The spacebar on my new microsoft keyboard 4000 is acting crazy, but why?

[Prankmaster]

This Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 keyboard (wired) is practically new, less than a month old, and today out of nowhere when using Ubuntu the spacebar stops working.

At first I thought it might be the occasional bug, so I did the usual logout/login, then disconnect/connect the keyboard, and finally rebooting. NOTHING, it was still dead.

So I booted to Windows 7, same problem, so I long-press the spacebar hoping it will react, and it did: once I released it the text started to move..........and it never stopped, as if somehow the key was stuck or I was holding it down, but neither was the case, like a very long delay effect.

Everything else in the keyboard works fine, so I really don't know if this could be a software/firmware issue or a hardware one.

Any ideas? has anyone here have the same problems? I did find some comments about stuck/stiff spacebars but nothing like this

MS customer support has been useless, I was thinking about RMA'd it but if the new unit fails again thats it, I might not get another and I can't afford one of those other expensive ergo keyboards.

 

[fralexandr]

did you try connecting it to a different usb port?
if you connect it to a different port, it will reinstall the drivers for it.

 

[corkyg]

If that doesn't work, it is new enough to exchange it for one that works.

 

[Prankmaster]

Yes I tried that in both OSs but it keeps doing it, and as I said its almost brand new so I can get a new one, but what if the new one has the same problem?

I had a MS Elite before and the thing was build like a tank, nearly indestructible

 

[lenjack]

Did you spill soda on the keyboard? )

 

[corkyg]

Odds are quite high that you got a lemon, and a new one will be OK. If possible, take it to the dealer and have them connect it to one of their systems and see if the problem persists. Then you know it is the keyboard.

 

[Prankmaster]

Did you spill soda on the keyboard? )

Nope, didn't fall off the desk either, it had 2 weeks of use and then boom goes the spacebar

 

[Mushkins]

Did you eat anything over the keyboard. 99% of the time I see this exact type of erratic key behavior it's because someone got some gunk in their laptop keyboard and its wedged between the membrane and the key, either causing no "press" when you push it or a constant signal because it's pinched down.

Blow some compressed air under the key. If it doesn't help you can carefully pry the key off and see if theres anything jammed in there (watch some youtube videos of your specific keyboard so you dont break the key!!!).

Doesn't matter if the keyboard is brand new, if you're chomping down on a bagel over it on day one

 

[Prankmaster]

OK so I talked with MS customer service and they are sending a new one as we speak.

But I tried to fix it and I managed to do it! and I also found out that the hell was wrong with it.

As I said before this thing is brand new, it still has that new keyboard smell, and I didn't drop it, eat over it or spilled anything on it.

The spacebar just stopped working for no reason whatsoever

So since I was getting a new one I decided to open the faulty unit, which took a lot of work at first since the thing has a bazillon screws, crappy ones that break btw so be careful and don't overscrew them.

The spacebar assembly is IMO unnecessary complicated, and there lies the problem: because of the mechanism it seems MS decided to lubricate it, and some of it (I'm guessing its liquid silicone but I'm not sure) seeped into the membrane and into the flexible circuit board.

After very carefully removing as much lubricant as I could without damaging the circuits I plugged it in and guess what? it's alive! I'm writing this with the same keyboard!

Couple of observations: MS has really dropped the ball with the quality on this thing, I had an Elite keyboard for over 13 years and the thing was built like a fucking tank! nearly indestructible, while this POS didn't last a week, and I'm hearing a lot of other complaints about this model.

The membrane is crap, I noticed that its breaking apart in one button so I jury-rigged it and hope for the best. Fortunately is for one of the app buttons which I barely use, else it would be real bad news.

I will keep using this one and keep the new one as a spare (after testing it to see if it even works or if I'm getting a new lemon) until it breaks again and if I can't fix.

Overall I'm disappointed: MS' Natural keyboards were always top-notch and incredible well designed. The 4000 seemed like an evolution of those designs with a number of improvements, but at the end of the day its actually a downgrade disguised as more upscale-looking model.

 

[dbailey]

Glad to hear you got it fixed... awesome. I'm typing on mine right now, which was made in like 2004 or something.. still awesome. Have 2 more at home... so hopefully you just got a lemon.

 

[calvolson]

I signed up just to say thanks. Right out of the box mine was stuck. I put a small screwdriver down in the hole and carefully moved it around the membrane to clean it up and it's working great now, so thanks!

 

[Prankmaster]

Hey calvolson, glad the solution worked for you

However I got some bad news: the spacebar failed again, but fortunately the tech support people for microsoft hardware were cool about it and sent me a new one, so my advice is to call them ASAP before it fails again.

 

[bononos]

......
Overall I'm disappointed: MS' Natural keyboards were always top-notch and incredible well designed. The 4000 seemed like an evolution of those designs with a number of improvements, but at the end of the day its actually a downgrade disguised as more upscale-looking model.

MS is finally extracting value from its popular models.

 

[Prankmaster]

MS is finally extracting value from its popular models.

Well they better cut the crap because I'm not taking it