How can I get my Super key to work?

Support
1

The en-US Qwerty (AltGr-with Deadkeys), General 105-key configuration works well enough on my hardware. I’ve tried to include links to photos in my post, and add media to illustrate the layout, but the forum won’t let me. So I’ll just try to give you a rough sense of the layout: It’s a U.S. Qwerty keyboard
The back row is most notable (and what’s giving me problems):

[Ctrl] [Fn] [Super] [Alt] [ Space Bar ][ AltGr] [ Menu ][ Ctrl ][←][ ↓ ][ → ] [ 0/Ins][ . / Del]

The top row is Esc, F1-F12, [Pause][PrtSc][Del][ - ] [+] [End]

The most irritating thing about this right now is that my Super key simply doesn’t work, and I need that for certain GUI applications (e.g. I wanted to install the Wayfire window manager, and nearly all of its default keybindings use the Super key; I’d essentially have to redo all of them). I’ve looked through the list of keyboards in Keyboard → Layout, and tried fiddling with the “compose key” and “change layout option” settings, and I haven’t been able to get the Super key to work (though the Fn key seems to be fine).

Is there some way I can keep my current keyboard layout intact, just with a functioning Super key? It’s only the Super key that seems to not work. Everything else works just fine. Is there a keyboard layout setting that I’ve just missed?

2

Hi, there!
Is it a Linux-related problem only or it doesn’t work either on Windows?

3

It is a Linux-related problem. When I used Windows on this computer (i.e. yesterday), the key worked fine. I’m pretty sure it’s not a hardware issue.

EDIT: Update, I just booted into Windows again. The Super key works fine.

4

Please confirm that the key works:

List devices:

sudo libinput list-devices | sed -n "/Device:/,/Kernel:/p"

and debug it with the keyboard. Example:

sudo libinput debug-events /dev/input/event5
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5

I just checked the keyboard inputs (which on my machine is event 4). Neither the Fn key nor the Super key are registering as having an input.

However, despite the fact that the Fn key does not register as being pressed, it still changes the behavior of the machine.

For example, Fn + F12 increases screen brightness, Fn+F9 decreases the sound (in Pavucontrol), etc. And both the Fn and Super keys work on my Windows partition.

6

Is it a wired or wireless keyboard?

7

For the FN key, that is normal, since it is normally a hardware key. The SUPER key left me that:

[root@manjaro user]# libinput debug-events /dev/input/event2
-event2   DEVICE_ADDED            Logitech USB Receiver             seat0 default group1  cap:k
 event2   KEYBOARD_KEY            +9.088s	KEY_LEFTMETA (125) pressed
 event2   KEYBOARD_KEY            +9.208s	KEY_LEFTMETA (125) released

So if the SUPER does not work here, then it can also not be changed by the keyboard layout. Could it be that the SUPER Key is a hardware button just like FN? Never saw such a thing, but is possible on laptops made for windows.

Sometimes you can switch the behavior of hardware keys on the BIOS/UEFI Settings. Might be worth to look there.

8

It’s a laptop, so the keyboard is integrated into the computer.

9

I checked through every keyboard related option I could find in the BIOS, and the only options are related to the backlight (which is not very helpful).

On the off-chance anyone knows what might be going on, the laptop model is an Eluktronics MAX-17, and you can see the specs on eluktronics [DOT] com [SLASH] MAX-17. I assumed it was a driver issue. But I’m stumped as to how Windows registers an input and Linux doesn’t.

10

Yeah it is a driver issue. To be clear: It seems that it needs a special driver so that it works properly. I guess it is recognized as “AT Translated Set 2 keyboard” so a normal keyboard. Thus on a normal keyboard the Super Key is not a hardware button, therefore it seems not to work.

I am not an expert here, but maybe show us your devices. No idea how it is connected on your laptop therefore both:

lsusb -vt
lspci -vt
12

These are the outputs of those commands:

$ lsusb -vt
/:  Bus 04./:  Bus 04.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
/:  Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/4p, 480M
    ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
    |__ Port 3: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M
        ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
        |__ Port 3: Dev 5, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
            ID 048d:6005 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
        |__ Port 3: Dev 5, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=, 12M
            ID 048d:6005 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
        |__ Port 1: Dev 4, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=, 12M
            ID 048d:ce00 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
        |__ Port 1: Dev 4, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
            ID 048d:ce00 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M
        ID 8087:0029 Intel Corp. AX200 Bluetooth
    |__ Port 4: Dev 3, If 1, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M
        ID 8087:0029 Intel Corp. AX200 Bluetooth
/:  Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    |__ Port 1: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 5000M
        ID 0bda:0316 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Card Reader
    |__ Port 2: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/2p, 5000M
        ID 05e3:0620 Genesys Logic, Inc. GL3523 Hub
/:  Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/4p, 480M
    ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
    |__ Port 2: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/2p, 480M
        ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 0, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 1, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 2, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 3, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
/:  Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/4p, 480M
    ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
    |__ Port 3: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M
        ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
        |__ Port 3: Dev 5, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
            ID 048d:6005 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
        |__ Port 3: Dev 5, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=, 12M
            ID 048d:6005 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
        |__ Port 1: Dev 4, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=, 12M
            ID 048d:ce00 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
        |__ Port 1: Dev 4, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
            ID 048d:ce00 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M
        ID 8087:0029 Intel Corp. AX200 Bluetooth
    |__ Port 4: Dev 3, If 1, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M
        ID 8087:0029 Intel Corp. AX200 Bluetooth
/:  Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 10000M
    ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    |__ Port 1: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 5000M
        ID 0bda:0316 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Card Reader
    |__ Port 2: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/2p, 5000M
        ID 05e3:0620 Genesys Logic, Inc. GL3523 Hub
/:  Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/4p, 480M
    ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
    |__ Port 2: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/2p, 480M
        ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 0, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 1, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 2, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
    |__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 3, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
        ID 04f2:b71a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd

 $ lspci -vt
-[0000:00]-+-00.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne Root Complex
           +-00.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne IOMMU
           +-01.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir PCIe Dummy Host Bridge
           +-01.1-[01]--+-00.0  NVIDIA Corporation GA106M [GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile / Max-Q]
           |            \-00.1  NVIDIA Corporation GA106 High Definition Audio Controller
           +-01.2-[02]----00.0  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8125 2.5GbE Controller
           +-02.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir PCIe Dummy Host Bridge
           +-02.1-[03]--
           +-02.2-[04]----00.0  Intel Corporation Wi-Fi 6 AX200
           +-02.4-[05]----00.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device b000
           +-08.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir PCIe Dummy Host Bridge
           +-08.1-[06]--+-00.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Renoir
           |            +-00.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 10h-1fh) Platform Security Processor
           |            +-00.3  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne USB 3.1
           |            +-00.4  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne USB 3.1
           |            +-00.5  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor
           |            \-00.6  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller
           +-14.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SMBus Controller
           +-14.3  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH LPC Bridge
           +-18.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 0
           +-18.1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 1
           +-18.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 2
           +-18.3  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 3
           +-18.4  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 4
           +-18.5  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 5
           +-18.6  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 6
           \-18.7  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 7
13

ok the keyboard is connected internally on a usb2 hub. However on my research it just gave what I was thinking: Since no special driver is in use it falls back to the generic driver.

My Lenovo Laptop has also a Full Keyboard and also:

[Ctrl] [Fn] [Super] [Alt] [ Space Bar ]

Only thing what was done there is:

$ localectl status
   System Locale: LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
       VC Keymap: de
      X11 Layout: de

and everything works.

Maybe try less settings and let the system figure it itself.

Otherwise no idea.

14

Amusingly, that worked. When I set my locale to those settings, now sudo libinput debug-events /dev/input/event4 will show that the Super key is being pressed.

Although what I don’t understand (correct me if I’m wrong), I thought German keyboards had a top row starting with QWERTZ, but my keyboard (despite being German now, supposedly) is still a QWERTY keyboard.

In the meantime, since I don’t really see any downside to keeping my keyboard set to this locale, I will probably keep it. Thanks!

EDIT wait, no. Scratch what I just said. My keyboard reset after reboot, so now all the keys are in the German positions.

So I solved one problem, and created another. But at least my Super key works! It seems I have the choice of either a German keymap or a nonfunctioning Super key. I will mess around with the localectl settings to see if I can find the correct configuration in English.

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