Shift key not working with specific keys

tomri · 2023-12-17 06:32:42

I was at `6.6.4` when I decided to upgrade. I installed `Hyprland Desktop Portal` with `sudo pacman -S xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland` and upgraded to `6.6.6` with `sudo pacman -Syu`. I don’t know if it’s `Hyprland Desktop Portal` or `6.6.6`, but some keys don’t work while pressing the `Shift` key. Those same keys (keys that don’t work when pressed with Shift) do work when I press them without pressing the Shift key. I inspected with `wev` (`xev` for Wayland), it does detect both `Shift` and `s` when pressed separately, but when I press s with the `Shift` key, it doesn’t detect `s`.

Keys that don’t work while pressing Shift key:
<Backspace>
TY{}|
ASDFJKL:

Keys that work while pressing Shift key:
!@#$%^&*()_+
QWERUIOP
GH"<Enter>
ZXCVBNM<>?

System information:
OS: Arch Linux x86_64
Kernel: 6.6.7-arch1-1
DE: Hyprland

Edit:
###### THIS IS ACTUALLY A HW ISSUE ######
NOTHING WRONG WITH 6.6.6 OR XDG DESKTOP PORTAL

Last edited by tomri (2023-12-23 07:30:31)

seth · 2023-12-17 09:19:55

Try the behavior on the console (multi-user.target, 2nd link below) and with the LTS kernel to isolate the problem.
If the problem exists on the console and remains w/ the LTS kernel, boot some live distro (grml, knoppix) and test the behavior there - it might be the keyboard HW.

tomri · 2023-12-17 12:46:08

- I assume the console refers to the tty before entering Hyprland. However, it didn’t work, so it’s not a Hyprland issue ig.
- I tried installing and booting into the LTS kernel, but it didn’t work
- I also tried on the installation media, but it didn’t work there either.

I planned to reinstall Arch, but it didn’t even work in the live installation media. I’m feeling hopeless…

btw thanks for trying to helping

seth · 2023-12-17 15:28:01

I planned to reinstall Arch, but it didn’t even work in the live installation media. I’m feeling hopeless…

What kind of keyboard is this, specifically?

tomri · 2023-12-18 05:12:01

It's my [laptop's](https://www.realme.com/global/realme-book) built-in keyboard. My external keyboard works fine with the machine.

Actually, I have a doubt. When you told me to try the LTS kernel, did you mean just the LTS kernel or the LTS kernel along with the LTS firmware? Because I just tried the LTS kernel alone, I haven't tried it along with the LTS firmware. I remember when I flashed my Android with a buggy firmware, the bug continued to persist even though I changed the OS multiple times, until I flashed a stable firmware. I hope this might be the case here too. I'll install the LTS firmware and try again once get back home.

Last edited by tomri (2023-12-18 05:13:49)

seth · 2023-12-18 07:39:37

There's no LTS firmware, you can try to downgrade https://archlinux.org/packages/core/any/linux-firmware/ to the previous version (or test a live system like grml) and (potentially, there's no guearanteed support) to downgrade the UEFI, but this is very most likely a HW defect.

Does the keyboard have two shift keys and are both affected?
Can you generate the desired key by letting the shift key go the very moment (almost briefly before) you hit the target key?

Did you by any chance recently open/disassemble the notebook, remove the keyboard etc?
(For a non-mechanical external keyboard I'd have told you to whack it, because they often through mechanical tension, plastic and dry air build up a static load that blocks the signal and you seriously can get rid of that with the impact shock. Obviously that's not an option w/ a notebook keyboard…)

tomri · 2023-12-18 08:56:23

seth wrote:

There's no LTS firmware

My bad. I should try that.
But even the installation media depends on the previous system's firmware?

seth wrote:

Does the keyboard have two shift keys and are both affected?

Yeah, they both works the same way.

seth · 2023-12-18 11:50:18

But even the installation media depends on the previous system's firmware?

The last linux-firmware update was ~10 days after the last iso release, so yes.

seth wrote:

this is very most likely a HW defect
…
Can you generate the desired key by letting the shift key go the very moment (almost briefly before) you hit the target key?
Did you by any chance recently open/disassemble the notebook, remove the keyboard etc?

tomri · 2023-12-19 05:44:57

seth wrote:

Can you generate the desired key by letting the shift key go the very moment (almost briefly before) you hit the target key?

You mean releasing the shift key just before hitting the target key? Nope, that's not working.

seth wrote:

Did you by any chance recently open/disassemble the notebook, remove the keyboard etc?

no

seth wrote:

this is very most likely a HW defect

I guess, because previously I told you both shift keys work the same way, but yesterday, the left shift key doesn't work with the mentioned keys (@OP), but the right shift key works with some keys (TY{}). I should probably whack my laptop's keyboard.

I just can't accept it as a hardware issue, because it was working fine during the upgrading (I immediately shut down my machine after the upgrade) and it started malfunctioning the next day (first boot after update).

seth · 2023-12-19 09:10:52

I just can't accept it as a hardware issue, because it was working fine during the upgrading (I immediately shut down my machine after the upgrade) and it started malfunctioning the next day (first boot after update).

Things tend to work until they don't, that's the nature of life. Did the environmental humidity recently drop?
And you now added

the left shift key doesn't work with the mentioned keys (@OP), but the right shift key works with some keys

what means the behavior isn't even deterministic.

Do NOT whack your notebook keyboard, let alone (inside) the notebook!
Try some live distros, if you can the BIOS or even the behavior in the bootloader (grub, eg. you can edit the boot parameters there or even open a shell)
If the keys don't work (reliably) anywhere, it /is/ the hardware.
Do NOT whack your notebook keyboard, let alone (inside) the notebook!!

tomri · 2023-12-19 16:31:42

seth wrote:

Did the environmental humidity recently drop?

We have just experienced two consecutive cyclones, so, the humidity rised.

seth wrote:

Try some live distros, if you can the BIOS or even the behavior in the bootloader (grub, eg. you can edit the boot parameters there or even open a shell)

Isn't Arch installation media basically a live distro?
I tried on uefi shell, it didn't work.

seth wrote:

Do NOT whack your notebook keyboard

I meant it as a joke.

I’m planning to reinstall (fkmyself) Windows. If the keyboard still doesn’t work, I apologize for wasting your time and will close this post as unplanned.

Last edited by tomri (2023-12-19 16:32:10)

seth · 2023-12-19 16:38:36

Isn't Arch installation media basically a live distro?

Yes, but I wanted to get away from the same/similar software stack (different kernel/config etc)

I tried on uefi shell, it didn't work.

It's the hardware - you'll most likely have to replace it.
If you're lucky, re-attaching it (the cable might have come loose) already helps.

IIIHEISENBERGIII · 2023-12-23 04:46:46

Hello, I've had this problem. However, Left Shift + 3 = # is the only thing that doesn't work on my laptop's keyboard, but the 3 key itself works. What I did to now make the # finally work is to open the 3 key and clean it, and now it works.

tomri · 2023-12-23 07:27:41

I tried Windows and I'm declaring this as a hardware issue.

Good for you. I'm a bit scared to take off the key caps because I pulled it hard, but they just don't come off. I just have to contact the support.

I'll change the title and leave this post open because some more people like @heisenberg may show up.

Btw, Christmas wishes @seth and @heisenberg.

Arch Linux

#1 2023-12-17 06:32:42

Shift key not working with specific keys

#2 2023-12-17 09:19:55

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#3 2023-12-17 12:46:08

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#4 2023-12-17 15:28:01

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#5 2023-12-18 05:12:01

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#6 2023-12-18 07:39:37

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#7 2023-12-18 08:56:23

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#8 2023-12-18 11:50:18

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#9 2023-12-19 05:44:57

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#10 2023-12-19 09:10:52

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#11 2023-12-19 16:31:42

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#12 2023-12-19 16:38:36

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#13 2023-12-23 04:46:46

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

#14 2023-12-23 07:27:41

Re: Shift key not working with specific keys

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