Troubleshooting Tips and Techniques

Note:
In these answers we will follow a few shorthand conventions for describing user-interface procedures. Key combinations will be presented like this: Ctrl+Alt+Delete, which means that you should press and hold down the Ctrl key, the Alt key, and the Delete key at the same time. It is usually important to press them in order (e.g. press Ctrl first, then add Alt, and finally add Del).

· Contoured Keyboard Problems
· Programmable USB Footswitch Problems
· Freestyle Keyboard Problems

Contoured Keyboard Problems

· Dead key
· Advantage keyboard not working after Windows computer goes to sleep mode
· How to turn off tones/click on contoured keyboard
· Embedded keypad doesn't work:  numlock off
· Shift, Ctrl, or Alt seems to be stuck
· Computer won't boot
· Row or cluster of keys not working on Contoured keyboard
· Unknown problem ("weird behavior") with contoured keyboard
· Known compatibility problems

1. Dead Key
If you are using a programmable keyboard, determine if the key is producing the wrong character or if it is electrically dead. If you have a programmable product, try to reset the memory which may fix the problem.

For example, with a programmable contoured keyboard (Classic, Ergo Elan, Professional, Advantage), you can do a global reset or simply enter remapping mode, press the key in question and see if the rate at which the keyboards lights flash slows down. If so, press the key again (lights will change to flashing quickly), then exit from programming mode.  This may have fixed the problem (you just remapped the key to its factory setting).

If the key seems totally dead (no electrical click, can't be programmed), the switch could be defective or (more likely) it was not unsoldered well or (possibly) the circuit board to which the switch is attached is defective.  Contact Kinesis technical support.

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2. Advantage keyboard not working after Windows computer goes to sleep mode

We have learned of a widely reported problem with Windows operating systems (XP & Vista) using third party keyboards (even though the problem has been reported with the Microsoft Natural keyboard as well) where the keyboard does not function after the computer enters sleep or hibernation mode. Fortunately there is a easy solution:

Go to Start-Settings-Control Panel, double click Keyboard. Click the Hardware Tab, highlight the "HID Keyboard device" and select Properties. Click Power Management. UNCHECK the box that says "Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby." Click OK. Now when your computer goes to standby or sleep mode, you will simply need to wake the computer by moving your pointing device. Your keyboard should now work perfectly fine.

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3. How to turn off tones/click on contoured keyboard
Recent keyboards (Model 120 and newer). Press and hold the Progrm key and briefly press and release the hyphen/underline key (just below the "Keypad" key) to turn off tones.  Press and release the pipes/backslash key to turn off keyclick.  Note for The Essential:  since these keyboards do not have a memory chip, you will have to reconfigure them each time you reboot your computer.

Model 100, Model 110 keyboards. Only the tone can be turned off.  Turn on the keypad and hold the Progrm key while briefly pressing and releasing the hyphen/underscore key.

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4. Embedded keypad doesn't work (numlock is off)
The most common cause of problems with the embedded numeric keypad is that Num lock is turned off. Num lock can only be turned on or off when the embedded keypad is active.  Num lock is normally on when most computers boot, and can be configured in the computers bios setup screen.

With a Kinesis contoured keyboard, press the keypad button to turn on the embedded keypad.  To change the state of Num lock, press the number row "7" key (Num Lk is printed on the front face).  Normally the keyboard will beep twice and the keyboard light next to the "1" will illuminate when Num lock is turned on.  The keyboard will beep once and the light will go out when Num lock is turned off.

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5. Shift (or Ctrl or Alt) seems to be stuck
Usually this happens when the computer thinks a modifier key is still pressed when it really isn't. Normally this is fixed by pressing both the left and right modifier key.   If the problem persists, please contact Kinesis technical support.

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6. Computer won't boot
Check keyboard connections. Make sure the keyboard is connected directly to a PS/2 or USB port on the computer, depending on which model you're using. If you're using a non-Kinesis PS/2 to USB adaptor, it may not be compatible. For the best results, we suggest to use a Kinesis adaptor.

If you have ruled out the adapter cable, try connecting to a different computer (preferably a different brand and/or model) if possible.

7. Row or cluster of keys not working on Contoured keyboard.

If your keyboard has a serial number starting with a "5" or below, it could be possible that the side of the keyboard (keywell) with the failed keys has become slightly loose from the main circuit board causing one or more of the traces on that side to lose contact.

The best solution is to contact Kinesis Technical Support to setup a repair, however if you're willing to open the keyboard we can also provide step-by-step instructions on how to reset the keywell.

8. Weird behavior with contoured keyboard
Stuck modifier key. Sometimes the computer misses the upstroke from keys that are held down in key combinations.   The result is a "stuck" key.  Try pressing both Shift keys, both Ctrl keys, and both Alt keys. If this problem happens to your contoured keyboard more than once every few weeks, you may need a firmware upgrade or new main circuit board. 

Check your firmware version (serial numbers 20,000 and higher). Open a text editor other than Microsoft Word (e.g notepad, wordpad or equivalent). Press both Shift keys plus F12. The keyboard will produce a sentence which ends with the firmware version number and version date, such as:
        copyright 1986 - 1998 by interfatron-bbc, ltd., rev 2.48 08/13/98.

Circuit board may need replacement. If your contoured keyboard was built before April, 1998, it may need a new main circuit board. The old boards look brown if you look past the thumb keys at the underlying circuit board.  The new circuit boards look green with a gold grid. 

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9. Known compatibility problems: Compaq Presario Computers
Compaq Presario computers, using programmable contoured keyboards. New! Solutions available!
Recent models of the Compaq Presario may "corrupt" the memory chip in the Classic, Professional, and Ergo Elan programmable keyboards. Within minutes, hours or days of beginning the use the keyboard, individual keys will fail to produce the correct output. Drivers associated with Compaq's multimedia keyboard features are inadvertently addressing the Kinesis keyboard's memory chip. There are several ways to solve the problem.

Best. Disable support for Compaq multimedia keyboard.
Note: Kinesis cannot be responsible for maintaining or fixing problems with the configuration of your computer.  We offer this information in good faith as accurate and safe to the best of our knowledge. You may wish to contact Compaq technical support or other computer support professional if you are not comfortable or confident in performing these changes by yourself. 

You will need to use the Compaq keyboard to change the computer's settings, then reconnect your Kinesis keyboard and reset its memory.  These notes assume you are using Windows 95/98.  If you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete one time, you will open the "Close Program" box which shows most applications and utilities which are actively running.  You will probably see "Bttnserv" and "Cpqeadm" which are the drivers responsible for Kinesis keyboard problems.   The instructions below show how to disable these so they don't run on startup.   Note that it is not sufficient to use "End Task" to close the applications.

1. Click "Start" button, select "Run," type msconfig in the run box and hit "Enter" or click "Ok". Your "system configuration utility" will run, offering you a screen with many tabs.  You may wish to create a backup using the offered buttons before making any changes.
2.  Select the tab labled "Startup."  Scroll down the list of options until you see "CPQ Easyaccess Button Support" or a similar description.   Click the box to deselect this item.
3.  Also deselect the item "EACLEAN."
4.  Select "Apply" and click "Ok" to close this screen.  You will be asked to restart.  While you don't have to agree to restart at this time, you must use the shut down process to turn off your computer, then connect your Kinesis keyboard and restart before you can use your Kinesis keyboard.
5.  Once you have restarted the system with your Kinesis keyboard attacked, use the mouse to run a text editor such as Wordpad (e.g. Start->Programs->Accessories).   Test your keyboard to see if it is working.  If not, you will need to reset its memory after "unscrambling" the keys used in the reset process.

For most systems, the above procedure should provide a fully functional Kinesis keyboard.  If you have continuing problems, you may need additional help from Compaq technical support.  If you are comfortable working "under the hood" of your system, it should be sufficient to temporarily "remove" the default keyboard using the Control Panel->System->Device Manager screen.  Expand and highlight the "keyboard" selection (it will probably say "Standard 101/102-key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard."  Click the "Remove" button (don't worry--Windows will reinstall it automatically when you restart).

Alternative One.  Purchase USB adapter (must have Windows 98 and usb port):
The USB adapter offers additional benefits, but it will provide a fully functional, programmable contoured keyboard without disabling Compaq's multmedia keyboard features.  

Alternative Two. Requires memory locking feature on keyboard.
If the memory locking feature is enabled, your keyboard will perform normally.   However, you probably will not be able to unlock it and customize the keyboard without temporarily connecting the keyboard to a different computer.  The memory locking feature is standard on Kinesis' Professional keyboard models, and can be added as an upgrade feature to other programmable models (factory modifications or a new main circuit board are required).

Alternative Three.  Remove memory chip(s) from keyboard.
This option is only feasible if you don't need to customize your keyboard.  You will still be able to set your repeat rate using the keyboard, and turn off keyclicks and toggle tones.  However, these settings will not be remembered when you turn off your computer.  While you will not invalidate your warranty by attempting this, Kinesis may charge you to repair damage caused by you in performing this specific process.

Your programmable keyboard has either one or two small memory chips mounted in sockets on the main circuit board inside the keyboard.  To access these, you must remove the six screws holding the top and bottom cases together (be sure you have unplugged the keyboard from your computer). Ground yourself by touching the computer chassis or other metallic object before touching the memory chip. You can remove the chip(s) with a chip puller or tiny flat-bladed screw driver. Try not to touch the pins on the chip.   Store it in a static-protected environment if you plan to reinstall it later.

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 Programmable USB Footswitch Problems:

10. Known compatibility problems:
This product has had compatibilty problems reported with following keyboards:
· Dell keyboard, model RT7B5GTW
· SK-6000 keyboard (built-in touchpad)

11.  Savant footswitch won't program on a Mac
The Savant Programming driver is only compatible with Windows operating systems, however it can be programmed on your Mac by using Bootcamp and Parallels.

With Bootcamp: Simply boot your computer into Windows XP. Download and install the programming driver and program the footswitch while in Windows. Once you boot-up in Mac OS. X the footswitch will function exactly as it was programmed to do.

With Parallels: When you're in Windows via Parallels, you can download the driver, install, and program the footswitch. Once you exit Parallels, the footswitch will operate in Mac OS. X as it was programmed to.

  Freestyle Keyboard Problems:

12.  Freestyle keyboard not recognized on boot up

We have found this type of problem with a small percentage of computers, most common seems to be certain Dell desktop computers. The problem seems to be related to the computer's power supply and/or motherboard bios, since the keyboard has passed all Windows testing and USB.org testing for compatibility. There are a couple of solutions to fix this problem:

We have found that plugging the keyboard into a USB hub solves the problem. If the monitor has USB ports, the keyboard could be plugged in there also. If you do not have a USB hub, please contact Kinesis Tech Support and we can send you a hub at no charge.

We have also developed a modification to the keyboard's circuit board which fixes the problem, however we would need the keyboard returned to Kinesis in order to modify the circuit board. If you're interested, please contact Kinesis Tech Support.

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