Bug 109322 - keyboard stops working from time to time in KDE 3.4.1
Summary: keyboard stops working from time to time in KDE 3.4.1
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Alias: None
Product: kde
Classification: I don't know
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: Gentoo Packages Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Stephan Kulow
URL:
Keywords:
: 135590 164819 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2005-07-19 15:09 UTC by Petr Dudacek
Modified: 2009-02-21 20:32 UTC (History)
8 users (show)

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Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:


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Description Petr Dudacek 2005-07-19 15:09:29 UTC
Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.4.1)
Installed from:    Gentoo Packages
Compiler:          gcc-3.3.5.20050130-r1 on Gentoo 
OS:                Linux

After upgrading from KDE 3.3 to KDE 3.4.1 keyboard stops working from time to time. This happens about once or twice a day without any obvious reason and therefore it is impossible to write any "steps to reproduce". It is impossible to type anything or use keyboard shortcuts etc. when the problem occurs. No error message appears, after restarting KDE the keyboard works correctly again.

There is also a discussion about this problem in the Gentoo Forums:
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-333750.html
Comment 1 Petr Dudacek 2005-07-25 19:16:45 UTC
New information about the bug:

The keyboard does not really "hang". It behaves as if ctrl+alt were permanently pressed. And one more thing, the problem seems to happen after using a keyboard shortcut such as ctrl+alt+k or ctrl+alt+m. So it seems that the keys are not released after being pressed (my guess).
Comment 2 Stephan Kulow 2005-07-26 10:54:11 UTC
you didn't happen to click away the warning that you're about to enable sticky keys?
Comment 3 Petr Dudacek 2005-07-26 16:05:34 UTC
No no, this has probably nothing to do with sticky keys. Here's a short summary of the keyboard and mouse behaviour when the problem occurs:

Keyboard: unable to type anything nor to use other keys such as arrows, enter, esc, ...

Mouse: behaves as if ctrl+alt were pressed, which means for example:
1. selection of text in console is done in a rectangle, not line after line
2. bookmarks in firefox are opened in new tab instead of current tab
3. mouse wheel does not work
Comment 4 Stephan 2005-08-08 21:48:32 UTC
I also noticed that the num-lock and caps-lock keys get jammed.  When I press either of them, the LEDs on my keyboard don't toggle.  Only logging out of KDE fixes the problem.
Comment 5 Nicholas Perkins 2005-08-12 11:12:14 UTC
I've also noticed the same problem from time to time - but generally when using konsole. I can be typing a command and it will not accept input any more. If I use the mouse to open another session, you can then type again but then it will freeze up after a short period.

Only once have I had a full lock (ie unable to type anything). Currently suffering the situation in konsole but am typing this...
Comment 6 Randy 2005-10-07 16:16:37 UTC
I've noticed the same issue starting today. gentoo/kde 3.4, no real optimization settings.
 
 Some of my symptoms : 
 Started out fine, but if I switch my kvm (IOGear usb 4port) by using the ctrl-shift-alt-num buttons, sometimes my keyboard would stop typing, my mouse would only drag/drop open windows, and the mouse wheel would not work. I noticed that if I pressed the num-lock button I could type. I also noticed on the kde bug site it mentioned sticky keys, so I checked that out under the KDE control panel, and it was enabled. I disabled that (Regional & Accessibility ->Accesssiblity->Keyboard. Both of my "Use Sticky Keys" and the subchoice "Lock Sticky Keys" was enabled". I disabled both of them, and tada. I can turn off the num lock and everything is fine.
 
Comment 7 Stephan 2006-03-16 10:37:28 UTC
Just thought that it may be worth mentioning that this problem is still ongoing in KDE 3.5.1.



Comment 8 Chris G 2006-03-22 01:48:57 UTC
Same here this is happening more and more. IBM Thinkpad, MS Wireless KBD.Thought it was VMWARE but turns out it is also in KDE. I have to leave KDE and start it again. Then all is fine for awhile. Then Bam happens again. No log, No Dmesg, No X messages. Weird.
Comment 9 William Becker 2006-04-04 06:27:58 UTC
It's still going on in 3.5.2. When will it end?
Comment 10 Patrick ALLAERT 2006-06-12 14:38:32 UTC
I can reproduce this bug with KDE 3.5.1, KDE 3.5.2 and KDE 3.5.3

More info here: https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=129793
Comment 11 Glen Stewart 2006-08-09 10:36:53 UTC
I'm having the same problem on KDE 3.5.4 on (K)Ubuntu Dapper.  2.6.15-26-amd64-k8
Comment 12 Patrick ALLAERT 2006-08-31 15:53:40 UTC
As said here: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-p-3545011.html
This may be related to the Accessibility options: 'Use Sticky Keys' and 'Lock Sticky Keys' but I am not sure it helps since I don't use the sticky keys but still have this bug...
Comment 13 Bram Schoenmakers 2006-09-23 19:43:16 UTC
The Use Sticky Keys makes no difference.
Comment 14 Bram Schoenmakers 2006-10-13 15:05:18 UTC
*** Bug 135590 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 15 Pascal Hofmann 2006-11-13 15:21:14 UTC
*** This bug has been confirmed by popular vote. ***
Comment 16 Dawid Ciezarkiewicz 2007-03-23 13:36:43 UTC
I'm experiencing random keyboard lockups on my Acer TravelMate 240. I can't reproduce them, but they happen about 2 times a day. 
 
Here is the link to the ArchLinux forum, when more people are admiting to experience them: 
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=30430 
Comment 17 Seth Heeren 2007-08-22 21:24:17 UTC
This bug bugs me on two Kubuntu feisty (KDE 3.5.6) installations

Happens randomly, not necessarily related to any keyboard input at all. Complete freeze of keyboard (no 'hanging key' behaviour). Mouse functions as normal. I can do a logout, and the new session doesn't have the problem.

One install is on Intel Core Duo (SMP workstation), the other on Centrino (laptop). Very similar Kubuntu installs. Happens under Xvnc as well. 
Comment 18 Seth Heeren 2007-08-22 21:32:56 UTC
addition: 

The funny thing is: I can still use ctrl, shift or alt keys to modify mouse actions! E.g. I can shift-click to multiselect. However no 'isolated' keyboard events seems to be happening.
Comment 19 Seth Heeren 2007-08-22 21:35:41 UTC
addition: 

The funny thing is: I can still use ctrl, shift or alt keys to modify mouse actions! E.g. I can shift-click to multiselect. However no 'isolated' keyboard events seems to be happening.

Finally: i cannot use Ctrl+Alt+Fx to switch vt's, but Ctrl+Alt+Backspace (kill X) still works. Obviously, that doesn't help much when the problematic session is a Xvnc session that I really do not want to kill (I have to re-authenticate my running Citrix connection and I don't have access to the SecurID key :_))
Comment 20 Dawid Ciezarkiewicz 2007-08-22 21:41:14 UTC
Seth Heeren:
This is probably not the same bug. IIRC I was unable to use Ctrl+Alt+Backspace and hangs is always triggered by something. Holding Shift or F1 usually did the job.
Comment 21 T 2007-09-13 21:30:02 UTC
KDE 3.5.7, Debian unstable
Keyboard locks up about twice per week. Mouse remains working.
Can "Switch User" -> "Start New Seesion" to get a working session.
Switching back to the old session has a locked keyboard.
<ctrl><alt><F[1-8]> does not work in the broken session.
While reading bug 74070, the broken session locked requiring a password.
I wanted to test moving a konsole as that works for some people.
I should have tried pasting my password as that has let me get 
results from a konsole in the broken session before (I played with 
setterm and found nothing wrong).
Instead I tried <ctrl><alt><Backspace> as that never worked before, 
but this time it did kill the X-server. The new X-server worked.
Comment 22 Oswald Buddenhagen 2007-11-15 11:44:22 UTC
i dare to claim that these all are more or less related x server issues and out of kde's control.
Comment 23 Pol 2008-03-22 08:27:34 UTC
Confirm that strange behaviour with kde 3.5.8, kubuntu, on hp tc4200 tablet.
After several hours working, keyboard freezes. I wasn't able to find any correlations with other evnts. 
I have noticed that keyboard does not really hangs, but input gets heavily hampered. Nothing is displayed on kconsole, while typing keys, the usual rate, yet the long sequence of same characters suddenly appears after 4-5 seconds one key has been kept pressed.  
Comment 24 Bram Schoenmakers 2008-06-24 20:34:49 UTC
*** Bug 164819 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 25 Dotan Cohen 2008-06-30 11:22:46 UTC
I suggest to those suffering from this bug to enable the "show keyboard status" (name translated from Hebrew, but it should be similar) applet in their panel. You could then see the status of the Keyboard metakeys. I use sticky keys due to a disability and I enable this applet to let me know when a key is activated.
Comment 26 Dotan Cohen 2008-10-19 22:02:18 UTC
This bug started affecting me shortly after updating fron 3.5.9 to 3.5.10. I cannot confirm that it is a KDE issue and not something else, but as a sticky keys user with the "show keyboard status" applet enabled, I can confirm that the system does NOT think that the modifier keys are pressed.
Comment 27 Guy Sheffer 2009-01-25 23:49:37 UTC
Have the problem here too. 
Debian unstable 2.6.26-1-686.
KDE 3.5.10

After restarting the session it works (with no X restart). So I am pretty sure its a KDE thing.