Windows 7 Multimedia Keyboard Programming

Don Madsen

New Member
I have been using a Vista Computer which came with a multimedia keyboard. The multimedia keys can be easily programmed in the Keyboard item in the Control Panel. This works very well and lets me choose Eudora for the email program and call up the Character Map with the Calculator multimedia Key. Apparently Microsoft thought it would be easier for users to just pick a default program for each multimedia key. This gives the user much much less flexibility and since users have many different interests, flexibility is a great thing to have. In Windows 7 the Control Panel Keyboard item does show a grid like Vista, but the cells in the grid are blank. As near as I have been able to determine, there is no way to use the grid in Windows 7. HP technical support people, both telephone and email, have been eager to help, but have not come up with a solution. The problem is made even worse, because I can't make Eudora the default email program, because it doesn't fit the current method of picking defaults. My newest computer is aWindows 7 that came with a multimedia keyboard. I wonder, if there a an acceptable solution I am missing? There was a tile when Microsoft's support was really outstanding and included outstanding documentation.
 
Do you show the correct keyboard in control panel? I show a dialog that shows what all the special keys are programmed for. You can change those as you wish.

If you do not show the correct keyboard, you may need an additional driver.
 
I see that in my Vista computer, but nothing shows in my Windows 7 computer. I gave contol of my computer to HP support and they were unable to make it work. Try suggested reloading the driver and that did not help. My Control Panel grid is there but all the cells are all blank. Don





Do you show the correct keyboard in control panel? I show a dialog that shows what all the special keys are programmed for. You can change those as you wish.

If you do not show the correct keyboard, you may need an additional driver.
 
What HP computer or what keyboard do you use. Is there a model number on the bottom of the keyboard?
 
I have tied the wirelss one that HP supplied with the computer and another HP keyboard that I purchased separately.

The wineless one is aProduct 532998-ZH1 Model KBRF1252 Rev A Received 1/13/2011
The other HP keyboard obtained later Product NY4419AA#ABA Model NY419AA

Don


What HP computer or what keyboard do you use. Is there a model number on the bottom of the keyboard?
 
I found this thread on the HP site. It seems to contain some good information about your wireless keyboard, such as where to find a manual and a different model number for it.

Maybe if you try to install a driver again, you might see an option for the other model number (Model # FK977AA), depending on how you install the driver.

I suppose I should add, do feel the problem is in Windows, or the HP keyboard setup? It is strange 2 different keyboards would exhibit the same type of problem, but they are both HPs.

And when you say you reloaded the driver, did you re-run the install software from the CD?
 
Last edited:
No CD was included with either keyboard. Apparently it is assumed that Windows would automatically detect it. Indeed Windows states that it is successfully installed, but apparentltly there are drfaults in the drivers. Also HP suuport has recommended installeing other drivers and they also do not work coorectly.


QUOTE=Saltgrass;207141]I found this thread on the HP site. It seems to contain some good information about your wireless keyboard, such as where to find a manual and a different model number for it.

Maybe if you try to install a driver again, you might see an option for the other model number (Model # FK977AA), depending on how you install the driver.

I suppose I should add, do feel the problem is in Windows, or the HP keyboard setup? It is strange 2 different keyboards would exhibit the same type of problem, but they are both HPs.

And when you say you reloaded the driver, did you re-run the install software from the CD?[/QUOTE]
 
The only thing I might suggest, is to try the keyboards on another computer to see if they install correctly. Or, try a non-HP keyboard on your system.

Keyboards do normally install without any problems, such as my Microsoft one and I have gotten updates through Windows update. But there is always a chance something on your system is not working correctly.
 
I was looking through the Link Removed - Invalid URL and found the comment about kbd.exe being required for the multimedia keys to work and how to use the Recovery Manager to add it. I will assume that is what HP was doing when you contacted them.

I suppose there may also be some Service or Process that needs to be running. On my system, I show a process called IType.exe that I believe controls the keyboard. I also have a Microsoft Intellitype entry on the startup tab in msconfig which starts IType.exe. See if you have something that starts kbd.exe
 
I feel the problem is with the 64 bit driver. Both the wireless keyboard and wired multimedia keyboard failed to provide key programming on my Windows 7 64 bit computer and my Vista 64 bit computer. The wired multimedia PS2 keyboard supplied with the Vista 64 bit computer does populate the key function grid. An earlier post in this thread indicated that the 32 bit driver would install and that 64 bit driver would be found on the HP site. I have not found that driver. Telephone support attempted to be helpful and two drivers were installed according to their directions or by them, but neither one provided key programming like I have on the 32 bit Vista computer. It would be nice, if HP could direct me to a working driver or see see to that one is available Telephone support even called me back two times and on two occasions took control of my computer to make an attempt to solve the problem, but were not successful. When either keyboard is first connected a driver is automatically installed, but so far have not produced the right result. Don


No CD was included with either keyboard. Apparently it is assumed that Windows would automatically detect it. Indeed Windows states that it is successfully installed, but apparentltly there are drfaults in the drivers. Also HP suuport has recommended installeing other drivers and they also do not work coorectly.

I feel the problem is with the 64 bit driver. Both the wireless keyboard and wired multimedia keyboard failed to provide key programming on my Windows 7 64 bit computer and my Vista 64 bit computer. The wired multimedia PS2 keyboard supplied with the Vista 64 bit computer does populate the key function grid. An earlier post in this thread indicated that the 32 bit driver would install and that 64 bit driver would be found on the HP site. I have not found that driver. Telephone support attempted to be helpful and two drivers were installed according to their directions or by them, but neither one provided key programming like I have on the 32 bit Vista computer. It would be nice, if HP could direct me to a working driver or see see to that one is available Telephone support even called me back two times and on two occasions took control of my computer to make an attempt to solve the problem, but were not successful. When either keyboard is first connected a driver is automatically installed, but so far have not produced the right result. Don



QUOTE=Saltgrass;207141]I found this thread on the HP site. It seems to contain some good information about your wireless keyboard, such as where to find a manual and a different model number for it.

Maybe if you try to install a driver again, you might see an option for the other model number (Model # FK977AA), depending on how you install the driver.

I suppose I should add, do feel the problem is in Windows, or the HP keyboard setup? It is strange 2 different keyboards would exhibit the same type of problem, but they are both HPs.

And when you say you reloaded the driver, did you re-run the install software from the CD?
[/QUOTE]
 
Back
Top