USB Keyboard unresponsive after reboot

Panda 0

I'm brand new to setting one of these up so I'm chalking this up to user error, but after searching for 2 days I haven't found a way to resolve this.

Pi Model or other hardware: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2019 Quad Core 64 Bit WiFi Bluetooth (4GB)
Power Supply used: Enokay Raspberry Pi 4 b Power Supply 5V 3A USB C Charger Adapter
RetroPie Version Used (eg 3.6, 3.8.1, 4.1 - do not write latest): Retropie 4/400 (b5daa6e7660a99c246966f3f09b4014b)
Built From: Pre made SD Image on RetroPie website (retropie-buster-4.8-rpi4_400.img.gz)
USB Devices connected: Apple USB Keyboard (ordered a new one yesterday to see if that's the issue)
Controller used: N/A
Error messages received: N/A

I am using Etcher to write the retropie-buster-4.8-rpi4_400.img.gz file to my flash card. Then I add the card to my RetroPie and run the installation process. It boots up and I press any button to launch the keyboard. It walks me through the key setup which I do for most of the keys and then skip to the end. This works and I started poking around the settings and at one point when setting Wifi it rebooted and when it came back the keyboard was unresponsive. No keys work and nothing mapped functions.

As stated about I have ordered a backup keyboard to verify if that's the issue, but this has happened twice. Once while setting wifi and once with a manual reboot running the reboot command in the terminal. All though I don't remember how the terminal was pulled up. This was my first attempt and I had accidentally mapped a few keys and didn't know how to undo them. I flashed the drive over again and got the above result as my second attempt. Both times the keyboard is unresponsive after a reboot.

mitu

I've seen this happening with my keyboard also at some point. It works on cold boot and if re-connected when it's unresponsive after a reboot. I think it's fixed in a more recent kernel version or in the new (bullseye) RaspiOS release. Try updating RetroPie and the system packages, if you haven't already done it.

You can go to the terminal by pressing F4, if that works, then it means the keyboard works. To re-configure the keys in EmulationStation, just reset the controls and it should ask you to configure your input again.

Panda 0

@mitu I will try this later today. I'll need to re-flash the disc because no buttons work after rebooting. Should I download a newer version somewhere to test?

The other thing I wanted to try was to connect an Xbox remote via Bluetooth to see if that could stay connected after a reboot.

mitu

@Panda-0 said in USB Keyboard unresponsive after reboot:

I'll need to re-flash the disc because no buttons work after rebooting

Try pressing F4, if that doesn't work you can connect to RetroPie via SSH. Try also disconnecting then connecting the keyboard again to see if it works.

Panda 0

@mitu I will try SSH today as well. I'd actually prefer that over a USB keyboard just due to space sizes.

I have tried unplugging and plugging it back in to no avail. I've also tried to turn it off, plug it in and turn it back on. Nothing. Then turning it off, unplugging the keyboard, turning it on, and then plugging it in. Nothing seems to work.

I'll try SSH first to see if I can control it from here and fingers crossed that will work!

Panda 0

As a follow up. I ordered a keyboard that got here today. It seems to have resolved my issue.

I was using an older Apple USB keyboard but this one is simply newer. I just searched Raspberry Pi Keyboard and got a cheap $12 one.

So far so good! I was also able to add an Xbox remote via bluetooth.

SSH is also working but I haven't tested that over Wifi only.