M17 USB Help

I recently purchased an Alienware M17 notebook computer. I hooked it up last night to a NZXT Cryo LX notebook cooler, an external ViewSonic 22" LCD monitor, my D-Link wireless N router, a Microsoft ergonomic keyboard, and Microsoft Habu laser mouse. The keyboard and mouse are connected via USB ports on the NZXT Cryo LX notebook cooler. I let the computer charge overnight.

Tonight, after eating dinner, I turned on the notebook computer for the first time. It recognized my external monitor and the D-Link wireless router just fine, but for some reason, neither the Microsoft ergonomic keyboard nor the mouse work. The mouse has a light that is supposed to be lit when the computer is on, and it is lit up through the booting process, but as soon as Windows Vista starts, the light on the mouse goes dead, and the mouse doesn't work. The keyboard doesn't work at all, not even to hit F2 during bootup.

The funny thing is that after logging into Windows Vista, it says that the system detects another pointing device so it disables the touchpad, so I can only use the notebook's built-in keyboard.

Any suggestions? I figure I must be doing something wrong, but there were no options I saw in the system BIOS, and once I log into Windows Vista, I can't do much as I have no pointing device. It appears that there is some sort of connection for the mouse at least, or it wouldn't light up and the system wouldn't see another pointing device. The keyboard, I dunno as that won't even work in the bootup nor the BIOS setup.

 

unplug them and reboot then plug them in while its booted vista does crazzzzzy things lol

 

Like my friend says, give it a good restart, thats what windows usually needs.

 

I'll give that a try tonight. Thanks!

 

I've had similar problems. Ended up having to boot into safe mode, and then remove all known USB devices from Device manager. Rebooted into windows normally, and everything was redetected fine.

 

Okay, the problem has been found and fixed. Why it was a problem though, I still don't know.

I unplugged both the keyboard and mouse, and turned on the notebook. I logged in and let it finish booting up. Then I plugged in the mouse to the USB hub on the notebook cooler, and woo-hoo... it worked. Then I plugged in the keyboard to the USB hub... and not only did it not work, but the mouse stopped working as well. Rebooted again, just to be safe, and the keyboard and mouse continued to be inoperable. So, I unplugged the keyboard, rebooted the notebook, and... the mouse worked again. Plugged the keyboard back in, and neither worked. Then I turned off the notebook, unplugged the keyboard from the USB hub, and plugged it into the one free USB port remaining on the notebook itself. I turned the notebook back on, and voila... both the keyboard and mouse work.

I guess the USB hub doesn't like the Microsoft ergonomic keyboard for some reason. As soon as it is plugged into the USB hub, all of the USB devices connected to the hub stop working. Take it out, and they start working again. I even tried just plugging in the keyboard alone into the USB hub, and it wouldn't work then either. Oh well. At least everything works now, although I now have no free USB ports remaining on the notebook. Now if I want to hook up my external hard drive, bar code scanner, or iPod, I have to move out my notebook and plug it into the back of the USB hub underneath.

Thanks for the help, y'all!

 

First I thought the keyboard needs USB 2.0 and the hub doesn't support this ... but now I think ... this is a non "activ" hub and the keyboard needs more power than the hub can deliver because it's only plugged to one usb port ...

Or does the hub has extra power?

Greetings
Julian

 

The USB hub is part of the NZXT Cryo LX cooler, which has a DC-to-USB cable connected to the notebook for power, and a second USB-to-USB cable connected to the notebook for data transfer.

 

maybe theres not enough power? or the keyboard is microsoft it could really go ethier way

 

haven't there been problems with the Cryo LX and USB connections? i think i read something a while ago...

 

Problems of too less power for the USB hardware or problems like incompatibility?

Greetings
Julian

PS: die keyboard does it have special things like my Logitec G15?

 

You appear to be correct. Upon a search, the exact same issue popped up in this thread.

It appears that the NZXT Cryo LX USB hub doesn't like keyboards. Odd.