# perplexing keyboard problem



## robspop (Dec 23, 2011)

I recently purchased a new Cherry USB G84-4100 keyboard.  It is a small keyboard without a separate numeric pad. I plugged it into the computer (leaving the existing one in place) and could not get it to work. I assumed it might be faulty but before sending it back I tried it with an old laptop I have that has Linux on it and it worked fine. I tried it a few more times with my PC and eventually it worked. I assumed maybe the USB plug was faulty but it seemed to work ok, survived a number of reboots, and I left it at that. Once it started working, I used it as the sole keyboard.

A few days ago I accidentally unplugged it and now I cannot get it to work again. I have tried it many times, on many different ports, but without success.

I would assume the keyboard was indeed faulty but I have now tried it on several other computers all with no difficulty whatsoever - it works every time. This includes my main laptop which has exactly the same version of the OS as my PC (FreeBSD 9.0 RC1 amd64).

I also do not think it is a problem with booting a USB keyboard, as I have seen various posts relating to this issue. I have only ever used a USB keyboard, and have had no problems. I have tried several different models and they all work normally.

When I plug the Cherry keyboard into the PC the lights on it (Caps Lock, etc) all light up momentarily which seems to indicate that the electrical connection works.

The only clue I have is the output of *dmesg*:


```
usb_alloc_device: set address 3 failed (USB_ERR_IOERROR, ignored)
usbd_setup_device_desc: getting device descriptor at addr 3 failed, USB_ERR_IOERROR
usbd_req_re_enumerate: addr=3, set address failed! (USB_ERR_IOERROR, ignored)
usbd_setup_device_desc: getting device descriptor at addr 3 failed, USB_ERR_IOERROR
usbd_req_re_enumerate: addr=3, set address failed! (USB_ERR_IOERROR, ignored)
usbd_setup_device_desc: getting device descriptor at addr 3 failed, USB_ERR_IOERROR
ugen2.3: <Unknown> at usbus2 (disconnected)
uhub_reattach_port: could not allocate new device
usb_alloc_device: set address 3 failed (USB_ERR_IOERROR, ignored)
usbd_setup_device_desc: getting device descriptor at addr 3 failed, USB_ERR_IOERROR
```

Here is the output from my laptop:

```
ugen3.2: <vendor 0x046a> at usbus3
ukbd0: <vendor 0x046a product 0x0001, class 0/0, rev 1.10/9.09, addr 2> on usbus3
kbd2 at ukbd0
```

To summarise:


The keyboard works on several other computers I have tried it with, including one running the same version of FreeBSD as the computer it will not work with.

The computer will boot other USB keyboards without difficulty.

I can hotplug other USB keyboards and they also work.

The keyboard did work for a while and I have made absolutely no system changes since.

The same problem occurs whether the keyboard is plugged in before booting or hot plugged.

Any suggestions?


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## SirDice (Dec 23, 2011)

Is there an USB hub between the keyboard and computer? You may want to try connecting it directly.


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## robspop (Dec 23, 2011)

No, no hub, it is directly connected.


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## aragon (Dec 25, 2011)

Sounds like a hardware issue.  Perhaps power related?  Does the keyboard have a long, thin/cheap cable?


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## wblock@ (Dec 25, 2011)

Hardware problems would likely mean it wouldn't work on anything.  This should be asked on freebsd-usb.


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