Windows 7: Wireless keyboard suddenly stopped working altogether

Hello,

hopefully I have titled this post properly....

I have been using Win 7 Home Premium on a new build PC for about two months now. I initially used a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse with a Logitech unifying receiver. I type close to a hundred words a minute, and it was having a hard time keeping up with me, or so it seemed. The mouse also has to be right next to the back of the tower (which is on the floor beside my chair about two feet max from the right of the desk where I prefer to have the mouse, being right handed), in order to work without noticeable lag.

I tried using it with it plugged in to recharge constantly; made no difference. Eventually, I switched to a MS keyboard and mouse. No difference at all. I was still using those right up until this morning, when I threw the keyboard across the room with some venom. (You will see why.)

I didn't shut down my PC when I went to bed last night. Got up this morning, replied to a couple of things on Facebook and updated my status. Went to reply to someone else's status and bang! - my keyboard is not working at all. I checked every key. I reinstalled the drivers. I disconnected and reconnected. Rebooted the PC several times. Threw keyboard across room; picked up keys and battery cover and popped all back into place. Reinstalled Logitech mouse and keyboard with a new unifying receiver.

My keyboard still does not work. The mouse does. I can open web pages and new wordpad pages but cannot type a single letter. I am typing this on my husband's PC as he is at work. He is also running Win 7 HP and has had no issues at all; his PC was also built by him almost two years ago, he updated his OS recently and everything has worked fine (apart from IE 9 being a waste of space, but we all know that already.)

I use Google Chrome.

The motherboard is an Asus with the latest Phenom (4? it was the latest, as of three months ago, I think!)It says M4A87TD EVO on the front of the handbook.

Help?! Please?

Seeing as the batteries fell out did you try fresh ones?

Yes - I had to, I couldn't find the batteries. The keyboard hit the aquarium cabinet and sort of fell apart.

I then went back to the Logitech stuff rather than the MS stuff I swapped it for. Initially the keyboard seemed a little better, but now neither works.

I have a USB extension block somewhere, I am going to try that and see if it works any better. I should probably add that I am not usually prone to violence!

Edit: cannot find the hub. The wireless mouse works fine; I can do anything at all with that. I just flat out cannot get the keyboard to work whatsoever: neither the Logitech nor the MS keyboard.

Hi V frustrated. Welcome to the Forum.

The biggest problem people have with wireless components is signal interference/signal degradation. This is caused by other wireless devices or devices that produce an electromagnetic field that extends into the space between the device and the receiver. The most common culprits:

• Wireless speakers
• Computer power supplies
• Computer monitors
• Cellular telephones
• Cordless telephones
• Garage door openers

You can also get weird interference when using the devices on metal surfaces.

If you are sure there are no other devices that could be interfering with the keyboard and mouse then you could try resetting the devices.
If your wireless devices are more high end they will have the capability to be resynchronized. See here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/838398

If there is no synch option then my approach would be to completely uninstall the receiver from Control Panel > Remove Programs and/or the Device Manager, restart the computer, find and download the most current version of the driver, and install everything fresh with the newer driver.

And check the batteries again (try a new set). It is not unheard of for batteries to be dead in the package.

Thanks for that! Had to install new batteries in the keyboard as the old ones flew off somewhere when the battery compartment cover flew off on impact with the aquarium cabinet. (Thankfully I aimed low and didn't hit the glass - 240 litres of water on the floor would have made a nasty mess.)

Nothing has changed at all; no new devices, nothing. And it was literally seconds after I posted on Facebook that I went to reply to someone else and - nothing. No response to keystrokes whatsoever.

The Logitech keyboard I switched back to is backlit, and the light comes on behind the keys when I touch them; the keys just don't register anything when I try to type. The PC solutions centre reckoned my USB 3.0 driver was needing updated, so after a lot of faffing about I managed to download that and install it via a thumb drive. No joy.

I'm currently doing an upgrade of Win 7 using the original disk. If that doesn't work I don't know what to do.

My husband is not impressed to hear that I threw his spare keyboard across the room!

You could also try using the receiver in a USB 2.0 port.

There is no practical advantage to using USB3 speeds with keyboards and mice. And they're still working out the kinks with USB3 drivers. Worth a shot.

Thanks again.

I just stick the USB unifying thingy in a USB port and don't really know or care if it happens to be 2.0 or 3.0.

A wired keyboard works.

The wireless mouse has not stopped working. The wireless keyboard responds to touch by lighting up but hitting the keys has no effect whatsoever otherwise: I can't even turn on CAPSLOCK or start the calculator, for example.

Is there any way I could have hit a funny combination of keys and turned off the transmitter in my keyboard? If so, how do I make it work again? I read all the advice about pairing up devices and what not and it sailed over my head. I think I've done all of that anyway already, but I am getting sorely confused!

Are you using the unifying receiver in a rear USB port or a front USB port?

Have you checked in device manager to see if any USB ports are wanting a driver?

Do you have the latest chipset drivers installed?

Have you checked the bottom of the wireless keyboard to see if it is switched on?

You might also want to download and install the latest Logitech unifying software.

Get Unifying software

You can try plugging the unifying 'thingy' into any other USB port to test, and you can try them all. You are just trying to eliminate the USB port as a cause.

A key combination disabling the keyboard is a good idea. But I would think that if you disconnected all power (removed the batteries - ha ha) it would have reset to defaults anyway. No chance you have a manual?

The thing that is confusing the issue is that 2 keyboards don't work, and different brands too. And the fact now that the mouse is OK is curious. It leads me to believe it has to be something about the location or how you are using it. And there is always the possibility that you just got unlucky and have 2 defective keyboards.

Wish I could be more help, but I do not use wireless keyboards or mice for this reason. Just more !#&@ that can go wrong!

Thanks for the further ideas! Am currently using a slightly knackered old Logitech wired keyboard.

I tried every port, front and back. There are LOTS. Tried both MS and Logitech USB transmitter things in them all. Separately, of course. It doesn't make a difference. Just rebooting again as I have new batteries in the Logitech now (it wanted NIHM ones, so it has them.)