[Bug 2130517] [NEW] GDM crashes, when german apple keyboard is configured

[fraz]

Public bug reported:

When you configure a Apple Aluminum keyboard via dpkg-reconfigure gdm
crashes during the start up

at /var/logs/syslog the following appears:

025-11-02T12:58:25.108213+01:00 newmoon systemd[10075]: Reached target org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Smartcard.target - GNOME smartcard target.
2025-11-02T12:58:25.114246+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-661] Couldn't process include statement for 'macintosh_vndr/de(mac)'
2025-11-02T12:58:25.114334+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-769] Abandoning symbols file "(unnamed)"
2025-11-02T12:58:25.114362+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile xkb_symbols
2025-11-02T12:58:25.114387+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile keymap
2025-11-02T12:58:25.116658+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-661] Couldn't process include statement for 'macintosh_vndr/de(mac)'
2025-11-02T12:58:25.116718+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-769] Abandoning symbols file "(unnamed)"
2025-11-02T12:58:25.116765+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile xkb_symbols
2025-11-02T12:58:25.116795+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile keymap

when the keyboard is set back to pc105 gdm starts again:

here my configuration:
support at newmoon:/etc$ cat default/keyboard 
# KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE

# Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="de"
XKBVARIANT=""
XKBOPTIONS=""

BACKSPACE="guess"
support at newmoon:/etc$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration
Your console font configuration will be updated the next time your system
boots. If you want to update it now, run 'setupcon' from a virtual console.
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Trigger für dracut (108-3ubuntu3) werden verarbeitet ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.17.0-6-generic
support at newmoon:/etc$ cat default/keyboard 
# KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE

# Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

XKBMODEL="applealu_iso"
XKBLAYOUT="de"
XKBVARIANT="mac"
XKBOPTIONS="lv3:lalt_switch"

BACKSPACE="guess"
support at newmoon:/etc$ 

hopefully this helps other users.

best regards
Franz

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.10
Package: ubiquity (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.17.0-6.6-generic 6.17.1
Uname: Linux 6.17.0-6-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.33.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sun Nov  2 13:15:53 2025
InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-6.17.0-6-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv ro quiet splash crashkernel=2G-4G:320M,4G-32G:512M,32G-64G:1024M,64G-128G:2048M,128G-:4096M vt.handoff=7
InstallationDate: Installed on 2025-10-26 (7 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 25.10 "Questing Quokka" - Release amd64 (20251007)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 TERM=xterm-256color
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: ubiquity
Symptom: installation
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: ubiquity (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug questing wayland-session

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to ubiquity in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2130517

Title:
  GDM crashes, when german apple keyboard is configured

Status in ubiquity package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  When you configure a Apple Aluminum keyboard via dpkg-reconfigure gdm
  crashes during the start up

  at /var/logs/syslog the following appears:

  025-11-02T12:58:25.108213+01:00 newmoon systemd[10075]: Reached target org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Smartcard.target - GNOME smartcard target.
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.114246+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-661] Couldn't process include statement for 'macintosh_vndr/de(mac)'
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.114334+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-769] Abandoning symbols file "(unnamed)"
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.114362+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile xkb_symbols
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.114387+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile keymap
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.116658+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-661] Couldn't process include statement for 'macintosh_vndr/de(mac)'
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.116718+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: [XKB-769] Abandoning symbols file "(unnamed)"
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.116765+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile xkb_symbols
  2025-11-02T12:58:25.116795+01:00 newmoon gnome-shell[10284]: xkbcommon: ERROR: Failed to compile keymap

  when the keyboard is set back to pc105 gdm starts again:

  here my configuration:
  support at newmoon:/etc$ cat default/keyboard 
  # KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE

  # Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

  XKBMODEL="pc105"
  XKBLAYOUT="de"
  XKBVARIANT=""
  XKBOPTIONS=""

  BACKSPACE="guess"
  support at newmoon:/etc$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration
  Your console font configuration will be updated the next time your system
  boots. If you want to update it now, run 'setupcon' from a virtual console.
  update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
  Trigger für dracut (108-3ubuntu3) werden verarbeitet ...
  update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.17.0-6-generic
  support at newmoon:/etc$ cat default/keyboard 
  # KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE

  # Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

  XKBMODEL="applealu_iso"
  XKBLAYOUT="de"
  XKBVARIANT="mac"
  XKBOPTIONS="lv3:lalt_switch"

  BACKSPACE="guess"
  support at newmoon:/etc$ 

  hopefully this helps other users.

  best regards
  Franz

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.10
  Package: ubiquity (not installed)
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.17.0-6.6-generic 6.17.1
  Uname: Linux 6.17.0-6-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.33.1-0ubuntu3
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
  CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
  Date: Sun Nov  2 13:15:53 2025
  InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-6.17.0-6-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv ro quiet splash crashkernel=2G-4G:320M,4G-32G:512M,32G-64G:1024M,64G-128G:2048M,128G-:4096M vt.handoff=7
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2025-10-26 (7 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 25.10 "Questing Quokka" - Release amd64 (20251007)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   SHELL=/bin/bash
   TERM=xterm-256color
   XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
  SourcePackage: ubiquity
  Symptom: installation
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/2130517/+subscriptions