linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] Add a quirk for the Dell XPS 13 (2015) when in PS/2 mode.

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Message-Id: <201502240101.45446@pali>
Date:	Tue, 24 Feb 2015 01:01:45 +0100
From:	Pali Rohár <pali.rohar@...il.com>
To:	Mario Limonciello <mario_limonciello@...l.com>
Cc:	Dmitry Torokhov <dmitry.torokhov@...il.com>,
	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	"linux-input@...r.kernel.org" <linux-input@...r.kernel.org>,
	Rob <robr.bensson@...il.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Add a quirk for the Dell XPS 13 (2015) when in PS/2 mode.

On Tuesday 24 February 2015 00:31:52 Mario Limonciello wrote:
> On 02/22/2015 10:55 AM, Pali Rohár wrote:
> > Thank you for information!
> 
> Sure, no problem.
> 
> > Mario, do you know if it is possible to "switch" keyboard
> > into mode under which Fn key will send scancode (like Ctrl
> > or Alt) when presses, so it could be possible to use any
> > Fn+key combination for keyboard shortcuts? Because now
> > Fn+F* send one scancode (e.g. suspend key) and other
> > combination of Fn+something does not work...
> 
> Sorry, this is not possible with today's BIOS and EC as I am
> aware. I'll inquire about this for the future though.
> 

For older dell models (some old inspirions and maybe also 
latitude) it was possible to use undocumented DELLDIAG interface 
(which enter into SMM mode and call some functions) to enable 
that "RAW" mode.

Now when you are discussing with us, do you have some information 
or can you comment (if it is not secret) that DELLDIAG SMM 
interface?

In linux kernel we have for it driver (provides info about 
temperature, fan speed, power management, hotkeys, ...), but it 
use undocumented interface (and sometimes it has problems):

https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/char/i8k.c

> > Dmitry, should not Linux follow this Windows input
> > behaviour? For year we have seen people complaining about
> > non working keyboard on Dell laptops under Linux (when user
> > Windows it worked)...
> 
> This is a bit surprising to me.  Completely non-working?  Or
> similar problem to what's getting fixed in the BIOS update we
> discussed above?
> 

Nothing new. It is that problem with repeating keys which is 
fixed by last version of BIOS.

I saw one E6440 model with preinstalled Ubuntu 12.04.2 and 
distributed with A08 BIOS (which had that problem). And this was 
very very annoying! You could imagine it, you buy new Latitude 
(business class pro notebook), you started it and on preinstalled 
OS, keyboard is not usable. Updating to A10 fixed it.

> > Now that BIOS/EC problem is fixed for some dell laptops
> > (probably new versions of BIOSes for other modules will be
> > released too), but it is really bad to see *new* laptop
> > (with broken BIOS) that does not work under Linux (and work
> > under Windows)...
> 
> Yes, if you're aware of any models that are not fixed by the
> BIOS update this month, I would be interested to know.  A
> majority of our hardware does undergo testing with Linux
> during development, so usually these types of things are
> caught.  Once we declare a BIOS stable it's a much lengthier
> process to issue future fixes however.

In this forum thread people reported that "repeating keys" 
problem for more models: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19593360?pi239031352=19

And it looks like (from what I'm reading) last version A10 of 
E6440 BIOS broke USB3.0 support.

-- 
Pali Rohár
pali.rohar@...il.com

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