Unable to use a PS/2 keyboard after a boot without it.

[jes...@hackunite.net]

Hello..

I run a few FreeBSD machines at home (both 4.10 and 5.2.1) and if I boot them up
*without* having the PS/2 keyboard connected, I can't connect it later on.. My servers
usually runs without screen and keyboard, power and network cable is the only thing
needed. :) But when I need to change something (like, take them down to
single-user-mode), then I need to reconnect the keyboard, reboot the machine and THEN I
can use the keyboard..

I use to run Linux before and it seems like Linux handle that pretty well, therefore I
doubt it's a BIOS settings or so.. Is it possible to make FreeBSD work the same way to
always assume there's keyboard connected so I can connect it whenever I need to without
(re)booting with it connected?

Regards,
Jesper Wallin
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[d...@bitfreak.org]

> From: Jesper Wallin
>
> Heya..
>
> First of all, thanks for your reply.. but yet, I don't have
> any "flags 0x01" on the atkbd line..

Which machine did you look at?

On the 4.10 machine, the "flags 0x01" will be on the device atkbd line in
your kernel config. On the 5.2.1 machine, it will be in /boot/device.hints
as hint.atkbd.0.flags="0x1".

Check with your mainboard/BIOS manufacturer. Some mainboards/BIOSes will
"turn off" the PS/2 ports if nothing is detected at boot.

[ch...@childeric.freeserve.co.uk]

01/08/04 00:51:38, "Jesper Wallin" <jes...@hackunite.net> wrote:

>Hello..
>
>I run a few FreeBSD machines at home (both 4.10 and 5.2.1) and if I boot them up
>*without* having the PS/2 keyboard connected, I can't connect it later on.. My servers
>usually runs without screen and keyboard, power and network cable is the only thing
>needed. :) But when I need to change something (like, take them down to
>single-user-mode), then I need to reconnect the keyboard, reboot the machine and THEN I
>can use the keyboard..

If the machines are within reach of each other a kvm (keyboard video mouse) switch works well. You can get a passive switch or a fancy electronic one. The electronic
one mimics the devices plugged in and allows booting a machine which is not selected. With the passive one you must select the machine you want to boot. I have a
passive one and switch between various operating systems and between AT and PS2 type motherboards.

At one place I used to work we booted machines with a keyboard plugged in but otherwise moved the few keyboards around between running machines according to
need.

Chris