Framework 13, no keyboard after install, 4.2.1 -> 4.3.0

User Support
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1

Hi, I’ve been trying to get Qubes working on a Framework 13 and have ran into the same issue while installing both 4.2.1 and 4.3.0. Seems simple, but after some keyboard mashing, no results.

TL;DR: I can’t get either the i8042 or usb keyboard working at LUK PW prompt window (Qubes window or command line prompt)

Hardware:
Framework Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series)
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 w/ Radeon 840M (Krackan)
GPU: Radeon 840M (RDNA 3.5)
RAM: 64GB
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro NVMe
Wi-Fi: MediaTek MT7925
BIOS: Insyde, version 03.05
Secure Boot: Disabled

Qubes:
Qubes OS 4.3.0 (fresh install from verified ISO, Rufus DD mode)
Xen 4.19.3
Kernel 6.12.59-1.qubes.fc41.x86_64

Reference HCL:
CaptJohnWickPrice reported the nearly identical Ryzen AI 7 350 / Radeon 860M (same Krackan platform, same BIOS 03.05) working with zero issues on R4.3.0, Xen 4.19.4, kernel 6.12.63-1.

Issues:
Installation completes successfully — keyboard, touchpad, and display all work perfectly during the Anaconda installer. On first boot from the installed system:

  • Black screen with mouse cursor — no LUKS passphrase prompt visible
  • Keyboard dead at LUKS — both internal (i8042/PS2) and external USB keyboards are unresponsive

Troubleshooting attempts:

  • Clean boot, no modifications: Black screen, no keyboard (internal or external) at LUKS
  • nomodeset: Gets past black screen, keyboard works at LUKS, but lightdm/X server fails (“no screens found”), internal keyboard dies after LUKS (external USB works via Ctrl+Alt+F2)
  • amdgpu.dc=0: Black screen, no improvement
  • video=efifb:off (on Xen cmdline): LUKS prompt visible, but keyboard still dead
  • `i8042.nopnp i8042.reset: No change
  • usbcore.authorized_default=1: No change

What has been confirmed:

  • GRUB config is completely stock — verified by reading the full module2 vmlinuz line. Parameters are: placeholder root=/dev/mapper/qubes_dom0-root ro rd.luks.uuid=luks-<UUID> rd.lvm.lv=qubes_dom0/root rd.lvm.lv=qubes_dom0/swap plymouth.ignore-serial-consoles rhgb quiet
  • No usbcore.authorized_default, no rd.qubes.hide_all_usb, no nomodeset present
  • CONFIG_SERIO_I8042=y and CONFIG_KEYBOARD_ATKBD=y — both compiled into the kernel (not modules)
  • Booting into Rescue mode from the USB installer: keyboard and display both work perfectly
  • dmesg under nomodeset shows i8042 controller detected: PNP: PS/2 Controller [PNP0303:KBC0] at 0x60,0x64 irq 1 and AT Translated Set 2 keyboard registered as input2
    dmesg under nomodeset shows amdgpu returns zero results (completely blocked, as expected)
  • i8042 dmesg also shows: PS/2 appears to have AUX port disabled, if this is incorrect please boot with i8042.nopnp

Observations
The installer boots Linux directly. The installed system boots Xen first, then Linux as dom0. The keyboard and display both work without Xen in the boot chain (installer, rescue mode) and fail with Xen in the chain (installed system). This points to something in the Xen-to-dom0 hardware handoff breaking both display initialization and i8042 interrupt delivery.

4.2.1. abandonment…
Previously attempted 4.2.1 on the same hardware. Required manual Xen 4.17.5-5 and kernel-latest 6.14.4-1 installation, manual GPU firmware blob placement, and dracut rebuild. Got GPU working but keyboard stopped working at LUKS after dracut --force. Decided to fresh install 4.3.0 instead. I think I somehow either broke or overwrote dracut when rebuilding it with additions.

Questions:

  1. Has anyone successfully installed Qubes 4.3.0 on a Framework 13 with the Ryzen AI 5 340 / Radeon 840M specifically?
  2. The CaptJohnWickPrice HCL (Ryzen AI 7 350 / 860M) shows Xen 4.19.4 and kernel 6.12.63-1 — slightly newer than what shipped on my 4.3.0 ISO (4.19.3 / 6.12.59-1). Could this minor version difference matter?
  3. Any known Xen parameters or workarounds for i8042 interrupt delivery issues under Xen on Krackan/RDNA 3.5 hardware?