Re: [qubes-users] Enabling USB VM caused me to lose control of keyboard and mouse

[Unman]

On Wed, Apr 05, 2017 at 03:35:46AM -0700, Craig Claussen wrote:
> Hey guys,
>
> Love what you are doing here.
>
> But my lack of skills seems to have failed me as I'm noobish to linux and Qubes.
>
> I was following instructions:
> https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/usb/#creating-and-using-a-usb-qube
>
> I got that to work.
>
> This created a default USB VM on my VM Manager.
>
> I guess I should have just deleted that default USB VM and created a new one.
>
> Because as soon as I started it up, I lost control of my keyboard and mouse and now if I reboot I still have no keyboard and mouse. So I can't even log-in.
>
> Is there some sort of command that I can use in grub to regain access to my mouse and keyboard?
>
> And is there a way to make USB VM's a little more intricate so it makes it harder to just zap every existing USB to no-man's land?
>

Hello Craig,

The documentation isn't all that clear on this, because the section on
checking what will be captured is in the "manual" section of that page,
whereas really every one setting up USBVM should do it.

I wonder why the qubes input proxy isn't kicking in - this should allow
you to use keyboard and mouse when attached to a USBVM - what template
did you use for that?

You can try to trigger the proxy by unplugging the mouse and keyboard
and plugging them back in.

The simplest thing to do would be to attach a PS/2 keyboard, if you can.
Then you should be able to stop the USBVM and reassign the controller to
which your mouse and keyboard are attached.

If you look at the manual setup section there is advice on how to
identify controllers and assign them to a USBVM.

You can interrupt the grub process, and edit the boot configuration -
this will vary depending on what boot method you selected, but you
should be able to delete the part of the line that contains
rd.qubes.hide_all_usb and then boot.

Another possibility would be to boot from a live usb, and try to edit the
Qubes startup files so that the USBVM does not autostart. But as a self
confessed noob this might be tricky.

So - first try replugging the devices, or using PS/2 alternatives. If
neither work, come back and we'll try to give some more help.

best of luck

unman.