "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (single)"
        Monitor      "Dell LCD"
	DefaultDepth	24

	Subsection "Display"
        	Depth       24
                Modes       "1400x1050" "700x525"
	EndSubsection
EndSection
Section "Device"
	Identifier   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (vesa)"
        Driver       "vesa"
        VendorName   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"
        BoardName     "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier   "VesaScreen"
        Device       "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (vesa)"
        Monitor      "Dell LCD"
	DefaultDepth	16

	Subsection "Display"
        	Depth       16
                Modes       "1280x1024"
	EndSubsection

EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode 0666
EndSection

[Rubberman]

First step, remove the duplicate blocks in your xorg.conf file. Then report back. Remember the KISS principle!

[dracus]

First step, remove the duplicate blocks in your xorg.conf file. Then report back. Remember the KISS principle!

Ok, I think I have gotten rid of the duplicate sections, and the situation has not improved. Not surprising, since I have tried the default VESA xorg.conf file, and 3 or 4 culled off of the Internet, and none of them have worked either. I am beginning to think that the needed code has been dropped from the drivers. At any rate, here is the newer xorg.conf:

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier     "Single"
        Screen      0  "SingleScreen" 0 0
        InputDevice    "ps2mouse" "CorePointer"
        InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
	Identifier "Laptop Modes"

        # 1400x1050 at 60Hz, 65.8 kHz hsync
        Modeline "1400x1050"  129   1400 1464 1656 1960
                              1050 1051 1054 1100 +HSync +VSync

EndSection


Section "Files"

    RgbPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
    FontPath    "unix/:7100"

EndSection

Section "Module"
        Load  "evdev"
        Load  "int10"
        Load  "vbe"
        Load  "dbe"
        Load  "extmod"
	Load "fbdevhw"
	Load "dri"
        Load  "glx" 
        Load  "record"
        Load  "freetype"
        Load  "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier  "Keyboard0"
        Driver      "keyboard"
        Option      "CoreKeyboard"
        Option      "XkbRules" "xorg"
        Option      "XkbModel" "inspiron"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "ps2mouse"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "PS/2"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/psaux"
	Option	    "SendCoreEvents"	 "on"
	Option	    "Emulate3Buttons"	 "on"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "Dell LCD"
        VendorName   "Dell"
        ModelName    "15 inch laptop LCD monitor"
        HorizSync   31.5-68.0
        VertRefresh 59.9-60.1
        Option "dpms"
	UseModes "Laptop Modes"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (single)"
        Driver       "nv"
        VendorName   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"
        BoardName     "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"

	Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
	Option "NoLogo" "true"
	Option "NvAGP" "0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier   "SingleScreen"
        Device       "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (single)"
        Monitor      "Dell LCD"
	DefaultDepth	24

	Subsection "Display"
        	Depth       24
                Modes       "1400x1050"
	EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode 0666
EndSection

[Rubberman]

Ok. Boot into runlevel 3 (no X display manager) and login. Then run "startx" - report what, if any, errors are displayed.

[zsd]

Hi,

I realize this is an old thread, but in case anyone is still listening...

I have the same problem as above, but on an even older Inspiron 8000.

Slack 12.2 worked fine, but with Slack 13.0 the keyboard didn't work properly,
X was doing some strange things to the characters.
I worked around it in 13.0 by copying the X stuff from 12.2 into the the appropriate
places in Slack 13.0's /etc and /usr, but I just installed 13.37 and the same problem
is occurring.

xev reports weird things (I'll cut and paste if anyone is interested), but (very roughly
speaking) for most keys, when you release the key xev reports an event, but it isn't
the "normal" information, in that (IIRC) the keycode and/or keysym is/are not the
correct one(s) for the key.

There are no errors in Xorg.0.log, and the few WW warnings are not related to input
devices.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[Rubberman]

Perhaps something has remapped the keyboard? What language bindings is your Xorg server using?

[dracus]

ZSD:

I (eventually, after a 2 month delay) traced the problem to a missing package, kbd, that contained the keyboard driver for X11. The other system I was using at the time (my desktop) also had Slack 13.1 on it, and both were installed over the network, so I never figured out why that one package was installed on the desktop but not on the laptop. However, this does not sound like it is your problem. I agree with Rubberman, it sounds like a keyboard mapping issue. Check the xorg.conf file (should be under /etc/X11) and look for the "InputDevice" block for keyboard. There should be a line something like:

Option "XkbLayout" "us"

or something similar. If the last option has a different country code, that is a problem. Good luck.

Dracus