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Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

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puipuituipui
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Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#1 Post by puipuituipui »

I've been trying to install Debian on this old "Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1160" which has an Intel Atom Z3575 which currently has 32 bit Windows installed on it. (The About section in Settings states that it's a "32-bit operating system, x64-based processor" so maybe I could try installing a 64-bit OS on it later). These types of laptops do pose an annoyance that they have a 32 bit UEFI. This, however, can be circumvented by placing a https://github.com/hirotakaster/baytail-bootia32.efi on the live ISO.

Currently I'm trying to install Debian-i386 (which already has the bootia32.efi file) on it. But when I select either the "Graphical Install" or "Install" option the laptop's built-in keyboard stops working. Note that this keyboard works in BIOS, GRUB, Windows Installer and Windows itself. I've read some solutions which require flipping some switches in the BIOS but this laptop's BIOS is extremely basic and doesn't seem to have those options.

Since the keyboard and trackpad both work in the Windows Installer I was hoping if there were some changes I could make to the ISO to make it work.

Thank you.

p.H
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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#2 Post by p.H »

puipuituipui wrote: 2022-01-22 15:15 These types of laptops do pose an annoyance that they have a 32 bit UEFI. This, however, can be circumvented by placing a https://github.com/hirotakaster/baytail-bootia32.efi on the live ISO.
Or use the multi-arch netinstall ISO image which can boot from either BIOS, 32 and 64 bit PC x86 UEFI, and install i386 and amd64 systems.
puipuituipui wrote: 2022-01-22 15:15 when I select either the "Graphical Install" or "Install" option the laptop's built-in keyboard stops working.
Does an external (USB) keyboard work ?
Does the integrated trackpad work ?
If no, it could mean that the installer is frozen and it is not just a keyboard issue.
If yes, you may try to add various i8042 parameters to the installer command line, such as

Code: Select all

i8042.nomux

puipuituipui
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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#3 Post by puipuituipui »

Sadly the only keyboards I have access to are wireless keyboards with dongles and they don't work either.

Also I didn't mention this in the original question but I had the same issue (keyboard not working) with Arch's live environment and Archboot. So I think this is distro agnostic.

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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#4 Post by p.H »

puipuituipui wrote: 2022-01-23 03:54 Sadly the only keyboards I have access to are wireless keyboards with dongles and they don't work either.
If they require no specific driver and work in the BIOS and GRUB menu, it should not be different from a wired USB keyboard.
No USB mouse either ? (used only by graphical install)
What is displayed when the keyboard stops working ?
Did you try to select expert text install ?

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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#5 Post by canci »

FWIW, I had one of those Baytrail tablets that had 32bit UEFI and required a 64bit system. A lot of the drivers for even the most basic stuff had to be manually compiled in. After a week of trying, I just gave the thing away.
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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#6 Post by puipuituipui »

canci wrote: 2022-01-23 08:32 FWIW, I had one of those Baytrail tablets that had 32bit UEFI and required a 64bit system. A lot of the drivers for even the most basic stuff had to be manually compiled in. After a week of trying, I just gave the thing away.
What do you mean by manually compiled in? I think I'll just pursue this as a long term side project if there's a chance I can get this working.

Windows uses 1.8/1.9 gigs of ram in the poor machine. Even my real laptop with KDE Plasma takes 1.1.

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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#7 Post by puipuituipui »

p.H wrote: 2022-01-23 07:54
puipuituipui wrote: 2022-01-23 03:54 Sadly the only keyboards I have access to are wireless keyboards with dongles and they don't work either.
If they require no specific driver and work in the BIOS and GRUB menu, it should not be different from a wired USB keyboard.
No USB mouse either ? (used only by graphical install)
What is displayed when the keyboard stops working ?
Did you try to select expert text install ?
The USB keyboard works in BIOS and in GRUB. Just not when I start the actual installer!

I assume you mean the "Expert Install" option but no luck. The keyboards stop working after GRUB.

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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#8 Post by p.H »

Then I suspect it is not just a keyboard issue but rather the whole system is stuck, or there is a more general driver/unsupported hardware issue.
What is displayed last in expert install ?
Can you check in Windows' device manager (sorted by connection) the connection type of the integrated keyboard (USB, PS/2, I2C/SMBus...) ?
Did you try to append some parameters to the kernel command line such as noacpi vga=normal fb=false ?

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Re: Keyboard does not work in Debian Installer

#9 Post by canci »

puipuituipui wrote: 2022-01-24 15:03 What do you mean by manually compiled in?
I had to download drivers that had to be installed with dkms or manually loaded as modules, like back in 1999 :lol:

Google "Linux Baytrail". It's quite exciting when it's a hobby I guess.
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