Phantom Key - CorePure64 12.0

[Santos]

Hello

I've been trying to figure this out with LLMs and it seems to be that this is called 'phantom keys', an issue described here:

https://superuser.com/questions/1297046/key-is-constantly-pressed-keyboard-ghost-key

https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/124938/wmi-based-hotkeys-on-not-working

Checking  dmesg  output I think this is related to a  dell_wmi  module, which I tried to turn off with a kernel boot parameter, but it didn't work.

module_blacklist=backlight,dell_smbios,dell_wmi_descriptor,wmi_bmof,wmi

I tried to turned them off since the laptop (Dell Vostro1000) has a function key (fn) with several hotkeys (brightness, wifi, hibernate, stand-by, etc.)

The keyboard is fine, I have 3 laptops, same model, same everything and all of them experience the same error. Is not the keyboard since if I boot  microcore  I can work just fine, even with  dmesg  getting spammed with error messages, but once I log into  Xorg  everything changes and the laptotp hangs since it keeps receiving the presses and  Xorg  tries to interpret them, so it hangs for seconds and then continues to operate for a little to then freeze again for few seconds.

I'm just trying to get the module completely off, like to just ignore the functions keys all together, I don't need them. But there is no way for me to understand what is happening. I tried a live usb with OpenBSD and the same happens, but with it I got a constant beep every time it detects the phantom key. I can't test with windows since I will not go through the hurdle of installing Windows XP.

The phantom key event is also happening with microcore x86. So Linux and a OpenBSD kernel experienced the same. BIOS is the most up to date it could be and I even detached the keyboard and mousepad physically (I removed the flex connector) but the event keeps on happening. Likely is buggy firmware so that is why I'm trying to ignore all keyboard "features".

dmesg

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b44 0000:08:00.0: Sonics Silicon Backplane found on PCI device 0000:08:00.0
b44 ssb1:0 eth0: Broadcom 44xx/47xx 10/100 PCI ethernet driver 00:1c:23:90:5f:c5
dcdbas dcdbas: Dell Systems Management Base Driver (version 5.6.0-3.4)
dell-smbios A80593CE-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492: WMI SMBIOS userspace interface not supported(0), try upgrading to a newer BIOS
input: Dell WMI hotkeys as /devices/platform/PNP0C14:00/wmi_bus/wmi_bus-PNP0C14:00/9DBB5994-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492/input/input9
powernow_k8: [Firmware Bug]: No compatible ACPI _PSS objects found.
[Firmware Bug]: First, make sure Cool'N'Quiet is enabled in the BIOS.
[Firmware Bug]: If that doesn't help, try upgrading your BIOS.
atkbd serio0: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x8d on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e00d <keycode>' to make it known.
atkbd serio0: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0x8d on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e00d <keycode>' to make it known.
atkbd serio0: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x8d on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e00d <keycode>' to make it known.

lsmod

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Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
cpufreq_userspace      12288  0
cpufreq_conservative    12288  0
cpufreq_powersave      12288  0
wmi_bmof               12288  0
dell_wmi               12288  0
sparse_keymap          12288  1 dell_wmi
dell_smbios            12288  1 dell_wmi
dell_wmi_descriptor    12288  2 dell_wmi,dell_smbios
dcdbas                 12288  1 dell_smbios
video                  36864  1 dell_wmi
backlight              12288  1 video
squashfs               32768  0
b44                    24576  0
mii                    12288  1 b44
sdhci_pci              36864  0
cqhci                  16384  1 sdhci_pci
sdhci                  36864  1 sdhci_pci
pcspkr                 12288  0
wmi                    16384  4 wmi_bmof,dell_wmi,dell_smbios,dell_wmi_descriptor
ssb                    40960  1 b44
mmc_core               81920  4 sdhci_pci,cqhci,sdhci,ssb
ac                     12288  0
battery                16384  0
loop                   24576  0


[Rich]

Hi Santos

... module_blacklist=backlight,dell_smbios,dell_wmi_descriptor,wmi_bmof,wmi ...

You didn't try  module_blacklist=dell_wmi

...

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input: Dell WMI hotkeys as /devices/platform/PNP0C14:00/wmi_bus/wmi_bus-PNP0C14:00/9DBB5994-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492/input/input9 ...

If you go to  /lib/modules/KERNEL/modules.alias  and search for:

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9DBB5994-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492You will find this:

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alias wmi:9DBB5994-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492 dell_wmi

[Santos]

Hello, Rich.

I tried your suggestion. And several other options. So far, from what I've tested:

acpi=off

As a kernel parameter at boot fix it, I do lack support for power management (the system just halts and can't turn itself off via 'poweroff') and the laptop turn itself off intermediately if the power key is pressed. But it's okay. At least it's working.

I also read: nolapic nomodeset noapic

But I haven't tried all the different combinations.

Anyway, this worked okay:

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acpi=off
blacklist=powernow_k8

Please, let me know if you have more suggestions that can make usage of Tiny Core more stable/performant. Thank you!

[Rich]

Hi Santos
One other idea comes to mind. Burn a copy of TC15 to a thumbdrive
and boot that. Maybe newer kernel/modules will behave better.

[Santos]

For sure, I'll try newer versions. I hope they provide and enhanced experience. The overall components of the laptop were released almost two decades ago!

[Santos]

I tried CorePure64 15 but I was getting new error messages even with  acpi=off  set. New kernel doesn't like old hardware. I may continue to test later on.

Thank you all, we can mark the post as resolved.