Easily swapping keyboards

[jcoffin1981]

I'm sure there are lots of people here who switch keyboards daily.  Does anybody have any advice for doing this smoothly?  I've tried the same hub and different hubs, but it seems that Windows does not recognize it and installs new drivers EVERY time.  Because of this it is sometimes several minutes before it is actually operational.  I am at a loss to understand this.

[Melvang]

Try getting one of those USB extension cables and have that run to your keyboard surface, be it the keyboard tray or desk top.

The other option would be to modify all your boards so they have a removable cable.

I have done neither of these as my keyboard is built into my keyboard tray under my desk.

[jcoffin1981]

Melvang, I'm not sure that I fully understand what you are suggesting.  They all have removable mini-usb plugs and I have  no problem with cord length.  It's really more of a software problem, not a physical hassle. 

In the past it seems that most peripheral, once installed are recognized when  plugged in at a later date.  Sometimes it will prompt you to install drivers if you switch USB hubs.  Could it be that Windows 7 can only have 1 "active" HID driver at a time?  I can't imagine that Microsoft would actually allow this handicap.  I've never had this problem with USB drives, mice, cell phones, etc. 

[Melvang]

Essentially what I am suggesting is eliminate the hub.  But with the extension cable or removable cable you wouldn't need to fish behind the PC to change.  I don't use a hub for anything really so I can't help there.

[azhdar]

All mini usb keyboards, I have 2-3 mini usb connected to my computer all the time for me to plug a board in easily.

I have 2 boards I rotate, like 5-6times a day.

[Oobly]

Most of my boards I plug in and out and Windows doesn't need to install drivers when I switch. Perhaps the hub is causing it, or you're using different ports each time? The same board plugged into a different USB port may require a driver install.

Then again, I don't use any "driver" software for any of my boards, just the generic driver Windows installs for them by default.

[jcoffin1981]

I should clarify.  I have used hubs on previous rigs.  This is actually plugged directly into the port.  One of the boards has a software package for programming key commands, but I uninstalled that.  I have been using only one cord in the same port.  It seems to be after a shutdown and restart, and then when changing keyboard it recognizes a new device and searches the windows database for the appropriate drivers.  For whatever reason this is not fast.  But this has happened about 3 times.  I will have to experiment to find a scenario where this does not happen.  It sounds like it's not supposed to.

[rowdy]

I have plugged various keyboards into my Mac, and the first time for each keyboard the Mac prompts to press this key, then that key, then suggests a layout.  Good to go after that.

With Windows it has to install drivers the first time I connect a new keyboard, and sometimes even has to reboot (really, Microsoft?!?) but only the first time for each keyboard.

If your setup needs drivers installed each time a different keyboard is plugged in, even if it has been plugged in before, perhaps is there some way the drivers are not being retained?

[Joey Quinn]

I only ever have driver issues at school. Every board I own has a custom controller so sometimes it takes a min. But at home I switch boards all the time without issue.

[jcoffin1981]

Yes this is exactly what is happening.  It just happened again.  The Poker 3 was working on this cable yesterday and after restart and swap it's not.  In device manager there are 4 active keyboards and they all use the same 3 drivers.  There is also a Razer 3G mouse and keyboard installed. 

So I uninstalled all of the Synapse software and guess what?  The problem goes away.  Unfortunately the mouse does not work without the software package.  I could try some more generic drivers.  Besides this I don't think I have any other options for this, either don't use the mouse or deal with the inconvenience.  Life goes on.

[Melvang]

Try plugging in all your boards with Synapse not installed, then install synapse.  I have synapse on my pc for naga and orbweaver combo, I don't remember how many HID devices my pc sees.  But I don't have issues with my boards aside from phantom presses on my XT.

[njbair]

Windows installs USB device drivers on a per-port basis. So basically once you've plugged a board into every port at least once, this problem should go away.

The only reason it takes so long is because stupid Windows checks stupid Windows Update every time instead of first checking if the device is already installed on another port.

If you want to be proactive, temporarily disable Windows Update completely, then get all your boards and run each one through the port gauntlet. It should pretty quickly locate the local copy of the driver.

[Melvang]

Windows installs USB device drivers on a per-port basis. So basically once you've plugged a board into every port at least once, this problem should go away.

The only reason it takes so long is because stupid Windows checks stupid Windows Update every time instead of first checking if the device is already installed on another port.

If you want to be proactive, temporarily disable Windows Update completely, then get all your boards and run each one through the port gauntlet. It should pretty quickly locate the local copy of the driver.

Thanks for the knowledge bomb, didn't know about the per port deal.

[njbair]

Another option, and I can't believe I didn't think of this first, is get one of hasu's USB to USB converters. That way no matter which keyboard you plug in, your computer sees the converter and already has the drivers installed for it.

As an added bonus, you get all the awesome TMK goodness that the converter provides, regardless of which board you plug into it.

[jcoffin1981]

The only reason it takes so long is because stupid Windows checks stupid Windows Update every time instead of first checking if the device is already installed on another port.

This is in fact the port, not a different one.  The drivers would ahve been on the same port. It's like the synapse software purges the local drivers.  I have noticed that drivers are in fact often specific to a port and a device will only work immediately if you plug it back in te same one.  I will try the technique of installing Synapse with both keyboards plugged in and operational.   Fail that I have one of these converters; I believe it's USB to SATA, but I think it does USB as well.

I can't believe that I'm the only one with this problem who has a Razer product.  I would imagine that this would easy to duplicate.  Razer is like one of the most popular peripherals,  which is one of the reasons why I like popular products.  When bugs arise, and they do, you can easily find a solution.

[jcoffin1981]

Alright, so Melvang was spot on..      Synapse was uninstalled and both keyboards were plugged in and the corresponding drivers loaded.  Synapse was then reinstalled.  I then unplugged a board, restarted the system, and rebooted.  I then plugged in the board and it was immediately recognized without being prompted for the proper drivers.  I also need to try it with the same usb cord as I will only have one board installed at a time. 

I don't have a good theory for what was happening, but it seems that the Razer software "kicked out" the proper drivers or removed the recognized profile generated by the OS.  The Deathadder keyboard driver is gone now too, and that may have had some effect too.

Also, I can now use the DA with the generic windows drivers.  Earlier, when I plugged in the mouse, windows would actually download the entire Synapse package without even prompting me.  Thank you Melvang, and thank you all!

[Melvang]

Alright, so Melvang was spot on..      Synapse was uninstalled and both keyboards were plugged in and the corresponding drivers loaded.  Synapse was then reinstalled.  I then unplugged a board, restarted the system, and rebooted.  I then plugged in the board and it was immediately recognized without being prompted for the proper drivers.  I also need to try it with the same usb cord as I will only have one board installed at a time. 

I don't have a good theory for what was happening, but it seems that the Razer software "kicked out" the proper drivers or removed the recognized profile generated by the OS.  The Deathadder keyboard driver is gone now too, and that may have had some effect too.

Also, I can now use the DA with the generic windows drivers.  Earlier, when I plugged in the mouse, windows would actually download the entire Synapse package without even prompting me.  Thank you Melvang, and thank you all!

Don't thank me, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.  Glad you got it sorted out though.

[jcoffin1981]

Melvang, unrelated to this post, I was just looking at your signature and "Thin ABS for life."  Is this supposed to be a little sarcastic?  Or do you genuinely feel that way?

[Melvang]

Melvang, unrelated to this post, I was just looking at your signature and "Thin ABS for life."  Is this supposed to be a little sarcastic?  Or do you genuinely feel that way?

It is mostly sarcasam.  But I do like thin abs on tactile switches.  To me the reduced mass induces less dampening on the bump in the keystroke.  Though I just tried a quick "This is what typing on these caps on these switches, on this board feels like" with sculpted SA on my stainless JD40.  I must say, that fees great.  The switches in that are lubed, stickered, 68g vintage blacks.

But I am actually seriously considering selling all my cherry and alps stuff.  I am pretty much strictly IBM F these days.  But I still want to build either a GH36 or Half a Dox for a gaming keypad.