USB keyboard stops working

I followed the procedure at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingKeyboardDetection and am attaching the files listed there.

It looks like this one (dmesg_diff) contains an error message that occurred when the keyboard stopped working.

I had the same problem with the same keyboard but I thought it was hardware related. It happens relative rare and I hadn't this since a long time (maybe because I use a newer vanilla kernel). The easiest work around is to unplug the USB keyboard and plug it again.
I am not sure if it is and Xorg problem. Could you recheck it in console through switching to it with your ps/2 keyboard when it happens?

In my case, actually, uplugging the USB keyboard and plugging it back in again doesn't help. Unfortunately, I haven't found any way to get it working again except for restarting. However, I haven't checked it in console yet -- next time it happens, I'll switch to console using the PS/2 keyboard, see if the USB keyboard works there, and then report the results here as you suggested. Thanks!

It happened again today, and I used the PS/2 keyboard to switch to console (using Ctrl-Alt-F1), then tried the USB keyboard. The USB keyboard doesn't work in console either. I guess that means it isn't an Xorg problem, but I'm not sure where else or how to file it.

Additionally, when I switched to the console, the following error message popped up:

/build/buildd/linux-source-2.6.22-2.6.22/drivers/hid/usbhid/hide-core.c: usb_submit_urb(ctrl) failed

I have no idea if that's helpful or not... it sounds like maybe it's just a symptom of the USB ports not working. In any case, if I switch to the console during normal times (when my USB keyboard is working fine), I don't see that error message.

Maybe it is hardware related? Could you recheck your keyboard on another PC with Ubuntu, maybe a Live CD. Does this happen on this PC with the same keyboard under another Os?

The reason I thought it was software-related is that there was definitely a change in behavior after switching from Edgy to later Ubuntu versions (see above). However, I guess it is possible that there is an underlying hardware issue that is the main cause of it. I'll see what I can do to check it out. The problem is that it sometimes takes a while before the keyboard stops working, so it's not so quick and easy to test it out with other setups. Maybe I'll see if I can find someone else who runs Ubuntu and let them borrow my keyboard for a while....

This sounds very similar to my problem, but mine is definitely not a hardware problem as it happens when I use my KVM (presents itself as USB keyboard) or a PS2 keyboard in my desktop or (annoyingly) on my new laptop (a Dell D430)

The keyboard either stops working or types the last letter pressed repeatedly and it fails about once or twice a day and I need to reboot (no input at all works)

I have similar packages and Compiz settings on both, so I have disabled Compiz for now to see if it is any more stable but it just happened again now.

As this is happening on 2 of my systems, I can only assume I am installing something that causes it so I have attached the list of installed packages from my desktop.

I uninstalled SCIM on both after searching the forums.

Actually, I am not 100% sure that Compiz was disabled before the last time it happened.
It is now and I will keep you posted.

Tom

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this bug to the new "linux" package. However, development has already began for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. It would be helpful if you could test the upcoming release and verify if this is still an issue - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . If the issue still exists, please update this report by changing the Status of the "linux" task from "Incomplete" to "New". We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Thanks!

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!