Microsoft USB keyboard stops responding randomly

[City Builder]

Hi,
Since I'm running Windows 7 I thought I'd try to solve this on this forum, although the problem has plagued me all through vista as well but perhaps not nearly as much as it does now in 7.

I have a Microsoft 4000 usb (wired) ergonomic "Natural" keyboard. I'll be on a forum typing up something (or in notepad, or anyplace I could possibly type) and all of a sudden the keyboard will stop responding to any key strokes. The only way to get it back to life is to logout and log back in, then the keyboard is working fine (unplugging it from the usb port works as well, although logging out and in is easier for me).

When this happens, everything else on the computer is working perfectly fine, the mouse, display etc. It's just the keyboard that basically becomes totally inop. It doesn't matter what key I press they don't respond.

It's not a matter of an older keyboard that the wires might have broken or anything like that as this is a brand new keyboard. I've been using these MS 4000 keyboards for a few years now and have to replace them every year or less due to them wearing out from my fast and excessive typing but it doesn't matter, new or old, at some point, sometimes multiple times per day the keyboard stops responding on me.

Any clues as to what might be causing this and more importantly how to prevent it from happening any further?

Thanks,

 

[RugbyHoe]

Have you installed the latest version of IntelliType for your keyboard (there's a new one to support Windows 7)? I have the same keyboard and am not having any issues using it on my Windows 7 x64 PC.

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK&type=Keyboard&sku=B2M-00012

 

[City Builder]

Yes, I tried to install it now and was told that I already have it installed, so I probably installed it when I was installing all the software and drivers when I installed Win 7.

The strange thing is that I've also had this happen on my old computer too, so it's not like it's only related to Win 7 or this particular computer.

The only commonality would be the keyboard as it's the only one I've used in several years now since I havn't been able to buy any more of their older style white keyboards.

My old computer was a home built computer and the new one is a Gateway so it's not limited to a brand of computer either that might be causing this problem. The keyboard is plugged straight into one of the USB ports on the back of the computer, NOT through any hubs either.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You could try to get a quick look at task manager when it is lagging to see if any particular processes are eating up CPU resources at that particular time.

Some applications have a setting to autosave every X number of minutes. That might be a factor--the autosave might take precedence over the keyboard. But I'd doubt that is the cause if you are seeing this everywhere, rather than in particular applications.

 

[City Builder]

Well, unfortunately it's more than a lag, it's a permakill of the keyboard, I've tried in the past to just let it sit, (once overnight) to see if it would come back to responding but it never did/does until either unplugging the keyboard, logging out and in, or rebooting the computer.

But next time it does this I'll open up task manager and see if there is anything unusual going on with perhaps the itype program or any other program for that matter.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Does this happen regardless of the USB port you are using?

I wonder if this would occur if you were plugged into a PS 2 port? I don't know if they make adapters to convert USB to PS2, but they would be cheap if they make them at all. Do you have a PS 2 port?

Look in device manager. Do you see any yellow exclamation points or question marks in the Universal Serial Bus area?

 

[jcheney09]

maybe a short in the keyboard, or your usb ports are going bad.

 

[City Builder]

Yes, it doesn't matter what usb port I plug it into, eventually it will happen again.

Yes I have a PS2 port for the keyboard on the computer, however I don't believe that this keyboard can be used in this fashion.

No yellow exclaimation marks in device manager.

Not likely to be a short, or usb ports going bad since I mentioned this has happened with another computer too, and that this keyboard is new and that I replace them on a yearly or earlier basis due to wearing out the tactile feel of the keys. Not likely to be the usb ports themselves as this has occured on another computer too as mentioned.

 

[joshb]

I'm having the exact same problem with the same keyboard. It's JUST the keyboard as I've tried other keyboards and my system responds perfectly to every other form of input. It happened in Vista and in 7. I'm running 7 Pro 64 Bit on a Dell Precision 390 with 4GB of RAM.

If anyone has any fixes or workarounds that would be great.

 

[kins39]

Hey there everyone!. I just joined because I have the same problem with Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. If your logged on to one user for a while and you log off, you can't log on again because the keyboard stops working. It doesn't matter what OS or what computer. Like the other guy said the only thing in common when this happens is the keyboard. Any other keyboard works fine. Microsoft should give out replacements for this problem. I've had the same symptoms on Windows XP.

 

[mojochan]

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.

 

[RedBoots]

Still a problem in Windows 8

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.

 

[Layback Bear]

If you want to put some joy back into your typing I would suggest one of these.

I have two of them and they do work great. They are intended for gaming. I use Blue keys.

I was getting pain in my hands and forearms while typing. The pain problem went away when I went to the Das 4 Pro keyboards.

Das Keyboard 4 Professional - Mechanical Keyboard

 

[City Builder]

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.

 

[Layback Bear]

Slowing down to 45wpm. :drool:

I have tried the MS 4000 and it was painful for me to use all the way up to my elbows.
I'm guessing it varies from person to person.
I don't know if anybody makes a MS 4000 style keyboard with mechanical keys. I have never seen one.

By the way I think you should drop by the forum a little more often to let us know you are still typing like a craze person. Doing 96 words per minute all day every day is some great typing.

If anybody makes a ergonomic keyboards with mechanical keys I would recommend try one. You won't really know the difference between a diaphragm and a mechanical keyboard until you try one.

 

[City Builder]

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.

 

[Layback Bear]

Those $250.00 keyboards are gaming keyboards.

These are typing keyboards for a lot less money.

Amazon.com: das keyboard 4 professional

Das Keyboard - Walmart.com

 

[City Builder]

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.

 

[Layback Bear]

With as many keyboards you go through $250.00 for a quality keyboard like in your post would save you money in a short time.