deskthority

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 00:12**

I just picked up a Packard Bell 5130 and have tried two adapters. One was just trash and didn't work at all. The other causes the lock lights to blink. If I thwack the keys rapidly the lights stop blinking for the duration, but there's no output whatsoever.

It's just the KB into a Monoprice adapter into my powered USB hub. Anyone run into this issue before? The KB itself is in astonishingly good condition so I'm wondering if it could just be some faulty solder joints or a capacitor's dead.

*EDIT*
Pulled it apart. Voltages looked wonky on one of the caps. Replaced it. Nothing. Reflowed the leads on the chip and a few places that looked questionable. Nothing.

For the first time ever I violated the PS/2 port on my motherboard and THE LIGHTS STAY ON! But the thing still doesn't work.

Welp, I've tried everything my meager troubleshooting skills can handle.

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 11:22**

The keyboard's controller sounds fried. Capacitors are the prime suspect, but sometimes other things can fail as well.

The best *converter* I've ever used is Soarer's converter, a programmable firmware that runs on Teensy project boards, you can build yourself or buy ready made. Orihalcon does a nice job, but is pricey! Well worth it when you've lots of vintage keyboards you really want to remap, though.

But if the controller inside the keyboard is fried, no converter is going to be able to talk it anyway.

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 16:40**

I just bought a Soarer's for my M122 but it's the RJ45 version, of course. I think you're right on the controller being the issue though. Such absolute joy. Well then... let's see if we can find a data sheet for this obscure apparently custom controller for a nearly 30 year old keyboard and Pro Micro the bastard.

*EDIT* Ooh, checking the wiki I may have missed something when looking at the chip. It may just be an 8042. Alright, I guess we're opening it back up.

*DOUBLE EDIT* What I'm not understanding is why there's different behavior when it's plugged into the motherboard vs when it's plugged into the adapter. Shouldn't these things theoretically act the same as far as the keyboard is concerned? I'm measuring a solid 5v from ground to the data and clock pins when using the adapter but that drops to 2.5 volts when plugged into the motherboard.

This is probably some obvious and well-known keyboard thing I just have no clue about.

Posted: **04 Mar 2021, 00:59**

Alright, screw it. Let's replace the chip! That'll take care of it, right?

Nope. Nothing. Literally nothing. Not even the blinking lights. We went from slightly broken to entirely broken just by switching from one 8042 to another.

HOW?!?

And no I didn't get the chip turned around. I double checked on that. lol

I replaced all two of the caps, the chip... I'm getting voltages where I should be getting voltages as far as I know... it's just screwed.

Posted: **04 Mar 2021, 12:32**

I'm no engineer, so I may well be wrong, but isn't the 8042 a programmable microcontroller, so needs to be running the right firmware to actually do anything?

Searching DT just now, I can't find a good thread where someone installed a Teensy 2++ in the original controller's place, but I swear I remember some good writeups in the past! Here's a messier version of the same idea.

Posted: **04 Mar 2021, 15:14**

I'm gonna go palm all the faces now.

Yeah, you're completely correct. This is what happens when you're coming from the world of guitar pedals and just about anything black and rectangle-y can be replaced as long as the number's the same. lol

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 01:49**

And just to make things even weirder I said screw it and bought one that was listed as tested and working... and I'm getting the same blinking lights thing. At this point the adapter I'm using is tested and known good.

So maybe there's just something funky with the 5130 firmware and it hates fake PS/2? and real PS/2?

I am utterly baffled at this point.

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 08:08**

Real PS/2 ports are not hotswappable, so the device has to be plugged in before the computer is turned on (you probably already know this, but it's gotten me a couple times).

Not all convertors work the same, so you could try to make your own with a microcontroller (teensy 2.0 or pro micro) and a DIN5/ midi connector.

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 08:53**

Since the keyboard fails (albeit differently) with both the adapter and the "real" PS/2 port, it seems more and more likely that the board itself is to blame.

However, if you're in Linux (or another UNIX-like system, I assume - not very experienced with e.g. Mac OS) I think it would be worth looking into what the OS sees. With and without the adapter.
If you're in Windows, I don't know what to say. Linux is good at this kind of stuff

What happens in

Code: Select all

dmesg

when you plug the keyboard in? (Again, with adapter or straight to PS/2)
1) Try running dmesg, then plug the keyboard in, and run it again. Tell us if any new output has appeared.

2) When the keyboard is plugged in, can you locate a device file for it in /dev/input/ ? That would be very useful.

For instance, I am using a 90's Cherry G80-1800 via a PS/2-to-USB adapter right now, and I can access the raw input stream as HEX in two different ways. Either by finding the correct /dev/input/eventX device file:

Here I am using the xxd command (as the root user!) to show hex output. Otherwise you get gibberish (the terminal trying to read binary output as characters ... ). Remember to press a few keys on the dodgy keyboard after running the command.

Often, you will also be able to locate the device by its ID, like so:

(Yes, my Perixx PS/2 adapter apparently identifies as "barcode reader". A sign of superior quality, no doubt.)

Let us know if any of this gives results (even negative ones!), both when using the adapter and when using straight PS/2.

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 15:20**

I'm on Mac and all you need to do is remember to type sudo first:

Code: Select all

sudo dmesg

That gives me this:

Code: Select all

 <-- Value(0x2)
[50759.801328]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50759.811693]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 8C 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50759.812283]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50759.823389]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50759.823424]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50759.866788]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50759.866815]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50759.866825]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50759.866830]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50759.866835]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50759.866841]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50759.875793]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 8D 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50759.876345]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50759.889712]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50759.889739]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50759.916727]: Failed to write key 1950826800 to SMC with error code 86Failed to write key 1950826829 to SMC with error code 86Failed to write key 1950826801 to SMC with error code 86Failed to write key 1950829892 to SMC with error code 86[SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 8E 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50759.944646]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.001394]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.001423]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.001432]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.001437]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.001443]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.001470]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.094801]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 8F 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.095392]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.106630]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.106663]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.143129]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 90 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.143732]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.149788]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.149824]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.149833]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.149838]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.149843]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.149849]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.156256]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.156276]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.205377]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.205406]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.205416]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.205421]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.205428]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.205437]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.255904]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.255943]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.268735]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 91 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.269285]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.324840]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 92 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.325455]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.328632]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 93 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.329141]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.332632]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.332663]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.332673]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.332679]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.332684]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.332690]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.339801]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.339828]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.381080]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 94 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.381653]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.399750]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.399784]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.399792]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.399797]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.399802]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.399807]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.405719]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.405736]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.450447]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.450479]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.450491]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.450496]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.450503]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.450512]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.455519]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.455542]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.497477]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.497496]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.497507]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.497511]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.497517]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.497525]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.558077]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.558100]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.603146]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.603172]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.603186]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.603193]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.603201]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.603209]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.608829]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 95 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.609447]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.614671]: IOConsoleUsers: time(0) 0->0, lin 1, llk 0, 
[50760.614710]: IOConsoleUsers: gIOScreenLockState 1, hs 0, bs 0, now 0, sm 0x0
[50760.615861]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000096e setValid: from true to true

[50760.615866]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000097a setValid: from true to true

[50760.615876]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000097b setValid: from true to true

[50760.615940]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100000c16 setValid: from true to true

[50760.615948]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100000c1b setValid: from true to true

[50760.615952]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100000c1c setValid: from true to true

[50760.616016]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002701 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616018]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002702 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616028]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002703 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616032]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002701 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616034]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002702 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616037]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002703 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616038]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002704 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616042]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002705 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616044]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002704 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616046]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002707 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616048]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002705 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616050]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002706 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616052]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002707 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616055]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002706 setValid: from false to true

[50760.616057]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002708 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616059]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002706 setStateForQueues: 0x0

[50760.616061]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000270a resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616065]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002708 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616066]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000270a setValid: from false to true

[50760.616069]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000270a setStateForQueues: 0x0

[50760.616080]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002709 resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616085]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x100002709 setValid: from true to true

[50760.616088]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000270b resourceNotificationGated client not privileged

[50760.616091]: IOHIDLibUserClient:0x10000270b setValid: from true to true

[50760.622516]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.622537]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.666147]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.666168]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.666174]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.666178]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.666183]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.666187]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.680973]: [SPI][HIDSPI] 
TX: 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
RX: 20 01 00 00 00 00 14 00 10 01 00 96 00 00 0A 00HID Activity Tickle (type:0 sender:100000944)
[50760.681502]: PMRD: requestUserActive from AppleHIDTransportHIDDevice (0x100000944) for kIOHIDSystemActivityTickle nxEvent: 0x5230000
[50760.706066]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.706091]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000
[50760.751830]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.751843]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x100000 totalAssignedCache: 0x500000
[50760.751849]: Quota update for stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite. PrevSize: 0x100000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.751852]: Deprioritize on stream kGPU_ParameterBufferWrite on request from client
[50760.751854]: Deprioritize on dsid 21. Offset(0x14050) <-- Value(0x2)
[50760.751857]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x400000 newSize: 0x0 totalAssignedCache: 0x0
[50760.755040]: Quota update for stream kGPU_Reads. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x400000
[50760.755053]: Quota update for stream kGPU_RenderTargetND. PrevSize: 0x0 newSize: 0x400000 totalAssignedCache: 0x800000

Mind, I've no keyboard attached to my laptop just now, but it works here too.

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 15:26**

Muirium wrote: 09 Mar 2021, 15:20 I'm on Mac and all you need to do is remember to type sudo first:
Code: Select all
sudo dmesg
That gives me this:
Code: Select all
 ---Snip-- 
Mind, I've no keyboard attached to my laptop just now, but it works here too.

Yeah, thanks Muirium! I assumed the dmesg command was the same. That just gives the system log.

Will be interesting to see the results if micmil has the opportunity to run all the commands.

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 18:50**

Nothing.

That's what I'm getting on Mac. The input system's wonked compared to Linux so there isn't really anything in /dev/input to read from. dmesg just gives that system log. The adapter is showing under USB devices and another PS/2 keyboard works perfectly fine.

I've been meaning to get a Linux partition set up on my main PC. I'll get that done later tonight and see what's up.

Posted: **09 Mar 2021, 19:43**

micmil wrote: 09 Mar 2021, 18:50 Nothing.

That's what I'm getting on Mac. The input system's wonked compared to Linux so there isn't really anything in /dev/input to read from. dmesg just gives that system log. The adapter is showing under USB devices and another PS/2 keyboard works perfectly fine.

I've been meaning to get a Linux partition set up on my main PC. I'll get that done later tonight and see what's up.

Cool, at least I'll have contributed something positive no matter what

!

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 01:15**

At this point it's a crapshoot if Linux will happen or not. Seems the only reliably non-trash installation (Mint) has somehow been trashed and doesn't work on my system any longer. Alright then... off to distro #2 and...oh... it can't even see my hard drives. Well maybe third time will be lucky.

No, I'm not going to spend hours troubleshooting a Linux install. I did more than my share of that 20 years ago. If they haven't figured it out by now, it's not my problem.

*EDIT*
Third time not lucky. No Linux. I could just trace the goddamn PCB and wire up a Pro Micro in the amount of time it would take to get Linux working. But hey, Next Year, right guys?!??

*EDITEDIT*
My flash drive has died. So was crap not working because of that? Only one way to waste more time and find out... we really need one of those "smash head against brick wall" smilies.

*EDIT THE THIRD*
Nope. We're done here. Linux can go do unsanitary things involving its various orifices.

Which leaves us back at why in the actual frick will one PS/2 keyboard work but not another from the same timeframe?

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 06:25**

I can safely say I've never had that much trouble installing Linux in the 17 years I've used it

But fair enough!
Even just running a Live version would be sufficient for this (from a USB memory stick for instance).

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 10:07**

Sounds like they were trying live versions from a usb thumb drive… which wound up being dodgy, so hosed all of them.

Maybe time to dust off that old spindle of CD-Rs?

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 15:17**

Bjerrk wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 06:25 I can safely say I've never had that much trouble installing Linux in the 17 years I've used it But fair enough!
Even just running a Live version would be sufficient for this (from a USB memory stick for instance).

This is about par for the course with every Linux install I've done for the past 20+ years, so whatever.

Muirium wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 10:07 Sounds like they were trying live versions from a usb thumb drive… which wound up being dodgy, so hosed all of them.

Maybe time to dust off that old spindle of CD-Rs?

I had Mint installed on this computer a year ago with no issue. And now it doesn't work, with no hardware or BIOS changes in that time. And it seems this is a fairly common problem with no discernible fix, just like most installation problems with every Linux distro I've seen.

Trust me, I could screech for hours about how utterly useless Linux is unless it's your job to make it non-useless but I have no interest these days in listening to the Linux crowd wail at me about how I'm massacring their boy.

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 15:35**

micmil wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 15:17 This is about par for the course with every Linux install I've done for the past 20+ years, so whatever.
[...]
Trust me, I could screech for hours about how utterly useless Linux is unless it's your job to make it non-useless but I have no interest these days in listening to the Linux crowd wail at me about how I'm massacring their boy.

Come on, dude. I try my best to help you out, and this is what you come up with?

For what it's worth, I do not work in IT. It is not my job to do anything with operating systems.
I am a scientist (physics), and the vast majority of computers in the department seem to run Linux of various flavours. Laptops, servers, desktops.

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 16:39**

If testing with an USB converter, perhaps using a virtual machine (with VirtualBox for example) that runs Linux could be an alternative. There are ready-made Linux virtual machines out there too, you don't even need to install them, just Machine->Add. VirtualBox should then allow explicit direct access to specific USB devices.

I love Linux (I use the Arch Linux distro). It's a thing that when Linux people try to make user-friendly distributions, sometimes they manage to alienate some users even more (since they just expect things to work). But that's no excuse for anybody crapping over Linux <insert fake angry emote here>

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 18:54**

Bjerrk wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 15:35
micmil wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 15:17 This is about par for the course with every Linux install I've done for the past 20+ years, so whatever.
[...]
Trust me, I could screech for hours about how utterly useless Linux is unless it's your job to make it non-useless but I have no interest these days in listening to the Linux crowd wail at me about how I'm massacring their boy.
Come on, dude. I try my best to help you out, and this is what you come up with?

For what it's worth, I do not work in IT. It is not my job to do anything with operating systems.
I am a scientist (physics), and the vast majority of computers in the department seem to run Linux of various flavours. Laptops, servers, desktops.

Yes, you tried your best. You gave some good advice. Thank you for that.

Please understand I used to be neck-deep in the Linux world and have dealt with every snarknozzle that dared hear me speak ill of their first-born child. It gets very old very fast and if I sounded like a dick trust me it's not you... it's Linux. Also me, but fine details like that don't matter.

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 18:56**

Laser wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 16:39 If testing with an USB converter, perhaps using a virtual machine (with VirtualBox for example) that runs Linux could be an alternative. There are ready-made Linux virtual machines out there too, you don't even need to install them, just Machine->Add. VirtualBox should then allow explicit direct access to specific USB devices.

I love Linux (I use the Arch Linux distro). It's a thing that when Linux people try to make user-friendly distributions, sometimes they manage to alienate some users even more (since they just expect things to work). But that's no excuse for anybody crapping over Linux <insert fake angry emote here>

This is going to be the next step, assuming I didn't piss off the Linux gods by installing the wrong version of an obscure email application on an NTFS drive that will keep a VM from running Linux off of a completely different drive.

Have I mentioned my favorite sport is bear poking?

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 19:20**

Oh mine is penguin poking

Posted: **10 Mar 2021, 19:21**

Posted: **11 Mar 2021, 05:41**

Got the VM running, neither xxd nor dmesg produced any useful output with the 5130. I tried evtest as well and nothing.

Plugged the PCXAL in... works perfectly.

What kind of frickery is this? We've established that two different 5130's exhibit the same behavior across multiple operating systems while another KB based on the same protocol does not. Hardware failure is not likely. Possibly just firmware incompatibility? Maybe we found the most USB-phobic PS/2 era keyboard around. Which wouldn't explain why it isn't a problem for other people.

I don't mind spending a few bucks on a different adapter if anyone thinks that may be the issue. I know they can be finicky but to this extent?

Posted: **11 Mar 2021, 15:20**

micmil wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 18:54 It gets very old very fast and if I sounded like a dick trust me it's not you... it's Linux. Also me, but fine details like that don't matter.

Ah, well, it's good to know that you're not horrible, merely annoying

micmil wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 18:54 Please understand I used to be neck-deep in the Linux world

In that case one would think you could at least install it

micmil wrote: 11 Mar 2021, 05:41 Maybe we found the most USB-phobic PS/2 era keyboard around. Which wouldn't explain why it isn't a problem for other people.

Right, and as far as I understood, you had no luck when plugging it straight into the PS/2 port either? Except that the problem manifested slightly differently ...

micmil wrote: 11 Mar 2021, 05:41 I don't mind spending a few bucks on a different adapter if anyone thinks that may be the issue. I know they can be finicky but to this extent?

For what it's worth, I own a handful of different PS/2 converters, and my keyboards really can't agree about them. One produces chattering and false presses with my G80-1800, but works absolutely fine with my Model M. I'm honestly considering programming one myself at some point (on e.g. a pro micro), just to know for sure what's going on.

With that said, this one hasn't screwed me over yet ...

Posted: **11 Mar 2021, 19:12**

Bjerrk wrote: 11 Mar 2021, 15:20
In that case one would think you could at least install it

If you can find a solid reason for why Linux Mint cannot find space to install itself on either the nearly 2 TB of NTFS it could reformat or the 150GB of free unformatted space I partitioned specifically for it, I and the apparently hundreds of other people that have been having this issue at least as far back as 2012 from what I could see would absolutely love to know what it is. Especially given that I had Mint running on this same machine less than a year ago and tried installing from two different USB drives after one was found to be in the process of kersploding.

CentOS could not see any free space on any of my drives.

Suse just crashed. Yes. The installer crashed. Multiple times.

But yeah, the installer hard crashing is totally caused by my lack of knowledge in clicking "NEXT" in the exact correct way, right?

For what it's worth, I own a handful of different PS/2 converters, and my keyboards really can't agree about them. One produces chattering and false presses with my G80-1800, but works absolutely fine with my Model M. I'm honestly considering programming one myself at some point (on e.g. a pro micro), just to know for sure what's going on.

With that said, this one hasn't screwed me over yet ...

Oddly enough, from the look of it, that's the same one I have but mine has "MONOPRICE" written on it. Probably the same manufacturer. The design is exactly the same.

I might give that one a shot though. Who knows what difference there is in the firmware?

Posted: **11 Mar 2021, 20:24**

Last time I tried Linux, Ubuntu was new and hip and very, very brown. Breezy Badger! I couldn’t resist a name like that!

So no I’m not a Linux fan either. But burn a live cd and dodge all that guff about putting things on your hard drive. It sounds like these are basic built in tools which need no customising at all.

Posted: **11 Mar 2021, 21:32**

Muirium wrote: 11 Mar 2021, 20:24 Last time I tried Linux, Ubuntu was new and hip and very, very brown. Breezy Badger! I couldn’t resist a name like that!

So no I’m not a Linux fan either. But burn a live cd and dodge all that guff about putting things on your hard drive. It sounds like these are basic built in tools which need no customising at all.

Skipped that and went to the ol' reliable Kali VM. It never lets me down. Offensive Security is the best.

But the results are above. Nothing on the 5130, but totally fine on the PCXAL.

Posted: **12 Mar 2021, 10:39**

Muirium wrote: 11 Mar 2021, 20:24 So no I’m not a Linux fan either. But burn a live cd and dodge all that guff about putting things on your hard drive. It sounds like these are basic built in tools which need no customising at all.

Fair advice, but by now we've moved on to general bickering

Posted: **12 Mar 2021, 19:02**

Inspired by this thread, I got my ass off the couch and bought a Pro Micro from the local electronics shop and followed scottc's guide on how to flash Soarer's firmware and make a PS/2 or 5-pin DIN to USB converter. Cheaper than a dongle off Amazon, and I trust it more. Typing this on a Model M through the Pro Micro.

deskthority

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