# USB keyboard not working on old pc.

## wizulis

I have and old pc i need to setup linux. The problem is more hardware related, but i believe it can be solved/hacked with some kernel boot options.

Basically - the usb keyboard works on the target machine in windows and in bootloader, but not later. As the kernel starts, keyboard is off. dmesg error says something in the lines that it can't enumerate device and  64/base, error - 110 . (1 line of error both numbers are correct.).  Checked the keyboard and liveCD on a another pc and worked perfectly. The usb flashdrives could be mounted on the old pc just fine. And i did check all the ports  :Smile: 

Can anyone help me ?

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## sebaro

Did you set HID support in kernel?

```
grep HID /boot/config
```

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## wizulis

don't have the access to the pc or the livecd.

But, correct me if i am wrong,  because same livecd-keyboard combination worked on a different pc, i would guess that there was HID support in the Livecd kernel.  :Smile: 

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## sebaro

So, it's the livecd the usb keyboard doesn't work with. Did you try to unplug-replug the keyboard? Boot kernel without usb modules: "boot: gentoo nousb" after it finishes plug the keyboard.

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## NeddySeagoon

sebaro,

"boot: gentoo nousb"    ???

How would you then load the USB modules t make the keyboard work?

It would need to be scripted in /etc/conf.d/local

wizulis,

Some older USB chipsets are very fussy about only loading the right USB1.1 module.

Thats UHCI-HCD for intel and via USB hardware and OHCI-HCD for everything else.

I have a system (now powered off) that needed 

```
modprobe -r ohci-hcd

modprobe ohci-hcd
```

in /etc/conf.d/local to make a usb keyboard work.

If you do not have USB2 hardware - do not make ehci-hcd.

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## wizulis

Will definitely try this. Unfortunately will be able to do that only on Friday, so until then i'm open for ideas. 

To understand correctly about your old box, the low speed usb stuff didn't work. How about high-speed like flashdrives??  (i guess that flashdrives are the high-speed stuff  :Smile:  )

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## sebaro

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> sebaro,
> 
> "boot: gentoo nousb"    ???
> 
> How would you then load the USB modules t make the keyboard work?
> ...

 

Shouldn't kernel/udev load the needed modules when the keyboard is plugged?

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## krinn

udev simply cannot discover the usb keyboard as there's no usb events as you disable it with the nousb param.

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## sebaro

 *krinn wrote:*   

> udev simply cannot discover the usb keyboard as there's no usb events as you disable it with the nousb param.

 

I see   :Embarassed:  I thought nousb disables modules loading, not completely.

 *Quote:*   

> nousb           This disables the autoloading of USB modules.

 

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