USB Keyboard and Grub

beltaurus · 09-16-2003, 03:39 PM

I'm using RedHat 9 and Windows XP in dual-boot mode (GRUB boot loader), and I have a USB keyboard (MS Natural Pro KB/Mouse wireless combo).

If I turn my legacy support on in the BIOS, I can neatly select either OS in GRUB. However, about 50% of the time Red Hat will give me a login screen without activiting my keyboard and mouse. When this is the case, I do see messages that seem to indicate IRQ conflicts in the boot log:
usb-uhci.c: interrupt, status 3, frame#xxx

I can avoid this problem by turning the legacy support off in the BIOS. However, my keyboard doesn't work when GRUB comes up then, so I'm stuck with the default operating system.

I seems like GRUB only understands legacy PS/2, is there any way to enable USB as well?

Or is there a different way to avoid the seemingly random interrupt interaction during boot?

**gaxprels** · 09-16-2003, 03:56 PM

I have a suggestion, but you might not like it...

Remove GRUB and use Lilo. Set Lilo on the beginning of the Linux partition, rather than the MBR. Let WinXP have the MBR and put an entry into it's bootloader for your linux partition. You'll have to store a copy of the 512 byte boot record on the linux partition, but you can peel it off into a file using dd under linux. Then you can boot with WinXP, the boot screen will give an option to boot into windows or linux, and select linux. I had to do it this way when I set up duel boot with WinXP a year or so ago.

Also... my laptop has issues with the Legacy USB. If I enable it, Lnx-bbc will let me type in the boot parameters, but it loses the keyboard about halfway through the boot process. If it's disabled, it will work just fine. It's the Legacy USB that causes the most problems.

Your other option is to get a PS/2 keyboard and use that instead.

beltaurus · 09-19-2003, 01:04 AM

Your suggestion seems like it might work, the Windows boot loader understands USB, if I remember correctly. But I weasled out and put the USB to PS/2 converter on the wireless receiver for my wireless keyboard/mouse combination, and now I am just using PS/2 with legacy USB turned off in the BIOS... that off course works, thanks for reminding me... I just wanted to get ready for a legacy-free motherboard installation, but I'll tackle that when I actually get one...

Originally Posted by gaxprels

I have a suggestion, but you might not like it...

Remove GRUB and use Lilo. Set Lilo on the beginning of the Linux partition, rather than the MBR. Let WinXP have the MBR and put an entry into it's bootloader for your linux partition. You'll have to store a copy of the 512 byte boot record on the linux partition, but you can peel it off into a file using dd under linux. Then you can boot with WinXP, the boot screen will give an option to boot into windows or linux, and select linux. I had to do it this way when I set up duel boot with WinXP a year or so ago.

Also... my laptop has issues with the Legacy USB. If I enable it, Lnx-bbc will let me type in the boot parameters, but it loses the keyboard about halfway through the boot process. If it's disabled, it will work just fine. It's the Legacy USB that causes the most problems.

Your other option is to get a PS/2 keyboard and use that instead.