[AMD64 - FC4-64] SMP causes keyboard trouble

[Steve Underwood]

Steve Underwood wrote:

> A.J. Bonnema wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Last week I installed and configured FC4 (64 bits) on my athlon 64 
>> bits (AMD 64 X2 4400+). It runs perfectly and quite swift. However, 
>> within minutes after using the keyboard, the system *suddenly* starts 
>> ignoring any keyboard input.
>> The mouse still works, and in so far I do not need keyboard input, I 
>> can work.
>> Also, remotely, using SSH I can work normally.
>>
>> This problem occurs only when using the SMP kernel (default for my 
>> processor). Using the UP kernel I have no problem at all.
>> This error is repeatable, which renders the SMP kernel unusable to me.
>>
>> Has anyone else suffered this problem?
>> Should I report it?
>
>
> You should report it. 2.4.x kernels, single processor and SMP, never 
> give any trouble with mice or keyboards of the PS/2 or USB kind. 
> Things are really screwed up in 2.6.x, and are only slowly being 
> sorted out. I also have an X2 machine with an Asus A8N-E motherboard 
> (Nvidia nForce4-Ultra chip set). This seems to work OK with USB and 
> PS/2 keyboards using FC4. However, my dual Xeon machine with a Tyan 
> 2665 motherboard only works properly using a single processor kernel. 
> With an SMP kernel it won't boot using a PS/2 keyboard. 

A slight correction. The Tyan machine won't boot with an SMP kernel, a 
PS/2 keyboard and USB enabled. If I disable USB it works. Apparently 
using motherboards which allow legacy USB support to be disabled things 
may work OK. The Tyan motherboard does not allow that. You either have 
USB on or off. Nothing in between.

If you have selections of this kind in your BIOS, try then.

> With a USB keyboard it kind of works, but it often doubles keys, or a 
> key gets stuck on until the next keypress, or it locks up completely 
> until I unplug and reinsert it. Various people have been reporting 
> problems of this kind since 2.6.x was first used. It happens with 
> vanilla kernels, as well as the ones supplied with FC4.

Regards,
Steve