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New Keyboard Not Working Well with Boot Camp

I just recently bought one of the flat macintosh keyboards to replace my keyboard that came with the computer. I restarted my computer and held down the option key to log onto the Windows side of my computer. It seems that the computer does not read the keyboard during this time, because I was forced to plug in my old keyboard, hold down the option key to bring up the separate hard drive icons, and then log in via that keyboard. Is there any reason why the computer doesn't read my new keyboard? Is there something I need to install perhaps?

2 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Jan 3, 2009 2:27 PM

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16 replies

Jan 8, 2009 1:15 AM in response to TheFjordheim

I had the samme issue. But here's a fix that worked for me.

In the Windows Bluetooth-option, select "add device with pw". Make sure that the keyboard is detected. If you do not have the Bluetooth menu in Windows, install Bluetoothdrives first (with your OSX disc).

Use the ON-SCREEN keyboard (start menu) and type in eg "12345678".
Now type the same on the wireless keyboard "12345678" and hit enter.

Now your keyboard should be paired with Windows no matter how many times you restart.

Jan 8, 2009 2:34 AM in response to TheFjordheim

Hi HS29!
I have had similar troubles. Please refer to threads:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1852738&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1852664&tstart=0

In summary my problems were a) loss of use of ALT key to select HD at boot up, b) unable to pair the same keyboard to Windows and OS X partitions without pairing/un-pairing/re -pairing etc.. at each change from OS X to WIN.

Have you paired your keyboard to both sides of the partition without the need to pair/unpair etc?
Does your ALT key still allow you to select HD at boot up?

Jan 8, 2009 6:53 AM in response to crutchy

Hi again.

1.) Yes. After initial installation of BootCamp I rebooted into OsX and was prompted for a reconnection of the keyboard. So yes - it was connected to OsX.

2.) Wrong. I used the On-screen keyboard in Windows. In the accessories menu (Start -> accessories -> utilites) or something like that. I'm at the office - and our Windows version here is in Danish. So I can't remember it. But I did NOT use a wired keyboard to type in the pincodee.

3.) And finally. Yes. I can choose the HD by pressing the option button on restart. I'm pretty sure it was the option key (cmd) and not ALT. But I could be mistaken. I'm inclined to thinking that you might not have enabled to boot option in the Bootcamp assistant on both OS's. If I'm not mistaken - there is an option in both the Windows and the OsX bootcamp, where you can override the default bootdrive by pressing a certain key. Might be worth checking that I'm not mistaken on this one.

So - you might want to try it in this order.

a.) Boot into OsX. Make sure that your keyboard is paired.
b.) Reboot into Windows.
c.) Navigate to the Bluetooth option (Control panel)
d.) Search for a Bluetooth device (your keyboard)
e.) Upon recognition use the "connect with pw"-option
f.) Navigato to the built in Windows On-screen keyboard
g.) Use this (not the wireless keyboard) to type in eg. "12345678"
h.) Confirm the pw selection by pressing "12345678" on the wireless keyboard an hitting enter.

You should be able to pair the keyboard permanently. Hope this works for you.

Jan 8, 2009 7:42 AM in response to TheFjordheim

Hi HS29,

Good news and bad news! I was impatient and used keyboard. Two leaps forward. First -in the Win bluetooth panel it says my keyboard has pass key enabled and device is connected. Not been able to connect before. Second when I reboot in OS X my keyboard still works! Problem is in Windows where my mouse key is stuck in middle of screen and will not move. I have tried rebooting and also switching off key board and mouse and then trying again. Frustrating but at least I am moving forward. I will remove keyboard from Windows side and try your route of using 'screen' instead.

Jan 8, 2009 8:10 AM in response to crutchy

Why not just try removing the mouse in Device Manager (Right click on My computer and choose HW - should be under HID devices)? Unplug it. Reboot in Windows and plug it in again. It should show the "new hardware found" message - insert your Mac OsX disc, and let it install the drivers.

Jan 8, 2009 8:32 AM in response to HS29

Hi! I feel I am slowly getting there and do not want to start reinstalling drivers just yet. Status as follows. Keyboard and Mouse all OK in OS X. An improvement on booting up when holding down the ALT key. Previously nothing happened when I booted up in OS X (i.e. no choice of either partition). Now when I hold ALT down during boot up I have a choice of selecting OS X or Win. However my mouse curser won't move so I cannot select! In Windows some progress also. Both key board and mouse are reported as Passkey enabled and Connected. Mouse now moves (did not before). However it will not close anything or action anything (it does appear to sometimes open things!)

As you can see I am getting there! Any fine tuning of my mouse problem?

One point I did not understand is your reference to removing the mouse ("Unplug it" and "plug it in again"). Do you mean disconnect and reconnect or are you referring to my wired mouse/keyboard?

Jan 8, 2009 9:28 AM in response to crutchy

I'm referring to your wired mouse. If thats what you are using?

And I'm talking about physically pulling the chord out from your mac 🙂
Hope that make's it clear.

I have no solution for the mouse issue - apart from the mentioned. If the mouse works fine in OsX then it has to be a Windows issue. And my only guess is a driver that hasn't been correctly installed. It appears to be an issue with the Bluetooth communication between the mouse (if wireless) and the Bluetooth adapter in Windows.

Feb 14, 2009 6:07 AM in response to TheFjordheim

I'm wondering why people don't answer the right question. No Bluetooth involved. The "option" trick for choosing a boot device doesn't work any more with the new aluminium keyboard. Does anybody knows how to solve that? There are at least 3 work arounds :

1 - Plug in your old keyboard. Not cool.

2 - Use the remote and hold down the "menu" key instead of the option key on the keyboard; OK if you have a remote at hand, bad luck if you don't.

3 - Use the "startup" system preference panel and choose the boot device here. Not cool when you want to switch for one boot only. And far less elegant than the "option key" trick.

It's likely that the option key trick has moved elsewhere with the new keybord. But where (cmd-alt-suppr, no way) ?

May 14, 2009 5:21 AM in response to TheFjordheim

This is my solution that works pretty well in using the Apple Wireless Keyboard (2007) on both Mac OS X and Vista partitions without having to re-pair the keyboard constantly:

1. Boot in Mac OS X with a wired keyboard and go to Bluetooth Preferences
2. If you have an old pairing with your wireless keyboard, delete it
3. Add a new device and turn on your wireless keyboard
4. Write down the generated passcode before entering it on your keyboard
5. Enter the passcode and pair your keyboard with Mac OS X
6. Restart in Vista and turn off your wireless keyboard
7. Open the Bluetooth control panel and add a new device (turn on your wireless keyboard to make it discoverable)
8. When choosing a passcode, select the option to enter passcode from documentation
9. Enter the passcode that you wrote down using your wired keyboard and add the device
10. The wireless keyboard will automatically become paired

Using the above steps, I've been able to use the wireless keyboard on both Mac OS X and Vista without re-pairing and without having to power on/off the keyboard to get it recognized. I haven't tried the "Option" key at startup yet but I'm sure it will work as well. I think the issue is that you need the same passkey between the different OSes. If you don't have the same passkey, the last OS that you paired the keyboard with will only function with your wireless keyboard.

Hope this helps.

New Keyboard Not Working Well with Boot Camp

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