I have a Surface Go tablet that I switched over to Linux a while back, and just came across a problem that I don’t know how to approach. I use an iDataLink Maestro module in my car to make an aftermarket stereo do what I want it to do. I want to check for a firmware update on it, but the management software tool is windows or mac only.

So I installed WINE and the PlayonLinux front end. I successfully installed the tool (Weblink) but the keyboard doesn’t work so I can’t log into it. The trackpad works though, and this is a directly connected keyboard/trackpad, so for one to work but not the other seems weird. I can find threads about non-functional keyboards with some games, but I honestly don’t understand the guidance being dished out.

How can I troubleshoot and fix this keyboard issue?

  • @[email protected]English
    28•1 month ago

    Wine doesn’t support USB. Unless the peripheral connects over a serial or parallel port, you will have to use a virtual machine.

    • @[email protected]OP
      14•1 month ago

      It definitely requires a USB connection between the computer and the Maestro unit. Shoot, didn’t know USB was unsupported and was hoping to avoid a VM just due to the extra space required. Looks like I have to though, thanks for the help.

    • @[email protected]English
      6•1 month ago

      The S in USB is serial.

      But OP didn’t provide much detail on the device, hardware, software, or communication method. A VM is probably easier.

      • @[email protected]OP
        5•1 month ago

        Didn’t realize this, shoot. The VM will take more space than I really like, but I guess I can remove it when I’m done.

        • @[email protected]
          1•1 month ago

          You could try tunneling usb from the host into wine with usbip, but I have a feeling that this wouldn’t work

    • @[email protected]
      3•1 month ago

      yeah, had the same deal with Xiaomi’s unlock tool. no WINE, no VM, bare-metal Windows only. oh yeah, doesn’t even work on Ryzens, has to be Intel, like wtfff…

      • LiveLMEnglish
        3•1 month ago

        Doesn’t work on Ryzens??? Is that recent? Because I did unlock on my Zen+ system just fine back in '22

      • @DampCanary
        2•1 month ago

        I unlocked my POCO f4 pro less than year ago on Windows 10 Pro and Ryzen 5 5600X without a hich.

    • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppetEnglish
      2•1 month ago

      What? My keyboard and mouse both work on wine apps on my desktop Arch system. Although I used Lutris, and not wine on its own.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•1 month ago

        Software running in Wine is not accessing your mouse or keyboard directly, so it doesn’t matter how they are connected as long as they work in Linux.

        • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppetEnglish
          1•1 month ago

          But you’re saying that other external devices will need to access the device directly through USB, and Wine doesn’t support the pass-through?