Microsoft Natural Egonomic Keyboard 4000

[billjones99]

This is a USB keyboard. I've had this keyboard for about 9 months now. A
few days ago, I noticed that some F keys were malfunctioning. For example,
F2 in Windows Explorer or Excel no longer allows me to edit a file name or
Excel entry. And F5 does not refresh but instead presents a file open window.

I searched out installed the latest driver but this did not help the
problems.

I tried having the keyboard controlled by the BIOS and by the OS (BIOS
setting). Didn't matter which setting I chose and made no difference.

I have plugged in a PS2 keyboard for testing. It does not have any problems
and the F2/F5 keys perform normally.

Any ideas?

 

[Cathy Moya [MS]]

Yeah, it's the F-lock key thing. Look for a key on your keyboard that says F
Lock. When it's toggled ON you get the F1 keys like edit and refresh, and
when it's toggled OFF you get the alternate keys like undo and open file.
One some keyboards you can see a little pop up near the clock in the
taskbar. On others you have to look at the light on the hockey puck
transceiver. I can never remeber which state is on or off, and on my home
keyboard I have to toggle it to get my print screen working, so I usually
just flounder around a bit until I get it to the state I want. ;-)

Hope that helps!

--
Cathy Moya
Microsoft Hardware User Experience

www.microsoft.com/hardware
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties and confers no rights.

 

[billjones99]

Wow, yes that was it. I found the little F-Lock key next to the F12 key.
It's a toggle key. Toggling it turned on the light on the keyboard for the
"F" indicator. Must have hit the key and turned it off without noticing.

Thanks!