Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

SinghSaab · 2025-07-05 13:23:20

I have two kernels installed on my Asus laptop, one being default arch linux kernel and second being linux-lts. I have set the LTS kernel as default. But yesterday before going to sleep and shutting down my laptop I removed easyeffects and REAPER audio from my system. Which I'm pretty sure can't be the cause of this. I did not run sudo pacman -Syu as well.

After I woke up I don't know why I was presented with the systemd boot menu. No timer is shown on the menu. I can select the options using number keys. e.g 1 for first option and 2 for second option and so on. But enter key or other keys don't seem to work. Tried external keyboard, it didn't even start(the lights on keyboard didn't turn on) googled, some people said turning off fast boot can help. So disabled the fast boot in BIOS. Now this time keyboard did light up but no key working. Not even the number keys.

seth · 2025-07-05 14:38:36

Stuck key? Can you boot some live distro and check evtest or libintput-debug events from there?
In doubt, chroot from the live distro and re-install systemd-boot?

SinghSaab · 2025-07-05 14:41:33

seth wrote:

Stuck key? Can you boot some live distro and check evtest or libintput-debug events from there?
In doubt, chroot from the live distro and re-install systemd-boot?

Don't think it's a stuck key. I clicked both enter keys. I have arch iso in my USB drive. Would that work?

seth · 2025-07-05 14:42:49

I have arch iso in my USB drive. Would that work?

I clicked both enter keys.

I was rather thinking about maybe some modifier like ctrl,alt, etc.

SinghSaab · 2025-07-05 14:50:18

seth wrote:

I have arch iso in my USB drive. Would that work?
I clicked both enter keys.
I was rather thinking about maybe some modifier like ctrl,alt, etc.

I don't know what just happened but my arch suddenly booted normally this time?? Any way to debug the reason behind this systemd boot menu enter key not working and what caused this in the first place?

seth · 2025-07-05 15:08:03

Not if the problem isn't live.
If there's a parallel windows and booting the live issue fixed it, see the 3rd link below.
Otherwise my money is on a stuck key (that released on random interaction, maybe even the lid)

SinghSaab · 2025-07-06 10:52:04

seth wrote:

Not if the problem isn't live.
If there's a parallel windows and booting the live issue fixed it, see the 3rd link below.
Otherwise my money is on a stuck key (that released on random interaction, maybe even the lid)

So I just found out the reason behind this issue. It's my right control key! It's malfunctioning, like ghost typing issue. I do remember splling coffee near the control key about a year ago. And I think because of high humidity nowadays, the key started malfunctioning.

Is there any way to disable internal laptop keyboard before boot so I can only use external keyboard? And disabling right control key completely in my system? I'm now again stuck in bootmenu.

seth · 2025-07-06 11:50:57

With ht pre-boot system you're down to what the UEFI allows you to configure and it's rather unlikely that you can disable the keyboard there - configure your bootloader to just booth through?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Map_sc … o_keycodes and see /usr/lib/udev/hwdb.d/60-keyboard.hwdb
Do NOT edit /usr/lib/udev/hwdb.d/60-keyboard.hwdb but add some /etc/udev/hwdb.d/90-custom-keyboard.hwdb (see the wiki)

Figure the keyboard evdev identifier and the scancode of the bogus key and set it to "reserved" (there're examples of that in the file)
This will ignore the key in the OS - there might still be an issue w/ it breaking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_rollo … y_rollover - so some multi-key shortcuts might randomly not work that's a HW thing and cannot be mitigated in software (except not using those shortcuts)

Did you try to wiggle or tap the key a bit (though if it's an electrical problem that'll unlikely help anything and coffee doesn't tend to be sticky unless you're doing disgusting things to it like tainting it with milk or sugar

SinghSaab · 2025-07-06 15:12:08

So after many tries, i somehow managed to get into my system by spamming enter key on my external keyb. How can I completely disable this key so that it doesn't even get registered on systemd bootmenu? Is the process same as setting the key reserved? Or is it changed now that I'm in the system.

seth wrote:

Did you try to wiggle or tap the key a bit (though if it's an electrical problem that'll unlikely help anything and coffee doesn't tend to be sticky unless you're doing disgusting things to it like tainting it with milk or sugar

Yes, the coffee had sugar and milk in it

I did try spamming it or wiggling it but didn't work.

seth · 2025-07-06 15:16:56

How can I completely disable this key so that it doesn't even get registered on systemd bootmenu?

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQltoTszPhqoSVuOPaQk1h34kQ0B7pakchjg

seth wrote:

With ht pre-boot system you're down to what the UEFI allows you to configure and it's rather unlikely that you can disable the keyboard there - configure your bootloader to just boot through?

You can only really configure how the OS treats events from that key.

Yes, the coffee had sugar and milk in it :sad:

Dis·gus·ting. You get what you deserve for doing that to that poor coffee

But

I did try spamming it or wiggling it but didn't work.

then it's probably not just stuck by goo but an electrical problem.

Edit: stressed only realistic bootloader solution

Last edited by seth (2025-07-06 15:21:21)

SinghSaab · 2025-07-06 16:52:02

seth wrote:

then it's probably not just stuck by goo but an electrical problem.
Edit: stressed only realistic bootloader solution

Sorry for bothering again and again but I just tried plucking the key out and its no longer causing the issue, looks like it is stuck by goo afterall. xinput doesn't work since I'm on wayland. Is the method to disable this particular key still the same? Just mark it as reserved in /etc/udev/hwdb.d/90-custom-keyboard.hwdb ?

seth · 2025-07-06 20:34:06

I just tried plucking the key out and its no longer causing the issue, looks like it is stuck by goo afterall

\o/

xinput doesn't work since I'm on wayland

Who said anything about xinput?

Is the method to disable this particular key still the same? Just mark it as reserved in /etc/udev/hwdb.d/90-custom-keyboard.hwdb ?

Yes, this will affect the entire system - however, isn't the problem gone? Maybe take some isopropanol to the key (don't try acetone! soap and warm water might work - but of course not anywhere near the electronics, only if you've the key plucked out )

Arch Linux

#1 2025-07-05 13:23:20

Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#2 2025-07-05 14:38:36

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#3 2025-07-05 14:41:33

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#4 2025-07-05 14:42:49

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#5 2025-07-05 14:50:18

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#6 2025-07-05 15:08:03

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#7 2025-07-06 10:52:04

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#8 2025-07-06 11:50:57

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#9 2025-07-06 15:12:08

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#10 2025-07-06 15:16:56

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#11 2025-07-06 16:52:02

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

#12 2025-07-06 20:34:06

Re: Enter key not working in systemd boot menu

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