Microsoft USB keyboard stops responding randomly

I have the same problem with a Wired Keyboard 600. Looks like this fault affects the entire range of Microsoft keyboards. Not surprising since they probably all use the same controller chip and firmware.

It happens to me when I am doing USB development work, plugging and unplugging devices a lot. My other keyboards are fine on this computer. When it happens the keyboard either stops responding or a key gets stuck down and repeats endlessly. It can be fixed temporarily by unplugging and re-connecting the keyboard, but after a few minutes it happens again. The only solution is to power down the PC and start up again.

I will return the keyboard to the shop and get a better one. Looks like all MS keyboards are out, which is a shame because it is actually quite a good one ergonomics wise.

Just an FYI for anyone who finds this thread while researching this problem; I'm running Windows 8.1 Enterprise, and the Ergonomic Wireless Keyboard and Mouse is still randomly failing.

I've searched long and hard for a comfortable wireless ergonomic keyboard, and I've been faithful to the Sculpt for a long time, but the fact that it's still a problem, Microsoft; are you listening? means Microcrap will not be getting more of my money.

Nope, I could not go back to a regular shaped keyboard. I've been typing on Microsoft ergonomic keyboards since the Microsoft Natural elite was released back in 1998 due to CTS in both wrists.

Now I've tried to type on regular style keyboards and it slows me down from about 96 words per minute to about 45 and gives me great stress pains in both hands and wrists.

By the way, this "issue" continues into Windows 10 as well so I have to assume it's their keyboard itself disconnecting somehow from the USB midstream.

I too also have had it where I'm typing something and the last key pressed will just continue to print out in what ever application I'm typing in.

Even with this inconvenience, I couldn't go back to a regular sized and shaped keyboard. I am very dependent on the Microsoft 4000 ergonomic keyboard at this point to keep up the productivity at work where I have to enter large amounts of data daily.

I tried the Logitech "wave" but it too slowed me down, it seems for me that the MS 4000 is the perfect layout of the keyboard for my hands/wrists/body size.

It is hard to believe that I wrote the original post in this topic back in 2009, it's now 6 years later and this issue is still around. I'm guessing that Microsoft couldn't be arsed to actually fix the issue so they just keep putting out these faulty keyboards year after year. They probably did a cost analysis on redesigning the keyboard to fix this and found it more expensive than leaving it alone and let some folks be bothered by it. If I didn't *NEED* to use this type of keyboard I would jump ship and find something else but there is little better for people with CTS than a MS ergonomic keyboard at this point.

The thing with the MS 4000 is that it feels great when right out of the package but I must admit that I need to replace mine about twice a year, sometimes as much as three times a year. After about 4 to 6 months the keys have to be pressed harder, and I do start to notice that my hands get sore faster than usual after the keyboard is "worn out" (worn out to me anyway, it's still usable but just not as good). It's also right about the same time that the letters on the keys are wearing off.

I can't tell you how many of these keyboards I've gone through but it's almost always the E R T J O keys that the letters get scrubbed off from. I'm guessing their used the most in my typing. But it's just about the time that those keys disappear from the key caps that it's time to replace the keyboard. The new ones always feel great, the key presses are so light and smooth, but after using them for 6 months I really have to press much harder.

I've definitely been searching high and low for a replacement, came across one that at first I thought was promising with mechanical keys but turns out they touted it as having 100% of standard keys in 60% of the space for $250, and what that really meant was that they left off the numberpad keys and crammed the other keys into a smaller area.

Guess I'm just stuck buying MS 4000 keyboards until something really better and as affordable comes along.

The most recent one I saw I'm pretty sure isn't a gaming keyboard:
https://www.trulyergonomic.com/store/products

In any event, while the Das keyboards look nice and all, they're unfortunately not ergonomic keyboards. It's really all about the split key that the MS 4000 keyboard has that makes it so comfortable and reduces strain on the wrists since I don't have to bend my wrists terribly like I would with a traditional keyboard.

I've always thought about this, what would really work is a traditional keyboard that has a split in the middle and allows you to slide it open more or all the way closed so that no matter how wide your arms sit from each other, you could open up the keyboard so that it fits exactly with your arms so that you don't need to bend your wrists like some have to on a traditional keyboard, that would probably be the most ergonomical solution to me, because even with the MS keyboard I still have to bend my wrists ever ever so slightly, for my size if the left half sat where it normally does and the right half was where they number pad is, it would be ultimately comfortable, of course that would mean one massively wide keyboard by the time you add back in the number pad LOL.