G-Series Gaming Keyboards

[Hadakajime]

finally got a chance

MB: Foxconn A79A-s (Can't find revision number)

Chipset: AMD 790FX

Southbridge: AMD SB750

BIOS: P08 (latest version)

CPU: Phenom II 965 @ 3.4GHz (familly 10 model 04 stepping 3 revision RB-C3)

RAM: Corsair Dominator @ 1066MHz 5-5-5-15-22 2.16V ver2.1

Speakers: Logitech Z-5500

Mouse: Logitech G7

Video: ATI Radeon 5870 1GB @ stock (don't know revision)

Sound: Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Fatality (don't know revision)

PSU: Corsair HX 750

Optical: 2 * DVD rewriter IDE, floppy

HDD: 2 * SATA II drives (hitachi and samsung)

Case: Antec 902

CPU is water cooled, RAM has dedicated fans.

PROBLEMS:

* G-keys are non-responsive

* Backlighting now does not come on

 * screen usually always shows distortion, like whole columns of pixels are the wrong color and flicker between different shades of what they should be

* I just recently plugged the power transformer back in and the backlighting came on then flickered a few times and turned off

* making a mobile phone call with the phone next to the screen holds the keyboard in a crashed state, until the phone is disconnected.

ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS:

* disable EHCI handoff - no effect

* disable legacy usb - no effect

* unplug and leave overnight - no effect

* reinstall driver - no effect

* soft rebot after cold boot

NOTES:

I have noticed that if I wait at the login screen for a few minutes, the backlighting turns on. however it did not work just then.

Identifying the LCD screen with the Logitech app makes it switch to the first available keyboard application.selecting different profiles with the logitech profile app has no effect

this keyboard used to be bearable while just its backlighting was working, however since that has now gone, i'm wondering whether it's worth anything at all in keeping this keyboard.

despite this, thanks for the hard work you guys are doing

[CharlesB]

Yoplahop - Your problems with the media keys are because a windows service isn't starting properly. I just wrote an internal FAQ that I'll probably make public soon (Anyways, the information's already all over the internet)

The media keys do not work, or cause the computer to crash when they’re pressed.

• The media control keys are controlled by Windows, and have nothing to do with any Logitech software, nor are configured/controlled by the Logitech software.
  • Sometimes Windows can forget how to control/configure these media keys. The solution for this is to:           
    • For Vista/Windows 7: Go to the Start search box, then type in “services.msc” with no quotes, hit enter
    • For XP: Start, then “Run…”, , then type in “services.msc” with no quotes, hit enter
    • Scroll down till you see “HID Input Service”
    • Right click, then “Start”
    • After that, double click on the HID input service and set the startup type to “Automatic”
    • Close the window and test the media keys.
    Hadakajime - Does that problem only occur on one computer, or any computer that the keyboard's plugged in to? You might have a problem with the controller card in your G19.

[Hadakajime]

just tried it on another computer, and received the same problems.

computer is in a different room with much much less EMI floating around.

briefly:

windows 7 32bit

Pentium 4 2.4GHz

3GB RAM

I can give you more details later if you want. i'm going out right now.

installed latest drivers while letting the keyboard discharge for ~5min. then plugged keyboard into computer then power. backlighting and LCD came up. but after a minute or so, the backlights flickered then turned off. they didn't come back after a reboot.

LCD still showed distortion on screen.

g-keys (including d-pad, etc) give no response.

media keys work fine (as they should). so i haven't had any windows HID service problems with that.

do you think I should RMA my keyboard or have any other suggestions?

[Mookest]

Hi, I have not had any problems until I installed Windows 7 pro x64. I was running vista x64 before. Anyway For the last 2 days I was pulling out my hair on this. Nice great grand expensive keyboard. I don't even think I can return it now. So I got browsing around and noticed that I didn't check my Windows update "Optional" updates. Here is what I found.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976972

Since that I have not had it crash yet. 1 whole day.  I'm not sure if this fixed anything but hey it seems like it leads to fixing the same workaround suggestions that were given. I figured it's worth a shot. GL all. Ill be back if this thing goes down again.

Mookest

[Hadakajime]

do you have an nvidia chipset? i'm just wondering whether it works for other brands of chipsets

[Mookest]

I do have nvidia chipset. I have not had a stall, crash, or disconnect since.

[skrewler]

Could I get some links to some suggested USB cards that aren't EHCI compliant?

Thanks

[Hadakajime]

I found this in the Event Viewer:

1. Warning    23/03/2010 10:30:47 PM    Kernel-PnP    219    (212)

The driver \Driver\WUDFRd failed to load for the device Root\SIDESHOW\0000.

2. Warning    23/03/2010 10:30:47 PM    Kernel-PnP    219    (212)

The driver \Driver\WUDFRd failed to load for the device Root\SIDESHOW\0001.

I currently do not have the power adapter plugged into my G19. These warning appear to happen every boot.

[CharlesB]

Hadakajime - The sideshow drivers are Microsoft software, and sometimes generate those errors. On my W7 machine, I've gone ahead and just deleted the Sideshow devices from my device manager.

skrewler (and Hadakajime)- First, I'd try the software update that Mookest posted above:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976972

I had a friend who has an x58 mobo w/ G19, and I got him to gineua pig that KB article on his system, and it appears to have resolved his issues as well (also seemed to resolve his problem of having the system lock on boot w/ G19 plugged in!)

[Hadakajime]

Does your friend's rig have an Nvidia chipset?

I'd really like to test if that update will even run on mine, because I have AMD 790FX chipset.

I'll uninstall the sideshow devices then too.

Anyone want to see if this does anything?

http://www.blackberryos.com/forums/resource-center/2038-windows-7-vista-usb-fix-bmerdinian.html