Question Windows Key Not Opening Windows Start Menu

[Gamefreaknet]

Hi. Just recently my Windows key stopped working so I tried searching and came across an article from Microsoft about some solutions that can be done to fix this. One of the top fixes was "apply pending updates" which my PC did have. After updating to:

Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎06/‎10/‎2022
OS build 22621.819
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22636.1000.0

Clicking on the Windows Taskbar button opened the start menu however the key still didn't work. I decided to go to task manager (with admin priviliges) and it turned out that SearchHost.exe was Suspended/Stopped however right clicking it didn't present me the option to set it to "Running". In the article by Microsoft it did mention that doing "End Task" on the process would "reset" it so it would run normally however when I monitored it in Task Manager it seemed that by me pressing the Windows Key triggered it to be set to Suspended (I didn't test this with other keys however).
I decided to then run the Troubleshooter (built in Windows settings) and even with SearchHost.exe still listed as suspended it came up with "no issues were detected/present".
The only other solution I can think of would be the Windows Powershell Reset Script however that is listed as going back to Windows 10 Version 1903 (not Windows 11) from 2019...

Any solutions to fix this?

 

[Colif]

have you tried this?

right click start
choose Terminal (admin) - if it doesn't open as Powershell, click the drop down arrow in title row and pick from list

copy/paste this command into window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth
and press enter
Then type SFC /scannow
and press enter
Restart PC if SFC fixes any files as some fixes require a restart to be implemented

is it the actual key? has keyboard got 2 win keys? some do

 

[Colif]

i can't say i ever seen it lock keyboard before.
its not meant to lock the keyboard

run sfc after it finishes. not while its running.
Sorry, i thought that was obvious... maybe not.

 

[Gamefreaknet]

have you tried this?

right click start
choose Terminal (admin) - if it doesn't open as Powershell, click the drop down arrow in title row and pick from list

copy/paste this command into window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth
and press enter
Then type SFC /scannow
and press enter
Restart PC if SFC fixes any files as some fixes require a restart to be implemented

is it the actual key? has keyboard got 2 win keys? some do

Okay... So it came up with "Windows Resource Protection Found Some Corrupt Files and Successfully Fixed Them........" however when I tried using the Window key again it still didn't work. My keyboard only has 1 Windows key (left side next to "Ctrl" and "FN"

 

[sizzling]

Some keyboards have a lock function that can turn the Windows key function on/off. What keyboard is it?

 

[Colif]

what keyboard are you using?

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...thing-on/0c796f79-0aa8-466e-ab44-802005d1791b

 

[Gamefreaknet]

what keyboard are you using?

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...thing-on/0c796f79-0aa8-466e-ab44-802005d1791b

Inbuilt Alienware laptop keyboard. Been going for around 2 years now

 

[Gamefreaknet]

Also I can confirm it isn't Windows now... I just tested with an external keyboard (USB) and when I used the Windows key on that keyboard it worked

 

[Colif]

Just press FN + F6 to lock or unlock the Windows key !

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware/15-R3-Windows-Start-Key-Requires-FN/td-p/6192498

Windows Key Does Not Respond on Gaming Laptops | Dell Australia

 

[Gamefreaknet]

Just press FN + F6 to lock or unlock the Windows key !

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware/15-R3-Windows-Start-Key-Requires-FN/td-p/6192498

Windows Key Does Not Respond on Gaming Laptops | Dell Australia

Okay ye thanks it works now....