Windows 10: Alt and Windows keys stop working intermittently with Japanese IME installed

The Alt and Windows keys stop working Ctrl will still function from time to time on my Windows 10-based PCs 2 desktops, 1 Lenovo laptop. I have tried different keyboards, drivers, etc. and this issue persists. I've tried both PS/2 and USB keyboards with no difference.


The 3 computers have different hardware and software installed each one is used for a different purpose; the only thing that I've found all 3 share are:

1. Google Chrome
2. MS Office different versions though
3. Slack
4. Spotify
5. Japanese IME installed

Sometimes I need to do remote work via virtual machine/remote desktop, and while the alt/win keys do not work on my physical PC, they will work perfectly fine in the remote desktop instance.


Therefore I do not believe this is a hardware issue especially since it is occurring across 3 machines with different keyboards, so it must be software-related. The only software that really configures/alters keyboard input would be IME, so I am thinking that is the culprit.


I've tried to Google this issue but so far nothing I've come across has worked, nor has anyone made the correlation between IME and these issues.


I'm hoping someone with more technical knowledge might be able to figure out why IME will sometimes interfere with the alt/win keys. It will occur even when I have not switched to JP input at all throughout the day.


Two of the three machines have Windows 10 Pro 64-bit running; one has Win10 Home 64-bit.


Thanks in advance!

:)

 

Switching Japanese Windows with English menus

Yes, I do mean those keys. I tried just switching to Japanese keyboard, as you suggested, but those keys didn't work. Also, the selection key is normally the spacebar in Japan but I could only get IME to work with the Tab key (for those who aren't familiar with Japanese typing: you type in Roman characters, then press a selection key and it steps you through a list of options for the word you are typing in Japanese characters). Did you get the special keys to work as they do in native Japanese mode?

It may well be that I was missing something, although I did try every option I could think of. In any event, as I said, I gave in and now have Japanese Windows running with English menus and everything seems to be working perfectly.
Thanks,

Mike

 

Japanese IME Not Working

I use Japanese on and off and have been working in the past. At some point it stopped working. When switch to Japanese, the 'A' isn't there like it used to be and there is not option to switch to hiragana, kana as it is not there anymore.

I have tried all the shortcuts, uninstall Japanese language pack, and replaced some files in the IME folder from a working Windows 10 pc (virtual box).

I am running 1903 and Windows update is up to date.

 

Windows 10: Japanese IME Not Working

Windows Current Version: Windows 10, 1909 18363.592

The Japanese IME used to work and now it doesn't. It had stopped working a few OS versions back. I have tried reinstalling by removing the Japanese language pack and installing back again. When I select (winkey+space), I see the IME icon, but the method (A) is missing.

I have removed all the language packs inside the IME folder and tried to install the Japanese again. Windows says it has successfully installed the language pack; however, when I look inside the IME folder, all I see is the English pack. Another thing I had tried is to copy and paste an existing IME folder from a different Windows 10 pc , but that doesn't work either.

I think the issue is that IME isn't fully installed even though it doesn't give me an error when I install it.

This is what I have inside my IME folder.




Missing method (A) icon.