HP Wireless Keyboard, special key problem

I use HP Wireless Keyboard (model 5187-4441), working via USB-plugged receiver. The keyboard has some useful special keys (for example: mute & volume control), which, at the moment, do not work.

Some of the keys, those that can't be reconfigured, work, but they do not display any messages on the screen when they're being used, as they used to do. The reconfigurable ones do not work at all. Otherwise the keyboard works fine.

This is probably a software related problem, as in the keyboard settings of the control panel there's no keys displayed on the key configuration interleaf. The list of configurable keys is empty, but it used to be full.

If I try to switch some of the advanced setting of the keyboard (for example: there's an option to state that Internet connection is available, for the network related special keys to work), rundll displays the following message (originally in Finnish, sorry for the poor translation):
"Exception when trying to execute program shell32.exe, Control_RunDLL 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\main.cpl",Keyboard".

This happens even if I terminate all the excess processes running at the moment.

I've tried to reinstall the original keyboard drivers, but it was of no use. I've also tried to locate updated drivers, but it seems that HP does not offer any updates for this model.

My operating system is Windows XP Home.

I doubt that my other-than-keyboard-hardware has anything to do with this, so I won't post the specs for now. I don't know if this could be caused by some software that I've installed. On the other hand, I haven't installed much of anything during the period when the problems started.

Does this driver support your hardware?
HP Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Mouse Applet
version 1.15 (6 Feb 04)

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi...oad/18714.html

as to the .cpl error it look like you have a control panel icon file that is either corrupt or missing.You could try searching for this keyboard.cpl file and delete it from your system then either extract it from the install files or just do a total reinstall of the software to see if it cures the problem.

Yeah, it looks as if the "Keyboard" control panel applet has been corrupted by the messup between different types of kb's. You can try "safe mode" and remove your kb from Device Manager, and then boot up and allow XP to rediscover your wireless k/b and them update with Archer's driver.
PS
Personally, I never liked all those xtra buttons on kb's and never use them: and then you get into the xtra software to make those keys usable. Yeah: just one more potential problem waiting to happen.

Archer: The drivers you mentioned did not fix the problem, but after uninstalling them and reinstalling the old ones (again) the keys began to work again...

Well, nevertheless, thank you :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TripleRLtd

Personally, I never liked all those xtra buttons on kb's and never use them: and then you get into the xtra software to make those keys usable. Yeah: just one more potential problem waiting to happen.

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Yeah, well... sometimes it seems that mostly this type of stuff is designed not so much for using but primarily for selling.

But now I have another problem; because the drivers work? The keyboard came with a wireless mouse, which has been in use for a week and a half, and it is already crying about changing the batteries. Is this normal? I do use this PC quite a lot and thefore the mouse is in use several hours per day, but I thought the batteries would last at least a month.

And though it notices me about changing the batteries, the mouse seems to work fine at the moment. Actually the notice occured few days ago for the first time, and the mouse has been working fine regardless of the notice. I disabled the "remind me later option" though. I wonder if it could have messed up my keyboard's functions...

Edit: What's even funnier, now the driver informs me about batteries though I choose it to not remind me later. The window just pops out and remind me later is toggled although I turned it off 30 seconds ago.

The batteries and notification for the mouse messing with the kb? Unlikely. Is this one of those wireless "packages" from logitech or someone else? Sometimes the install is a package as well. So, you never know.
Batteries? Well, this is going to be like printers: where the printer makers make all their money on ink. Now, all your money is going to be going to batteries. Sorry, but think about it like this: what if you had a flashlight (or torch if you're from somewhere else) you used that ofter? How often would you need to change the batteries?

I know what you mean parsifal about the batteries thyey never seen to last long these days :D
It could be because they are the ones that were prepackaged with the system and have beem sat on the shelf who knows how long.Have a look in your manual to check if it supports rechargables as this is the most economical way to reload them.
Im fortunate the wireless mouse I have always has a set on charge in the reciever module so when the warning comes up I just swap them over and as you say about four weeks or so should be a good use out of them.This said I have a wireless keyboard her thats never had a replacement battery since I got it some four months or more ago.