Model 100 keys don't work after boot

Hello. I’ve flashed my model 100 with f/w version 0.90.2+44, currently using on a win 10 PC.
After boot, I cannot get into the BIOS using delete key (either using the backspace key or fun+backspace).
Also cannot type in my password for Windows login. None of the keys register.

The keys do light up according to the default led option, so the board is getting power. It is connected to the same usb port as my previous keyboard. When I unplug it I do hear the Windows sound for disconnecting USB devices. None of the keys will register until I unplug the keyboard and reconnect it.

Has anyone else experienced this? Could it be some kind of driver conflict?

We’ve had similar issues before, it appears to be a recurring problem that ends up coming back from time to time.

The reason this happens is because there are two protocols USB keyboards can report their state to the computer: the boot protocol (simpler, 6-key rollover) and the report protocol (more complex, n-key rollover). A lot of BIOSes, and the Windows login screen, and some similar macOS things only support the boot protocol. Which would be fine, Kaleidoscope - the firmware powering the Model 100 - supports the boot protocol too. The USB spec even describes how the operating system should tell the keyboard to use one or the other. The problem is that all of the operating systems do this a little bit differently, and none of them really follow the USB spec. So it’s a little bit difficult to do the right thing from the firmware side.

With that said, there is a workaround that may work: can you try pressing Left Fn + Esc + Shift, and see if you can type then, after a couple of seconds? That combo should toggle the keyboard between boot and report protocol, so if it’s stuck in report protocol while the OS expects boot, this may help flip it over. It’s been a while I tried it, so I’m unsure if it works - but hopefully it will.

So I’ve tried the key combo today, but unfortunately it didn’t work.
I’ve also updated my BIOS to the latest available version for my motherboard, and tried enabling/disabling legacy usb device support from within, but still no change.

This is an older system, with the latest available bios update from 2013, so maybe that’s part of the issue?

Is there anyway to force the keyboard to reboot itself without having to physically unplug/replug?

Is toggling between protocols working? I recall that you were planning to test out the fix that I stumbled upon way back, but I don’t know if you ever got around to it, and I don’t think anything has been changed in KeyboardioHID for that purpose.

Not sure. I recall it used to work sometimes before. I’ll need to spend another round of cycles to bring things up to date (including testing your workaround from way back when… I don’t remember if I tested it).

I know this is pretty low on the priority list, but are there any plans to test/update firmware for this in the future?

Yep, there are. It’s a difficult problem, but one we will eventually tackle. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

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