Something strange happened yesterday, after unplugging an irda usb dongle from the usb hub integrated in the keyboard, keyboard stopped working (keyboard was connected to a port I will call for ease port#1). When I unplugged the mouse to check whether it was a problem with the usb port the keyboard was connected to, the keyboard wasn't working when connected to that port (which I will call port#2) either. When I plugged the mouse again in its old usb port (port#2) the mouse stopped working too. Ssh connection from another computer didn't work either. I had to reboot with reset button. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Once I rebooted, system loading seemed to stop after USB hid support loading. I rebooted once again and the system seemed to stop at the same point again. I rebooted from another partition. It worked and I was able to fsck'd the previous partition. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I rebooted from the "original" partition. Loading seemed to stop at the same point once again (usbhid support loading) but this time for a short time and then I received the login prompt. At that point I notice I wasn't receiving $SERVICES[] loading messages. As far as I could see the problem wasn't (_probably_) that the system hanged after loading usbhid support Rather, after usbhid support loading, $SERVICES[] were being loaded but I coulnd't see any output so it could have seemed like system hanged while it didn't. This is just just a guess though. I can't remember how long I've been waiting for the login prompt before fsck'ng the "original" partition. Maybe system actually hanged, maybe it didn't. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ System on the other partition is kinda the same. Kernel image used is exactly the same. But on the other partition I receive services loading messages while on the "original" one I don't. The only difference was that, in the case of the "original" partition, the kernel image was loaded with "quiet" while the other wasn't. This didn't seem to be the problem as I inverted the situation and problem persisted. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I examined log messages and the only relevant difference apparently was a warning message I receive when I boot the "original" partition: "Warning: unable to open an initial console." _THIS IS JUST A GUESS_ but I think this is why I don't receive $SERVICES[] loading status messages at boot time (though this may not be the problem itself but a symptom of another problem). As far as I could tell from log messages, I've been receiving this message for a month and ten days. This time interval coincides with the moment I reorganized disk content and partitions and I "branched" the first partition in a second one. Apparently, I haven't noticed I couldn't see $SERVICE[] loading messages in the past month and the problem with the usb dongle made me notice it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Both partitions are now logical: two logical partitions choosen as two different root partitions. Almost same content in both partitions. Some packages are not installed in the second partition but I've diff'd and md5sum relevant files in both partitions (/etc /bin /sbin mainly) and they look the same. Exeptions are fstab (but I can't help it since root partition to be mounted must be different) and some entries in blkid.tab{,.old} Kernel image are the same, same thing for kernel modules. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The second is basically the copy of the first one with minor changes. Kernel image used to boot them is the same, same things for modules. At boot time on one I get: Warning: unable to open an initial console. And I'm unable to see what $SERVICES[] are being loaded. I'm not an expert but I guess it's because rc scripts can't find any console to redirect output to. On the other this doesn't happen. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I've spent almost a day trying to find relevant differences which may cause this, but I haven't found anything relevant so far. Searching the web I've found different possible explaination and potential solutions. None of the settings involved in those explaination seems to be different in one of the two partitions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Does anybody have a clue about how can this happen or direct me to the solution? Thanks in advance. Regards.