Solved Possible to retain driver across install/remove cycle for keyboard?

[needsleep]

I have an Apple Extended USB keyboard that I plug in when I need to be quiet with the spouse sleeping nearby. It takes about 3 minutes to install the drivers when the machine senses a new keyboard using Windows Update. Is there a way that I could preserve the drivers installed, so it didn't have to search every time?

Thanks,

 

[Mellon Head]

It shouldn't have to re-install the driver each time you plug it in. Are you plugging it into the same USB port every time?

 

[needsleep]

Oh, I didn't know about using the same port. I can easily do that. I'm plugging it into an 8-port USB hub.

These are the steps it takes in this order:
1. Generic USB Hub - loads fast - couple seconds
2. USB Composite Device - loads almost as fast - 5 seconds
3. USB Input Device - loads slower - 45 seconds to find it; goes through a brief
intermediate step, then completes.
4. Apple Extended USB Keyboard - loads the slowest; one minute.

 

[Mellon Head]

I wouldn't use the keyboard in a hub if I could help it, and I would always use the same port on the computer to plug it in to. It seems kind of counter intuitive, but in my experience, once a driver has been loaded for a given port, replugging the device into it means that Windows doesn't have to go through the laborious process of finding a new driver for the device. However, if you plug it into another port, it will try to load the driver from Windows update again. No telling what happens with a USB port hub.

Just to confirm the experience, I plugged in a device into every port on one of my lab machines at work. Each new port had to find the driver, but once I had gone through all of the ports, plugging in the device was quick and easy, with no driver location or update from WU.

 

[needsleep]

Mellon Head was right in the aspect of using the same port every time. I continue to use my USB 8-port hub, as it moves the ports closer to the keyboard. The Apple Extended USB Keyboard seems to me, has an unusually short cord on it. Probably they expected you to plug it into a port on the monitor. Having no such port on my monitor, I need to stretch to my tower. That's underneath the desk, way too far for that cord to reach.

Thank you, Mellon Head, for suggesting dedicating the same port for this keyboard. Despite your reservations about using a USB hub, it works great!!!

 

[Mellon Head]

Excellent. I'm glad it worked out for you.