Dell Keyboard USB KB216 SysRq?

Question

Hello!

I have an OptiPlex 5080 with keyboard "Dell Keyboard USB KB216", very satisfied with this keyboard, which is light and flat and when i type, the buttons are soft and don't make any noise. Great one.

I use Linux operating system on this OptiPlex 5080, I had a hard crash yesterday that i wanted to use REISUB, well, all the button combinations i tried found on Google didn't give me chances to reisub my system. This keyboard has no option SysRq (as can be seen in the image), instead it have only PrintScreen which i used with different combinations of other buttons without success.

My question, does this keyboard support SysRq at all?

I have an very old OptiPlex-330 which i used his keyboard, i tested and SysRq worked wonderfully. But this keyboard is very old, noisy on buttons press, so i don't like to use it very longer.

Please give me some information about this SysRq matter. Thank you!

speedstep · Accepted Answer

@Narusegawa  Rubber Dome keyboards are very unreliable because they corrode and contacts fail. Try kungfu punching the FN key with your finger do the same with prtsc  bing bing bing bing bing 15 TIMES. Then press hard and hold FN and punch prtsc again. The real solution is a unicomp buckling spring keyboard. https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/NEWM This is a 30 year old design. They used to make keyboards for IBM.

Narusegawa · Accepted Answer

Hello glnz

Thanks for sharing your thought and action with us.

Finally i found the solution through this forum.
For Dell Keyboard USB KB216, the combination was like that:

Press/hold both Fn and Alt
Press/hold Home/Sysrq
Release Fn
Press key (REISUB) for gently restart

I tested it in a working desktop condition and it works just fine, I only have to try it when my system/kernel freeze.

A early before i found the final solution, i pay attention on the two links you posted, but didn't find anything for me, anyway thank you very much for your input and giving me a chance.

Now this totally SOLVED!
Once again to all who helped, especially XPS_Man.

speedstep · Answer

@Narusegawa  Your keyboard requires pressing and holding the blue FN key and Printscreen. sysrq is VERY specific. fn prtscrn

Narusegawa · Answer

Hi speedstep, Thanks for the advice shown with pictures, I tried it like that, pressed Fn +Insert PrintScreen released, subsequently R E I S U B. I almost tried other possible combinations but i couldn't rise reisub.

No, it does not restart unfortunately, i have to use power button from OptiPlex-5080 top-front.

On the next restart, when I change the keyboard to 2007 era OptiPlex-330 that it's exactly like 2nd photo Alt+PrtScrn/SysRq R E I S U B performed successfully.

I'm using OpenSUSE/KDE plasma

I removed all possible KDE keybinds that could conflict with those keys, the fact that it works with the old keyboard not with the newer OptiPlex-5080 Tower also that it does not have SysRq on PrintScreen button makes me suspect that it does not work? I also read on the Internet that this type of keyboard does not accept more than two combinations pressed, I hope it is not correct.

If there are other advice, I am very appreciate to read. Thanks for your help.

Narusegawa · Answer

Hello speedstep, thank you again for your help. I tried your suggestion by pressing Fn >prtsc buttons many times, releasing and continuing with R E I S U B it gave no sign of operation.

Changing the keyboard proved that it works. The last option is to buy another keyboard that should work.

glnz · Answer

Narusegawa - since you are very knowledgeable about keyboards, please take a look at my completely different issues at two links in this forum:

https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/How-to-do-Fn-Lock-on-Dell-Wireless-Keyboard-KM5221W-so-F1-F12/td-p/8245064/

and

https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/NUM-Lock-goes-on-and-off-by-itself-in-response-to-unrelated/td-p/8245066

Thanks.

Optiplex Desktops

Dell Keyboard USB KB216 SysRq?

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