Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop failing on Ubuntu 9.04

Question

I'm using a Microsoft wireless optical mouse and keyboard, which has stopped working following a reboot. If I look in /var/log/dmesg and grep for "Microsoft", I see a lot of entries like this

[   10.409714] input: Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:12.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/input/input4
[   10.437651] microsoft 0003:045E:009D.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10] on usb-0000:00:12.0-2/input0
[   10.466601] input: Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:12.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input6
[   10.509592] microsoft 0003:045E:009D.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10] on usb-0000:00:12.0-2/input1
[   11.070913] input: Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:12.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/input/input7
[   11.105600] microsoft 0003:045E:009D.0003: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10] on usb-0000:00:12.0-2/input0
[   11.134844] input: Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:12.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input8
[   11.193649] microsoft 0003:045E:009D.0004: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10] on usb-0000:00:12.0-2/input1
[   12.036975] input: Microsft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop� 2.10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:12.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/input/input10

This pattern is repeated all the way to input41, not sure if that's relevant.

Ideas for further diagnosis or a fix are welcomed!

Answer 1

That's basically a sign that the device isn't initialising correctly so it's getting repeatedly duplicated on USB. Try using a different USB port/controller or connecting via PS/2 and see if that helps.

Otherwise, try on another machine, I suspect it may be broken. :(