# Problems with USB keyboard

## DDevil

I've got a white Apple Pro Keyboard here which I wanted to use with my Gentoo box (Yes I actually want to use an Apple keyboard with a PC; you should try it, it's probably the best keyboard I've ever used). This thing is working perfectly with the windows computer of my girlfriend, but I've got problems using it with my Gentoo. It's actually a standard usb keyboard, nothing special except some small differences, and Linux accepts it as an HID input device. Now the problem is: it sometimes suddenly refuses to work. It just stops working, right in the middle of a command/sentence/whatever. Another problem is that it sometimes refuses to react on one key, but reacts on another. 

The funny thing is: it works perfectly with the Gentoo (1.4) live cd. It might be an issue with the kernel (I'm using 2.6.1 here and the live cd uses AFAIK 2.4)

Does anybody have the same problem with his/hers USB keyboard? Any ideas? Thanks!

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## ckdake

I have been using an apple pro usb keyboard on my Gentoo box for almost a year and I have a friend that has been using it on his Linux media pc for several years.  (They are the greatest keyboards IMHO)  I'm always running the most recent mm-sources and have never had the problem's you describe, and my friend is probably running 2.4 now and he has never mentioned it.  

Any way you can ssh to your machine after the problem happens and see if anything shows up in your log or dmesg? 

If you unplug the keyboard and plug it back in does the situation change?

Does rebooting fix it?

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## DDevil

Thanks for the help.

Whatever it was - it went away after I cleanly reemerged the whole 2.6.2-Kernel. I suppose it was the combination of use-flags or something similar, but it's gone and my keyboard is working great   :Very Happy: 

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## ckdake

*shrug* heh. glad to hear it.

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## ions

Are there USB ports in this KB and have you gotten them to work?

Kind of a side note, is it quiet to use?

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## rocketfuel

Im experiencing the same problem with a MS Natural keyboard, or at least one dead key, emerging 2.6.3 now to see if I can get it to work better.  :Wink: 

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## ckdake

There are USB ports on the keyboard and they work fine.  It shows up as a USB hub with a keyboard attached to it and works just as well as the other usb ports on my computer.

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## YuLin

Hi there !

Thought my question would fit into that topic so I didn't find useful to create a new one.

So, here's my question:

I've received an Apple Pro keyboard as a present and, naturally, I'd like to be able to use it  :Wink: 

The problem is, when I plug it through a PS/2 interface (using a USB -> Ps/2 adapter), it is not recognized by the BIOS checking before loading GRUB. So, I tried to plug it directly onto the USB interface and then the computer boots. However, I can't use it, even in GRUB to select the OS to boot and also once Linux is completely loaded.

Any help would be appreciated, then  :Wink: 

Here's my configuration:

- Mainboard: ASUS A7N8X deluxe

- Processor: AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 2400+

- RAM 512 DDR

- Gentoo 1.4

- Kernel 2.6.3 gentoo sources

Thanks  :Smile: 

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## YuLin

Well, finally, I've found out what was wrong with my keyboard: usb keyboard support was not enabled in the BIOS  :Rolling Eyes: 

Well, I still cannot use it on my kernel 2.6.3, (I am currently using kernel 2.4.24) but never mind, I'll check my kernel config later on.

If you have any idea, you are welcome  :Smile: 

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## pixe

Hey  :Smile: 

I'm using the Apple Pro keyboard to and like it very much, but I'm not able to get the Volume, F13-F16 and Eject buttons to work, anyone know how to fix this ???  :Very Happy: 

Using kernel 2.6.4

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## ions

 *pixe wrote:*   

> Hey 
> 
> I'm using the Apple Pro keyboard to and like it very much, but I'm not able to get the Volume, F13-F16 and Eject buttons to work, anyone know how to fix this ??? 
> 
> Using kernel 2.6.4

 

Me either.  In Ubuntu when you choose the Macintosh layout under the Desktop>Preferences>Keyboard section in Gnome it maps them.  Gnome 2.12 in Ubuntu doesn't want to do the same.  Any idea why?

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