Sam Combs

Q: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 won't work on OS X El Capitan

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 won't work on OS X El Capitan--why?

 

The shortcuts don't work since upgrading to El Capitan on the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, but will work on an Apple keyboard.

 

I've used the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 for years and like the keyboard and I'm used to it.  Any suggestions on other ergonomic keyboards would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Mac Pro (Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 7, 2015 12:24 AM

Close

Q: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 won't work on OS X El Capitan

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 3 of 4 last Next
  • by Dave Kroske,

    Dave Kroske Dave Kroske Dec 21, 2015 9:48 AM in response to Sam Combs
    Level 1 (135 points)
    Dec 21, 2015 9:48 AM in response to Sam Combs

    Karabiner does not seem to work swap my Command & Control keys with my MS WL KB 5000. I selected Bill's three items, closed Karabiner 10.14.0 window. No change. Restarted, no change.  El Capitan on 2012 Mac Mini. I can control volume and use 10 key pad, but also the five Hot Keys still do not work.

  • by Jimacting,

    Jimacting Jimacting Apr 3, 2016 10:56 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Safari
    Apr 3, 2016 10:56 PM in response to Kurt Lang

    Hi Kurt,

    Thank you for your advice. How do I Boot to the Recovery partition?

    Jim Donnelly

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Apr 4, 2016 6:18 AM in response to Jimacting
    Level 8 (38,019 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 4, 2016 6:18 AM in response to Jimacting

    Restart the Mac and hold down the Command+R keys.

  • by Sam Combs,

    Sam Combs Sam Combs May 18, 2016 5:06 PM in response to Sam Combs
    Level 1 (17 points)
    May 18, 2016 5:06 PM in response to Sam Combs

    Since I started this all, I gave up on El Capitan until this last weekend when I had to switch to it because my new Mac Pro kept freezing up.  The same issues began again with the keyboard and for a few days I suffered by using the Windows key as the Command key.  That got old fast so I decided to return to my original post and voila, there was the Karibiner solution.  I downloaded, installed, checked the 4 boxes I needed to get back to my original Option & Command settings on both sides of the MS 4000 Keyboard and all's well.  Thank you Bill for your post.

     

    I also downloaded the USB Overdrive, but haven't tried that as yet since the problem was solved with Karibiner.

     

    Thanks to everyone for their input and hope one of the solutions is working for you as well.

  • by jpbone,

    jpbone jpbone Jul 17, 2016 8:39 PM in response to Sam Combs
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 17, 2016 8:39 PM in response to Sam Combs

    I'm having this problem as well, on OS X 10.11.5.  I have the same MS ergonomic keyboard 4000.  In my case it still 90% worked, except for the command and option keys being swapped, and the volume up/down/mute keys don't appear to work.

     

    I found a quick solution that does not involve installing any additional software that seems to work, so hopefully this will help others as well.  If you launch "System Preferences" and click "Keyboard" (not the "Microsoft Keyboard", the apple one), and then click "Modifier Keys", you have the option to change the Command and Option keys around.  This fixed the issue for me.  I set Option to Command and Command to Option, and all was back to normal.

     

    I still have yet to fix the volume keys.  I'm reluctant to install any third party software, apart from the MS software (hopefully MS will update this in the future, not holding my breath).  But for now, I'm at least back in business.  Hopefully this suggestion helps others.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Jul 18, 2016 6:20 AM in response to jpbone
    Level 8 (38,019 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 18, 2016 6:20 AM in response to jpbone
    I found a quick solution that does not involve installing any additional software that seems to work,

    Yes, that's been mentioned in this topic, and in another longer one regarding these keyboards and the IntelliType software. The only problem with the System Preference approach is all it does is swap the Windows/Alt keys to the left of the spacebar, and the Alt/menu keys to the right of it so they are in the normal Mac position of the Command key next to the spacebar on both sides, followed by the Alt (Option) key. Basically, the same thing Karabiner does without using Karabiner.

     

    The rest of the special keys simply don't work without the IntelliType kernel extension since none of them return a key code without it.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Jul 18, 2016 6:26 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 8 (38,019 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 18, 2016 6:26 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Here's some good news! In El Capitan with System Integrity Protection on (as I'm sure we've all figured out), you can't install the MS IntelliType software with SIP enabled. Well, you can install it, but the kernel extension is automatically blocked as it is an unsigned app, and such third party extensions are now supposed to go to the /Library/Extensions/ folder, not the System folder.

     

    I installed the Sierra beta. Per normal when using a full installer, it turns SIP back on if you had it off (I've been using my Mac with it off). I ignored that to see if anything different would happen with the IntelliType software.

     

    It did! Installed, restarted, and with the exception that you still have to manually add the helper to your Login Items, it worked without doing anything else! The extension is still in the /System/Library/Extensions/ folder, but it is active even with SIP enabled. Something that simply wouldn't happen under El Capitan.

     

    So has Apple "okayed" some known, safe extensions under the hood? Or is it just a beta thing that may disappear with the official release. Can't say for sure yet.

  • by pietbarber,

    pietbarber pietbarber Aug 4, 2016 8:30 AM in response to Bill (audio guy)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 4, 2016 8:30 AM in response to Bill (audio guy)

    works like a charm

  • by JMcKee,

    JMcKee JMcKee Sep 21, 2016 6:11 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Sep 21, 2016 6:11 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Kurt-

     

    Just out of curiosity, do your volume keys work under Sierra? I have everything working as I did under 10.11.6, except that under Sierra, I can't get the 2 volume buttons (and Mute) to work no matter what I try. Curious if others are experiencing the same issue?

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 21, 2016 7:00 AM in response to JMcKee
    Level 8 (38,019 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 21, 2016 7:00 AM in response to JMcKee

    Yup, all keys for my Ergo 4000 are working the same as always under Sierra.

     

    If you upgraded Sierra over El Capitan or earlier, use the uninstaller in the Utilities folder to remove IntelliType, then reinstall it. A bit of a pain to sit through two restarts, but a fairly quick way to eliminate a possible cause.

  • by JMcKee,

    JMcKee JMcKee Sep 21, 2016 10:44 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Sep 21, 2016 10:44 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Bizarre. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, but that didn't fix the issue. That said, it couldn't have been a complete uninstall, as all my settings were retained from before after I reinstalled it—probably some preference file somewhere. In the meantime, I just wrote some AppleScripts to increase/decrease/mute the volume for those buttons. There's no visual feedback, but it works.

  • by spydercapriani,

    spydercapriani spydercapriani Sep 21, 2016 10:49 AM in response to JMcKee
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 21, 2016 10:49 AM in response to JMcKee

    @JMcKee I have the same issue and uninstalling/reinstalling didn't do the trick either. I ended up doing the same thing as you and created AppleScripts for those buttons.  Would be nice if there were a way to get things back to how they were though.

  • by JMcKee,

    JMcKee JMcKee Sep 21, 2016 10:58 AM in response to spydercapriani
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Sep 21, 2016 10:58 AM in response to spydercapriani

    Hmmm. That's very interesting. Just saw Apple's sending out 10.12.1 betas. Will have to see if that fixes it. Unfortunately, even if reported, I'm guessing the likelihood of it getting fixed is small, considering all the hoops you have to go through just to install it (disabling SIP). I don't understand why Microsoft isn't supporting this keyboard any more...

     

    Wondering if USB Overdrive is any better and handling all the options of this keyboard...?

     

    And do you by chance know how to add visual feedback to the volume change?

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 21, 2016 11:01 AM in response to JMcKee
    Level 8 (38,019 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 21, 2016 11:01 AM in response to JMcKee
    That said, it couldn't have been a complete uninstall, as all my settings were retained from before after I reinstalled it—probably some preference file somewhere.

    Yes, I've noticed that, too, with any complete uninstall/reinstall.

     

    Open the Preferences folder in your user account and delete the file:

     

    com.microsoft.keyboard.pref

     

    Restart the Mac and it should be back to the defaults.

     

    Also, did you add the keyboard helper file to your Login Items? That must be done manually.

  • by JMcKee,

    JMcKee JMcKee Sep 21, 2016 11:04 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Sep 21, 2016 11:04 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    What do you mean by "keyboard helper file"? I added the Microsoft Keyboard Preference Pane to my Login items, but if you mean a different file, I don't know which one that is.

first Previous Page 3 of 4 last Next