[SOLVED] Keyboard initialization fails in X

sr_ls_boy · 04-20-2015, 01:15 AM

I'm unable to start my X server.
The following is a snippet from my log.

Quote:

Error compiling keymap (server-0)
XKB: Couldn't compile keymap
XKB: Failed to load keymap. Loading default keymap instead.
Error compiling keymap (server-0)
XKB: Couldn't compile keymap
XKB: Failed to compile keymap
Keyboard initialization failed. This could be a missing or incorrect setup of xkeyboard-config.

Searching for this problem gives my numerous tips. I've tried all of the known suggested fixes but I'm still missing something.
I can say that udev is working and my input events are getting tagged in /dev, namely the mouse and keyboard. Both evdev and uinput kernel modules are loaded. The file permissions on /tmp & /var/tmp are set to 1777 just as suggested. I reinstalled the Xserver entirely, since my prefix is /usr/X11 that was easy. I've started X with and without an X configure file. The 'xkeyboard-config' package simply install some files in ...share/X11/xkb/. I tried to swap those with some from gentoo. And, yes I have plenty of hard drive space.

I don't understand why the Xserver can do a good job in locating a video driver and spit out video modes with ease but choke when it comes to the keyboard. Uh, that's without a xorg.conf file in /etc/X11. I tried to delete that entire folder. One thing I wanted to look into was the acpid socket that X opens. I don't know why that is there.

I tried to manually load the evdev driver within X but that didn't produce any output in the logs afterwards.

For what it's worth here's my udev tag for my keyboard.

Code:

P: /devices/platform/i8042/serio0/input/input8/event8
N: input/event8
S: input/by-path/platform-i8042-serio-0-event-kbd
E: DEVLINKS=/dev/input/by-path/platform-i8042-serio-0-event-kbd
E: DEVNAME=/dev/input/event8
E: DEVPATH=/devices/platform/i8042/serio0/input/input8/event8
E: ID_INPUT=1
E: ID_INPUT_KEY=1
E: ID_INPUT_KEYBOARD=1
E: ID_PATH=platform-i8042-serio-0
E: ID_PATH_TAG=platform-i8042-serio-0
E: ID_SERIAL=noserial
E: MAJOR=13
E: MINOR=72
E: SUBSYSTEM=input
E: USEC_INITIALIZED=1055

sr_ls_boy · 04-20-2015, 01:50 AM

This is from the log. I don't see this in a working X setup.

Quote:

ModulePath set to "/usr/X11/lib/xorg/modules"
The server relies on udev to provide the list of input devices.
If no devices become available, reconfigure udev or disable AutoAddDevices.

Krejzi · 04-20-2015, 05:14 AM

Besides xkeyboard-config, xserver requires xkbcomp from xorg applications to be present. So the first step is to check if it's there, if it's in PATH and if it's working (try xkbcomp -help for example).

Next step is to verify xkeyboard-config install. Make sure you passed the --with-xkb-rules-symlink=xorg configure option when you built xkeyboard-config. To verify, check ls -l $XORG_PREFIX/share/X11/xkb/rules and verify if you have the following:

Code:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      4 Apr  9 22:06 xorg -> base
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      8 Apr  9 22:06 xorg.lst -> base.lst
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      8 Apr  9 22:06 xorg.xml -> base.xml

sr_ls_boy · 04-20-2015, 11:38 AM

It all checks out. It's straight from the BLFS book. The package xkeyboard-config was configured with that switch as in the book.
The package xkbcomp came with an interesting option though. It wasn't mentioned in the book but I passed --with-xkb-config-root=$XORG_PREFIX/share/X11/xkb.

sr_ls_boy · 04-23-2015, 10:43 PM

I have some more info.

I checked out the install instructions posted at X.org
and I get the same error from that scratch installation.
I recompiled the X server and placed it's prefix in
/usr, following the BLFS guide. Frankly, I'm at a loss.
I noticed that when compiling the core Xserver(Xorg), there
is a check. I tried that and one gives me the same error.
I thought well debugging Xorg would be too daunting
but perhaps xorg-server-1.17.1/test/xtest will give insight.
I'm still following this but what I know is at breakpont
ddxLoad.c:176 a callback to xkbcomp is issued. Then a SIGPIPE
signal is generated and xtest quits saying it cant' compile the
keymap. I still studying the debug. It's a good bet that the
same thing is happening with Xorg

I was hoping someone could run that test on their host and see
if it works.

ReaperX7 · 05-07-2015, 05:54 PM

Which keyboard driver are you using with X?

Code:

xf86-input-evdev

or

Code:

xf86-input-keyboard

?

You can check the Xorg setup guide in this section for an option about turning off auto-added devices as well.

sr_ls_boy · 05-12-2015, 01:06 AM

I'm marking this thread as solved. I didn't actually fix the problem but I just reinstalled LFS.
Every time I follow the book to the tee, I get good results. However, without much success, I have
tried to get a 32-bit libraries going which involves cross-compiling. It was actually a pure 32-bit
CLFS build that was the source of the problem.

To answer you question, I tried both evdev and the kbd drivers. I even build a scratch install from
Xorg.org instructions. I think that eudev just wasn't setup properly.