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Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:29 am
by Fornhamfred
Code: Select all
Snapshot created on:
System: Kernel: 5.10.0-11-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 10.2.1
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-11-amd64
root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
Desktop: Xfce 4.16.0 tk: Gtk 3.24.24 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm 4.16.1 vt: 7
dm: LightDM 1.26.0 Distro: MX-21_x64 Wildflower October 20 2021
base: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye)
Machine: Type: Portable System: Dell product: Inspiron N5040 v: A02 serial: <filter>
Mobo: Dell model: 0VD5G3 v: A02 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A02 date: 05/31/2011
Battery: ID-1: BAT0 charge: 41.9 Wh (100.0%) condition: 41.9/47.5 Wh (88.2%) volts: 12.2
min: 10.8 model: Sanyo DELL 7XFJJ86 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Full
CPU: Info: Dual Core model: Intel Pentium P6200 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Nehalem family: 6
model-id: 25 (37) stepping: 5 microcode: 7 cache: L2: 3 MiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 bogomips: 8511
Speed: 1055 MHz min/max: 931/2128 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1055 2: 1058
Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX unsupported
Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion
Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled
Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
Type: spec_store_bypass
mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp
Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, IBPB: conditional, IBRS_FW,
STIBP: disabled, RSB filling
Type: srbds status: Not affected
Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics: Device-1: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915
v: kernel bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0046 class-ID: 0300
Device-2: Realtek Integrated Webcam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-1.4:4
chip-ID: 0bda:58c0 class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.16.1 driver: loaded: intel
display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1366x768 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 361x203mm (14.2x8.0")
s-diag: 414mm (16.3")
Monitor-1: LVDS1 res: 1366x768 hz: 60 dpi: 101 size: 344x193mm (13.5x7.6")
diag: 394mm (15.5")
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics (ILK) v: 2.1 Mesa 20.3.5
direct render: Yes
Audio: Device-1: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:3b56 class-ID: 0403
Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.10.0-11-amd64 running: yes
Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 14.2 running: yes
Network: Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Dell driver: ath9k
v: kernel modules: wl port: f000 bus-ID: 12:00.0 chip-ID: 168c:002b class-ID: 0280
IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Device-2: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet vendor: Dell driver: r8169
v: kernel port: e000 bus-ID: 13:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8136 class-ID: 0200
IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 43.79 GiB (9.4%)
SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Western Digital model: WD5000BPVT-75HXZT3
size: 465.76 GiB block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s
type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter> rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR
Partition: ID-1: / raw-size: 30.01 GiB size: 29.37 GiB (97.87%) used: 8.8 GiB (30.0%) fs: ext4
dev: /dev/sda6 maj-min: 8:6
ID-2: /home raw-size: 50 GiB size: 48.97 GiB (97.93%) used: 19.44 GiB (39.7%)
fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7 maj-min: 8:7
Swap: Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 7.81 GiB used: 1.5 MiB (0.0%) priority: -2
dev: /dev/sda5 maj-min: 8:5
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 52.0 C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0
Repos: Packages: note: see --pkg apt: 2057 lib: 1035 flatpak: 0
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye-updates main contrib non-free
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye main contrib non-free
2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib non-free
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
1: deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/megasync.list
1: deb https://mega.nz/linux/MEGAsync/Debian_testing/ ./
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
1: deb http://mxlinux.mirrors.uk2.net/packages/mx/repo/ bullseye main non-free
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/teamviewer.list
1: deb http://linux.teamviewer.com/deb stable main
Info: Processes: 216 Uptime: 15m wakeups: 2 Memory: 3.64 GiB used: 1.7 GiB (46.6%)
Init: SysVinit v: 2.96 runlevel: 5 default: 5 tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 10.2.1
alt: 10 Shell: quick-system-in default: Bash v: 5.1.4 running-in: quick-system-in
inxi: 3.3.06
I installed MX21 in November and only just realised that the FN sound keys are not working. These were working fine on MX19. Tried installing Kernel 4.19 but no change
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:07 pm
by razor2021
For Dell laptop, in your BIOS, do you have a choice for "post behavior" and then "FN Lock Options"? Check/Enable if so. Or is this just a few FN keys but not all?
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:03 pm
by Fornhamfred
razor2021 wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:07 pm
For Dell laptop, in your BIOS, do you have a choice for "post behavior" and then "FN Lock Options"? Check/Enable if so. Or is this just a few FN keys but not all?
Function Key Behavior gives function key or multimedia key of which Function key is set at present. Yes not all the keys are not working particularly the sound keys.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:25 pm
by razor2021
Have you tried the Keyboard app and test your keyboard there? Click on the Applications Menu and choose Keyboard. And test which layout works.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 4:03 pm
by Fornhamfred
razor2021 wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:25 pm
Have you tried the Keyboard app and test your keyboard there? Click on the Applications Menu and choose Keyboard. And test which layout works.
Cannot find a layout which has any effect.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 4:27 pm
by razor2021
Does your Fn key have an LED built-in? On your Dell laptop, if you select Fn + Esc keys (enable/disable the dual Fn function), does your Fn keys then work like normal?
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 2:51 am
by Fornhamfred
razor2021 wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 4:27 pm
Does your Fn key have an LED built-in? On your Dell laptop, if you select Fn + Esc keys (enable/disable the dual Fn function), does your Fn keys then work like normal?
No LED, It seems that only the keys relating to sound do not work. As stated before all keys work fine with 19.2.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 11:41 am
by Fornhamfred
Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:10 pm
by Huckleberry Finn
What if you press Fn+Esc keys once, then try ?
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:38 pm
by razor2021
Also, its just me. If Fn+Esc does not work, I would still update the Dell Bios from A02 to A05.
Code: Select all
Machine: Type: Portable System: Dell product: Inspiron N5040 v: A02 serial: <filter>
Mobo: Dell model: 0VD5G3 v: A02 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A02 date: 05/31/2011
And the latest on Dell website for this laptop model is -->
https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-ca ... 40/drivers
Not saying that will fix anything, but always good to have the proper updated BIOS prior to doing anything else. But that's just me, to remove any issues with outdated BIOS/drivers etc.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:42 pm
by razor2021
And if you are on pure linux, just create a bootable USB stick with FreeDos and then copy the BIOS setup.exe onto the USB stick and run it from DOS on USB stick.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:27 pm
by Fornhamfred
Thanks for your replies.
What if you press Fn+Esc keys once, then try ? Tried but no change.
Will have a go at updating the Bios tomorrow and report back. Why would 19.4 with updated 4.19 kernel work and not 21 with the same kernel?
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:53 pm
by razor2021
That's also a valid point regarding MX19.4 + kernel 4.19 working but MX21 not. It might be a kernel issue where the 5.10.x kernel for MX21 might have broken something. There are newer kernels ... I'm using 5.15.x with MX21. So, upgrading to a newer kernel is also a possibility. I upgraded from 5.10.x to 5.14.x to 5.15.x.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:41 am
by Fornhamfred
razor2021 wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:53 pm
That's also a valid point regarding MX19.4 + kernel 4.19 working but MX21 not. It might be a kernel issue where the 5.10.x kernel for MX21 might have broken something. There are newer kernels ... I'm using 5.15.x with MX21. So, upgrading to a newer kernel is also a possibility. I upgraded from 5.10.x to 5.14.x to 5.15.x.
Thanks. Updated BIOS but no change. Downloaded the Oct Iso and burnt USB but no change, however downloaded the Jan15 snapshot and burnt USB and that works perfectly. Will reinstall this version to make sure that the permanent system works OK.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 1:33 pm
by Huckleberry Finn
Fornhamfred wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:41 am...Updated BIOS but no change. Downloaded the Oct Iso and burnt USB but no change, however downloaded the Jan15 snapshot and burnt USB and that works perfectly...
Then it must be a firmware (or so) that was changed (upgraded) since then.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:17 pm
by Fornhamfred
Huckleberry Finn wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 1:33 pm
Fornhamfred wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:41 am...Updated BIOS but no change. Downloaded the Oct Iso and burnt USB but no change, however downloaded the Jan15 snapshot and burnt USB and that works perfectly...
Then it must be a firmware (or so) that was changed (upgraded) since then.
Installed the Jan snapshot and the sound fn keys do not work again. Could there be something in the home partition that is causing the problem?
I checked pavucontrol but settings are identical between the live USB and the install.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:50 pm
by Huckleberry Finn
That weirdness happened a few times about wifi : works on live session and doesn't when installed :D
What happens if you create a new user and login with that?
And can you try booting with systemd ? (You know, "advanced options" in grub) (though live session was not systemd)
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:54 pm
by razor2021
You re-installed Jan snapshot and it did not work, but it worked the first time. When it worked - why did you reinstall?
Update-upgrade with it working and see if it gets broken later.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:36 am
by Fornhamfred
Huckleberry Finn wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:50 pm
That weirdness happened a few times about wifi : works on live session and doesn't when installed :D
What happens if you create a new user and login with that?
And can you try booting with systemd ? (You know, "advanced options" in grub) (though live session was not systemd)
Added new user and logged in and all is fine. Is there any option but to delete my home account and then reinstate it?
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:51 am
by Huckleberry Finn
Oh la la :D
A real puzzle. Anyway, glad it works now and thank you for the feedback.
If you like, this will be a perfect experiment (and nothing to lose): You can copy your actual user's settings to the new one with MX User Manager - "Copy/Sync" tab (and also see if it breaks that, too ) :)
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:45 am
by razor2021
Great job
@Huckleberry Finn - would have never thought a new install would have user settings that can cause laptop keys to misbehave. Good job persisting to figure it out
@Fornhamfred . Like a terrier biting on an ankle.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:19 am
by Fornhamfred
Thanks to you both. Happy New Year
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:48 pm
by Fornhamfred
Huckleberry Finn wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:51 am
Oh la la :D
A real puzzle. Anyway, glad it works now and thank you for the feedback.
If you like, this will be a perfect experiment (and nothing to lose): You can copy your actual user's settings to the new one with MX User Manager - "Copy/Sync" tab (and also see if it breaks that, too ) :)
Yes broke the new user account
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:20 pm
by Huckleberry Finn
Then if you like only, you can create a new user again and first see if it works again,
then copy 1-2 "dot" folders each time manually from here to there (and reboot and login with new user) and narrow down to find the culprit.
Since it requires 5-10 boots it may be tiresome but no need to hurry.
It'll be a very good feedback to developers in case you find/approach the culprit.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 10:50 am
by Fornhamfred
Huckleberry Finn wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:20 pm
Then if you like only, you can create a new user again and first see if it works again,
then copy 1-2 "dot" folders each time manually from here to there (and reboot and login with new user) and narrow down to find the culprit.
Since it requires 5-10 boots it may be tiresome but no need to hurry.
It'll be a very good feedback to developers in case you find/approach the culprit.
Sorry slight misinformation.
Tried the copy of home to new user again having deleted the first try. When copying between desktops first time round I selected copy only. The second time I chose sync ( which I now realise is copy and sync ) and did not break the user all fn keys working fine. Perhaps the option in user manager should copy only or copy and sync. Just a suggestion.
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 5:43 pm
by Huckleberry Finn
As you might've already thought: You can delete the original user, then rename the new user to the original one (just in case you want that username). The only difference will be that the 1st user's id was 1000 , now it'll probably be 1002 ... that won't make any harm :)
(Though it's still a mystery what causes that)
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:08 am
by Fornhamfred
Huckleberry Finn wrote: Mon Jan 31, 2022 5:43 pm
As you might've already thought: You can delete the original user, then rename the new user to the original one (just in case you want that username). The only difference will be that the 1st user's id was 1000 , now it'll probably be 1002 ... that won't make any harm :)
(Though it's still a mystery what causes that)
Update:
After some time I decided to try again. Totally unrelated I found a pulse audio plugin on add items to panels. Having added this the fn keys for volume control work perfectly. I have noticed that there is a newer version of pulseaudio in the test repro and wonder if it is worth updating that and then checking if the fn keys still work?
Re: Dell Laptop Some FN Keys not working with MX21
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 8:40 am
by Huckleberry Finn
You may/may not .. if you like, you can install that, try, and remove if it's unsuccessful (then re-install the stable one).
Also you can save your home folder to somewhere else, furthermore take a snapshot beforehand :)