Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

Sukhoi · 2026-06-21 17:27:17

Hello yall, so i've had this problem with my laptop since i started using arch linux in fact but anyway, the thing is that i can't use the mod4 key in my laptop keyboard because it just wont work. Looking at the logs with xev it recognizes the keymap with the keycode 248, while with an external keyboard it's being recognized with the keycode 133.

Apparently it's not a hardware problem but i've tried some solutions and it seems to not work, so i would appreciate some help from you part guys, thx.

seth · 2026-06-21 19:22:12

What "laptop" specifically? Might be an Fn-lock situation?
What is generated in "sudo evtest" for the key?

Sukhoi · 2026-06-21 22:29:45

it is an Asus tuf A15 and sudo evtest throws me this:

Available devices:
/dev/input/event0: Power Button
/dev/input/event1: Sleep Button
/dev/input/event10: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard System Control
/dev/input/event11: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard Consumer Control
/dev/input/event12: Telink Wireless Receiver
/dev/input/event13: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard
/dev/input/event14: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard Mouse
/dev/input/event15: PC Speaker
/dev/input/event16: ITE5570:00 0B05:19B6 Wireless Radio Control
/dev/input/event17: ITE5570:00 0B05:19B6
/dev/input/event18: ELAN1203:00 04F3:307A Mouse
/dev/input/event19: ELAN1203:00 04F3:307A Touchpad
/dev/input/event2: Lid Switch
/dev/input/event20: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=3
/dev/input/event21: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=7
/dev/input/event22: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=8
/dev/input/event23: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=9
/dev/input/event24: Asus WMI hotkeys
/dev/input/event25: HD-Audio Generic Headphone
/dev/input/event3: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
/dev/input/event4: Video Bus
/dev/input/event5: Video Bus
/dev/input/event6: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard
/dev/input/event7: Telink Wireless Receiver Mouse
/dev/input/event8: Telink Wireless Receiver Consumer Control
/dev/input/event9: Telink Wireless Receiver System Control

Last edited by Sukhoi (2026-06-21 22:34:03)

seth · 2026-06-22 06:30:15

That asks you which device to monitor - probably "3"?
Also please use [code][/code] tags.

"Asus TUF 15" is as unspecific as it gets, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Laptop … orce_(TUF) though the thing is common enough for this to not be model-related.
Please post your complete system journal for the boot:

sudo journalctl -b | curl -s -H "Accept: application/json, */*" --upload-file - 'https://paste.c-net.org/'

(Next to the evdev output)

Sukhoi · 2026-06-22 22:38:12

This is the system journal that is related to the keyboard:

Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /devices/platform/i8042/serio0/input/input3
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: usb 6-1: Product: Gaming Keyboard
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: input: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.3/0000:06:00.3/usb6/6-1/6-1:1.0/0003:258A:0049.0001/input/input4
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: hid-generic 0003:258A:0049.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [BY Tech Gaming Keyboard] on usb-0000:06:00.3-1/input0
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: input: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard System Control as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.3/0000:06:00.3/usb6/6-1/6-1:1.1/0003:258A:0049.0003/input/input11
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: input: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard Consumer Control as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.3/0000:06:00.3/usb6/6-1/6-1:1.1/0003:258A:0049.0003/input/input12
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: input: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.3/0000:06:00.3/usb6/6-1/6-1:1.1/0003:258A:0049.0003/input/input14
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: input: BY Tech Gaming Keyboard Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.3/0000:06:00.3/usb6/6-1/6-1:1.1/0003:258A:0049.0003/input/input15
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: hid-generic 0003:258A:0049.0003: input,hiddev97,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [BY Tech Gaming Keyboard] on usb-0000:06:00.3-1/input1
Jun 22 12:12:44 chocotatanga kernel: hid-generic 0003:248A:8373.0004: input,hidraw3: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [Telink Wireless Receiver] on usb-0000:06:00.4-1/input1
Jun 22 12:12:48 chocotatanga systemd-logind[786]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event4 (BY Tech Gaming Keyboard)
Jun 22 12:12:48 chocotatanga systemd-logind[786]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event9 (BY Tech Gaming Keyboard System Control)
Jun 22 12:12:48 chocotatanga systemd-logind[786]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event11 (BY Tech Gaming Keyboard Consumer Control)
Jun 22 12:12:48 chocotatanga systemd-logind[786]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event12 (BY Tech Gaming Keyboard)
Jun 22 12:12:48 chocotatanga systemd-logind[786]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event3 (AT Translated Set 2 keyboard)

And when i use evdev i doesnt detect the mod4 key.

seth · 2026-06-22 22:43:06

The journal, not what you think might be relevant.
Most of that is the usb keyboard anyway

Which device did you select in evtest?
The key generating an even in xev but not evtest isn't a thing.

Sukhoi · 2026-06-23 20:41:05

Well, i think the whole journal has a lot of sensitive information so i'm unsure to share it. Talking about the device I selected in evtest was /dev/input/event3 and i don't know, xev throws me this when I click on the mod4 key:

 KeyPress event, serial 36, synthetic NO, window 0x2000001,
    root 0x1c6, subw 0x2000002, time 9254818, (48,38), root:(1012,86),
    state 0x10, keycode 248 (keysym 0x0, NoSymbol), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

seth · 2026-06-23 20:48:22

The journal is not supposed to contain any sensitive information.
Sometimes global IPv6 show up (depending on what you use for network management)
The main point is to figure what device this actually is, so the journal before the root switch will do (and the "sensitive" information in there is your hardware. WiFi MACs are constantly yelled into the air by the wifi chip and useless out of radio distance and the partition UUIDs are generated to reliable address the device and don't reveal anything about it)

Also try the other devices, one of them *has* to report the input.
Could be 24 - the other ones seem extremely unlikely.

Arch Linux

#1 2026-06-21 17:27:17

Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#2 2026-06-21 19:22:12

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#3 2026-06-21 22:29:45

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#4 2026-06-22 06:30:15

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#5 2026-06-22 22:38:12

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#6 2026-06-22 22:43:06

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#7 2026-06-23 20:41:05

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

#8 2026-06-23 20:48:22

Re: Mod4/Windows key not working in laptop keyboard

Board footer