Running DSL within Win using QEMU: Keyboard FREEZE
Forum: DSL Embedded
Topic: Running DSL within Win using QEMU: Keyboard FREEZE
started by: ssalman
Posted by ssalman on Aug. 26 2005,21:10
I’m having a bit of an annoying problem, and would really appreciate any help! I’m booting DSL within Win2000 using QEMU in run level 1 & 2 (text mode), and whenever I change the focus to another program in Windows and go back to the QEMU window, I can’t type anymore, and it acts like it has froze the Linux window, only closing the window and restarting QEMU (and so rebooting Linux) fixes the problem. This did not happen when I was using the X system, in X I could switch between windows and Linux seamlessly!To my surprise QEMU is not the one freezing, when pressing Ctrl+Alt+1,2,3 QEMU responds and interact perfectly, but DSL stay frozen.
I tried two more images (the test Linux image that comes with QEMU and a NetBSD image) an both were able to switch focus with no problems, so I’m lead to believe it is a DSL problem? I have asked this question in < another post >, and got the answer that it is a known bug in QEMU, but my findings don’t point in that direction!
Have anybody had this problem before? Is there a solution for it?
Below is my dsl-windows.bat file:
| Code Sample |
START qemu\qemu.exe -L qemu/ -localtime -kernel linux24 -initrd minirt24.gz -hda KNOPPIX/knoppix -hdb qemu/harddisk -append "qemu frugal 1 nodchp quiet" -dummy-net CLS EXIT |
Posted by mstrhelix2 on Aug. 28 2005,19:43
what version of Qemu r u currently running?
Posted by ssalman on Aug. 29 2005,00:14
I tried QEMU 0.70 (the one that came with DSL) and 0.71, neither worked 
Posted by ssalman on Aug. 30 2005,16:59
Okay, I was able to pin point the bug:The QEMU console freezes only when I click on the text area using the mouse pointer, it will freeze even if it is already in focus. Pressing Ctrl+Alt does not help, not even stopping QEMU and continuing.
This only happens when running DSL in run level 1 or 2 (text mode). Running the test Linux image or the BSD image does not have the same problem!!
Using Alt-tab, clicking on the console title, or task bar button works just fine! I can change focus using these methods.
At least now I have a work-around, as long as I don’t click on the black area with my mouse, if I do so by mistake nothing short of a QEMU console shutdown fixes this!!
Am I the only one having this problem?
Posted by jay on Oct. 13 2005,02:22
You are not the only one with this problem. I have this problem. It has something to do with the auto config of the mouse. If you Ctrl+C before the autoconfig you can mess up stuff but prevent it from happening.
Posted by dslMike on Oct. 25 2005,02:56
This may or may not be related. I thought I was having the same problem but with the mouse. It turns out I setup my embedded DSL by directly booting to a PC that had a USB keyboard and mouse. DSL detected correctly and configured the X windows to use the USB mouse. My settings were saved with the backup upon DSL shutdown.Then when I tried to boot into qemu on Windows or Mac (< see this post for mac qemu >), everything booted fine but just froze. It appeared that both the keyboard and mouse were frozen (keyboard may have worked, but didn't know how to manouver in DSL using only keyboard). The backup was restoring my USB keyboard & mouse settings, but qemu emulates a PS/2 keyboard and mouse.
To solve, I have added "xsetup" to the -append section of all of my startup scripts (dsl-linux.sh, < dsl-mac.sh >, and dsl-windows.bat). This allows me to configure the X environment at each qemu bootup and configure for the host PC.
I have also found it useful to have xsetup since the DSL screen size may need adjusting for any given host screen size.
Cheers,
dslMike.
Posted by zefo on April 12 2006,15:20
you don't have to restart the whole system. at least i don't have to do so. desktop right-click - window manager - restart fixes this as well. jose