This happened at least 8 months ago. Using a keyboard tester, Windows no longer recognises the Fn key in the bottom left of the keyboard. Since then I've been forcing Fn lock, but now can't use F1-F12. Nor does the spacebar or Fn+Space do anything.
So I suspect the keyboard driver got changed/replaced. My installation is using MS' standard PS/2 keyboard driver now. I'm unable to find an old ThinkPad keyboard driver, nor map anything to the 'keycode' that the software expects. Of course, I didn't notice the problem before the rollback deadline. When it was last working, I remember it being a clunky solution even then.
Using up-to-date Win 10 on a ThinkPad X240.
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Win 10 update broke my backlight/Fn Key (X240)
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DavidGould
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2023 11:13 am
- Location: Montpellier, France
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axur-delmeria
- Senior ThinkPadder

- Posts: 4413
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
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Re: Win 10 update broke my backlight/Fn Key (X240)
Have you tried this: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/prod ... s/ds120449
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E
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DavidGould
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2023 11:13 am
- Location: Montpellier, France
Re: Win 10 update broke my backlight/Fn Key (X240)
Funnily enough, I came here to say that I had tried that -- once before I posted (but wasn't sure) and once after. I read something about how this sort of thing is a keyboard driver for the function keys.axur-delmeria wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2023 2:42 amHave you tried this: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/prod ... s/ds120449
An older version didn't help. I've yet to try uninstalling the Power Management too. Bing Chat was helpful on this, being presumably trained on MS help pages & documentation.
I apparently found a way to revert to 21H2 using DISM /Remove-Package. It didn't fix the problem and I don't think 22H2 broke it. I'll try removing a couple more packages.
I can also try to Reset my PC or I can try installing a 21H2 ISO. I suspect only the former will allow me to keep my software.
It's also possible the key is broken. It wasn't very clean under the key but the actual rubber/silicone seems to be waterproofing and sealed to the keyboard PCB. But Fn keys are non-standard and I don't know how to test it outside of Windows. The key lights up setting Fn Lock from Windows (Control Panel -> Keyboard). Also the Hotkeys service is running.
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