[gentoo-user] KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[gentoo-user] KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Harry Putnam]

Summary:

 What can I do to get my keyboard recognized (through a kvm switch)
 right at bootup.  I mean like when the grub prompt comes up.

Details:

I've had this curious problem for some time now.  Over at least several
kernels but I think beginning with changing from one KVM to another a
few mnths ago.

Now using an IOMEGA 4prt `symphany'. All usb.  I guess `Symphany'
because you can switch speaker connections too.

I rarely use sound so that isn't even a factor here.

My keyboard (through kvm) is not recognized until bootup gets to the
login prompt.  Once there... no problems with keyboard.

If I want to do anything early in boot process, like at grub prompt, I
must keep a keyboard plugged in direct to machine.

Its been a while since I've messed with it, but in the process of a
new install and decided to take some time with that problem now.

I've forgotten all the options I've tried enabling in the kernel but
most recently just used the massive enablement of `genkernel all'
thinking surely with all that junk enabled what ever is missing would
be there.  But it turned out not to be true.

So how can I figure out what gets enabled by the time bootup reaches
login prompt that is not enabled when grub screen comes up?

Something finally allows the kvm pass through to be recognized but not
until I've reached the login prompt.

Re: [gentoo-user] KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Mike Kazantsev]

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On Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:03:52 -0500
Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:

> Summary:
> 
>  What can I do to get my keyboard recognized (through a kvm switch)
>  right at bootup.  I mean like when the grub prompt comes up.
> 
> Details:
> 
> I've had this curious problem for some time now.  Over at least several
> kernels but I think beginning with changing from one KVM to another a
> few mnths ago.
...
> So how can I figure out what gets enabled by the time bootup reaches
> login prompt that is not enabled when grub screen comes up?
> 
> Something finally allows the kvm pass through to be recognized but not
> until I've reached the login prompt.

But linux kernel isn't loaded or used in any way when grub screen comes
up - grub is loading it as a last step of it's execution, so any kernel
configuration settings should be completely irrelevant here.

Either that, or I completely missed the point.

-- 
Mike Kazantsev // fraggod.net

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[gentoo-user] Re: KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Harry Putnam]

Mike Kazantsev <mk.fraggod@gmail.com> writes:

>> Something finally allows the kvm pass through to be recognized but not
>> until I've reached the login prompt.
>
> But linux kernel isn't loaded or used in any way when grub screen comes
> up - grub is loading it as a last step of it's execution, so any kernel
> configuration settings should be completely irrelevant here.

Ha... now I remember someone saying that when I posted about this
quite some time ago.

Here is the thing though.

There was a time when my KVM switch was recognized at the grub boot
prompt.  So something has changed.

Are you suggesting something inside grub can be tweaked?

I've mentioned that I changed KVM switches, but with the new one, it
does work by the time the login prompt comes up.

So if I could identify what it is in the kernel that allowes it to
work at the point where the kernel takes over (login prompt), then
maybe I could enable that aspect somehow inside an initramfs, and be
able to have the KVM recognized at the grub prompt by booting with an
initrd.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Mike Kazantsev]

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On Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:55:49 -0500
Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:

> Mike Kazantsev <mk.fraggod@gmail.com> writes:
> 
> >> Something finally allows the kvm pass through to be recognized but not
> >> until I've reached the login prompt.
> >
> > But linux kernel isn't loaded or used in any way when grub screen comes
> > up - grub is loading it as a last step of it's execution, so any kernel
> > configuration settings should be completely irrelevant here.
> 
> So if I could identify what it is in the kernel that allowes it to
> work at the point where the kernel takes over (login prompt), then
> maybe I could enable that aspect somehow inside an initramfs, and be
> able to have the KVM recognized at the grub prompt by booting with an
> initrd.

But it's the grub that loads initrd and linux kernel is actually the one
using it, not the grub, so you won't get it until you drop out from
grub already.

You can try updating grub itself though, 0.X tree ebuilds are accessible
for both stable and unstable gentoo arch, but there's 1.X and even live
ebuild masked in the portage tree, prehaps they would be able to work
with newer hardware?

I also wonder, does BIOS recognize this KVM, can you access it?

-- 
Mike Kazantsev // fraggod.net

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[gentoo-user] Re: KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Harry Putnam]

Mike Kazantsev <mk.fraggod@gmail.com> writes:

[...]

Harry wrote:
>> So if I could identify what it is in the kernel that allowes it to
>> work at the point where the kernel takes over (login prompt), then
>> maybe I could enable that aspect somehow inside an initramfs, and be
>> able to have the KVM recognized at the grub prompt by booting with an
>> initrd.

Mike answered:
> But it's the grub that loads initrd and linux kernel is actually the one
> using it, not the grub, so you won't get it until you drop out from
> grub already.

Gack... I can't seem to get it straight how it all loads but I see
immediately what you are saying...

> You can try updating grub itself though, 0.X tree ebuilds are accessible
> for both stable and unstable gentoo arch, but there's 1.X and even live
> ebuild masked in the portage tree, prehaps they would be able to work
> with newer hardware?

I'll look into this.

> I also wonder, does BIOS recognize this KVM, can you access it?

How would I access it?

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Mike Kazantsev]

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On Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:56:15 -0500
Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:

> Mike Kazantsev <mk.fraggod@gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > I also wonder, does BIOS recognize this KVM, can you access it?
> 
> How would I access it?

Usually via DEL or F2 keys on boot, as soon as monitor lights up.

Look out for message on the bottom of splash or text screen like "press
DEL to enter BIOS", it's there usually displayed somewhere.

If not, I guess it should be described in the manual for the
motherboard, which should be easily accessible on vendor's site,
provided you know the model (at least the series, since there's good
chance it's the same for all of them).

-- 
Mike Kazantsev // fraggod.net

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Re: [gentoo-user] Re: KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Stroller]

On 10 Jun 2009, at 15:56, Harry Putnam wrote:
> ...
>> I also wonder, does BIOS recognize this KVM, can you access it?
>
> How would I access it?

My KVM is slightly clever, in that (<boast>not only can I access it  
with a web-browser</boast>) it allows keyboard shortcut combinations  
to be mapped. I have one that presses Escape, F1, F2, F8, F10 then  
Delete in immediate succession, and have never known this not to  
access the BIOS.

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Stroller]

On 10 Jun 2009, at 00:03, Harry Putnam wrote:
> ...
> My keyboard (through kvm) is not recognized until bootup gets to the
> login prompt.  Once there... no problems with keyboard.
>
> If I want to do anything early in boot process, like at grub prompt, I
> must keep a keyboard plugged in direct to machine.

If you can't access the BIOS using the KVM then the problem is  
hardware, not with Linux software.

> Now using an IOMEGA 4prt `symphany'. All usb.  I guess `Symphany'
> because you can switch speaker connections too.

You might try checking BIOS options. Some BIOS have "legacy USB" modes  
& suchlike. There is a standard for USB keyboards & mice - the BIOS  
might mention "HID" (Human Interface Devices), which refers to these.

Stroller.

[gentoo-user] Re: KVM and no keyboard at start of boot

[Harry Putnam]

Stroller <stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk> writes:

> If you can't access the BIOS using the KVM then the problem is
> hardware, not with Linux software.

You mean if my keyboard through kvm can't get to bios... yea I see
your point.

I'll try that shortly... currently compiling an older gcc