Viewsonic KU201 Lockups

Hi all -- I recently put together a new computer for myself and I am using a Viewsonic KU201 keyboard. I'm happy with it except that it locks up almost everyday for about 5 seconds and flashes all the LED lights. It's very annoying especially in full screen games. At first I thought maybe it was a virus or joke program, but I scanned with NAV, checked my processes in svchost, and everything was on the up and up. So I'm guessing there's some kind of driver issue, but I checked Viewsonic's website and the latest driver is for 2002, and I bought this just a few weeks ago, so I can't imagine the keyboard I bought last week has drivers that pre-date 2002.

Thanks for your help in resolving this issue, and keep up the good work.

Have you tried uninstalling the drive and then restore? There could possibly be a corrupted file.

Also, have you tried another keyboard? Borrow one from a friend or from work -- it just may be on the fritz. Keyboards are cheap, and thus are made cheaply.

Both the driver from the website, and the driver that came with the keyboard give me an error at the end of the install. The error is:

"Open Device Key Fail"

Then, once the program is done, it reboots, but instead of loading the manufacturer drivers, it loads the default Win XP keyboard drivers.

I tried uninstalling the default Win XP driver and then installing the Viewsonic drivers, but that didn't work. I am really out of ideas right now.

Thanks. :(

I have not been able to solve this problem, and it is actually getting worse. My keyboard locked up permanently during one session and I had to shutdown by powering off the computer. :cry: :cry: :cry:

Thanks if anyone can help me.

You need to install the software for usb devices before actually plugging the device in. I would use an old PS2 keyboard while you install the software, switch off, refit the new keyboard and re-boot. Windows should then find the new hardware and you can point it to where you installed the drivers.

Rad is probably right, hense the rating. As a rule all USB devices should NOT be connected until after the drivers have been installed.

Haha, thanks for the advice Rad but I didn't rate it.

Anyway, I just figured out what's causing it to freeze a moment ago.

My computer is in my basement along with a few other electricity guzzlers including one very very very old freezer that sounds like someone is peddling a bicycle when it juices up every so often to put forth cooling power.

I just now realized that when I would hear that "cycling noise" coming from the freezer that my keyboard was in fact freezing up (how ironic)

So, my deduction is that it has something to do with a voltage fluxuation in the USB management area.

As for the advice about the drivers -- the Viewsonic Ku201 driver simply does not work at all.

I already tried to install the keyboard's drivers after uninstalling the Windows XP default drivers it automatically assigned it (see the third post)

So...I don't really know what I'm gonna do about this assumed voltage situation. If it's bad enough to effect a USB device, I shudder to think what it may possibly be doing to the rest of the system.

Thanks for your help.

edit: 4th post

Run another line from the box for the PC, since the electrical service is probably in your basement also.

May want to consider buying a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for "brown out" conditions that you are having (i.e. low voltage)
I use a Belkin brand 800VA (450 watts) and it will run my PC, monitor, modem about 20 minutes if the power goes completely out. It kicks instantly as soon as power drops below a certain point. It also has a program that will instantly back up what ever you are working on. I will never be without one.

Buy a new freezer.

Cheers :)