Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!uwvax!astroatc!mag
From: mag@astroatc.UUCP (Michael A. Goldsmith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att
Subject: PC7300 refuses to echo characters
Message-ID: <653@astroatc.UUCP>
Date: 14 Dec 87 21:07:34 GMT
Reply-To: mag@astroatc.UUCP (Michael A. Goldsmith)
Organization: Astronautics Technology Cntr, Madison, WI
Lines: 40

I recently upgraded my 2 year old 7300 from release 3.00 to 3.51.
The upgrade went smoothly and I followed all instructions regarding
the removal and re-installation of Installed Software.  However, the
system now exhibits an annoying behavior:

After it has been running for a while (amount of time varies), the
system refuses to echo some characters typed on the console.  It may
take several hits of the same key to get that key to echo.  Even more
peculiar, some (but not all) of the un-echoed keys are nevertheless
received by the shell.  If it stops echoing keys, waiting a few seconds
and then continuing to type makes the problem go away for a few more
seconds; then it recurs.

Other observations:

The mouse tracks properly, but button presses are often ignored.
The 'ps -ea' command pauses for about 1/2 second part way through its
output.  Each successive repetition of the 'ps -ea' command consumes
about 1 second of CPU time in process #3, windowdaemon (Having never
needed to check before, I have no idea if this is normal.  I suspect
that 1 sec is excessive).

There is apparently no observable (at least that I've been able to
determine) correlation between the system beginning this behavior and
any of the following:

1. Particular keys typed.
2. Amount of time system has been up.
3. What command or commands have been used since system boot.

The only (temporary) fix for the problem is a reboot.

Does anyone have any ideas to help?

Thanks in advance

Michael A. Goldsmith Astronautics
5800 Cottage Grove Rd. Madison
WI 53704 608-221-9001,x117
...uwvax!astroatc!mag