USB keyboard and mouse problems

This is driving me nuts.

Librem 14 (2019 version) PureOS.

Left my desk for a bit, came back and my USB mouse and keyboard had stopped working. USB hub and ethernet adaptor still working fine. Laptop touchpad and keyboard working fine.

dmesg returns multiple “device descriptor read/64, error -71” errors, example:

[   16.138553] usb 1-6: new full-speed USB device number 7 using xhci_hcd
[   16.266570] usb 1-6: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[   16.502571] usb 1-6: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[   16.738555] usb 1-6: new full-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
[   16.866576] usb 1-6: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[   17.102577] usb 1-6: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[   17.210600] usb usb1-port6: attempt power cycle
[   17.862554] usb 1-6: new full-speed USB device number 9 using xhci_hcd
[   17.862802] usb 1-6: Device not responding to setup address.
[   18.070799] usb 1-6: Device not responding to setup address.
[   18.278518] usb 1-6: device not accepting address 9, error -71
[   18.406548] usb 1-6: new full-speed USB device number 10 using xhci_hcd
[   18.406807] usb 1-6: Device not responding to setup address.
[   18.614789] usb 1-6: Device not responding to setup address.
[   18.822550] usb 1-6: device not accepting address 10, error -71
[   18.822621] usb usb1-port6: unable to enumerate USB device

I’ve tried everything that searching throws up: messing with usbcore options, disabling modules, reverting to an earlier kernel, powering off and unplugging everything for an hour, disabling usb autosuspend in grub. Nothing worked.

I’ve tried all devices on windows gaming PC to check if the devices have a problem - no, they’re fine. I’ve tried replugging them into the actual USB port instead of the hub, still not recognised. I’ve tried booting with them present and not present - no difference.

Anyone got any ideas?

Update. Working on a theory that the USB port wasn’t supplying (enough) power, I bought a powered USB hub. Nope that’s not it. But unplugging and replugging usb hubs (with the usb ethernet from one of them) works fine. The system recognises USB hubs and ethernet, just nothing else.

Tried a different USB keyboard. Nope.

Tested USB connectivity on an e-reader. No connection.

Really struggling with this one. Any help or ridiculous ideas appreciated.

Probably best to email support, or ping one of the Purism folks here directly with an “@(username)” to get their attention.

Update (for those in the future facing the same problem and tearing their hair out trying to work out why).

Hardware problem with the USB subsystem. New motherboard replacement from Purism, arrived today. Took me an hour or so to replace the old motherboard, with a single screwdriver. Everything seems to be working again fine now :slight_smile:

Gotta love repair-friendly hardware :slight_smile:

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