Volume Keys Don’t Work

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:24 pm

I have tried 3 keyboards on my DELL XPS 600 with multimedia keys, and the volume keys don’t work on any of them, although all the other keys work on all of them.

They are:

1. DELL Model SK-8135
2. Microsoft Digital Media Pro
3. My HP keyboard from my Vista box

Any ideas?

I have gone thru all the hoops and crap already, so I really need good ideas only here.

Thanks

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:27 pm

Does all the \"hoops and crap\" include checking for a relevant driver for your operating system?

Other possible things to mention although not to many people use it: if your computer is connected to an amplifier over SPDIF coaxial or optical, volume level will be unavailable since SPDIF volume is fixed.

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:28 pm

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:30 pm

What else have you tried? (Does the volume level work if you use the mouse manually?)

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:50 pm

Oh, no there is nothing wrong with the volume control per say, you can adjust it just fine with the mouse, and I have also used a Hot Key program and set my Home & End keys to control volume, and that works…it’s the just the stupid keyboards with the “special” volume keys that don’t work….GRRRR

And, although this soundcard has digital output I’m not using it.

TechPro · Post by **TechPro** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:44 pm

It's been my experience that most keyboards with volume control buttons (I have three with that ability) have always required and additional software package (in addition to keyboard drivers) that interacted with those special buttons.

If you haven't got that software in place (and configured), then those buttons won't work.

Since you've tried three different keyboards without success, the chances that all three keyboards have non-working volume control buttons is highly unlikely. It's far more likely you just don't have the needed software installed.

You said you've already tried a lot of things ... I provide this link just in case. Downloads for the XPS 600 from Dell. The Input stuff and System Utilities may have what you need.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:51 pm

I have a keyboard with volume control and it works fine, its just a simple little BTC USB keyboard. The only reason you would need a driver or something to get volume control to work in Windows XP or higher is if the keyboard is not HID-compliant.

Perhaps if it is a HID-compliant keyboard you should go into devmgmt.msc and set its driver to \"HID Keyboard Device\" which is the windows generic HID keyboard driver that should recognize most basic media and web keys.

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:06 pm

I have the IntelliType version 6 installed, for the Microsoft board, and all the other buttons work. As a matter of fact that software enables all three keyboards. All the buttons work on all three, except the volume keys.

All the keyboards I have tried are HID compliant, all the drivers that are needed are installed.

Something else is fubar.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:01 pm

Possible source of the interference:

Spidey wrote:...I have also used a Hot Key program and set my Home & End keys to control volume, and that works…

?

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:14 pm

Volume keys didn’t work before I tried that program.

fliptw · Post by **fliptw** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:38 am

in the device manager, what does it say the keyboard is?

PS/2 or usb?

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:51 am

Is your \"HID Input Service\" running ? If not, start it and set it to \"Automatic\".

If the service was running or you get an error starting it, check if the \"ServiceDll\" registry entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\HidServ\\Parameters is %SystemRoot%\\System32\\hidserv.dll (type is REG_EXPAND_SZ).

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:18 pm

Keyboard is listed as USB

HID input services are set to Automatic…and started

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:45 pm

What's the value of the \"ServiceDll\" registry entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\HidServ\\Parameters ?

Should be %SystemRoot%\\System32\\hidserv.dll (type REG_EXPAND_SZ.)

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:48 pm

The value is correct under all of the control sets.

ControlSet001
ControlSet002
CurrentControlSet

I think if these values were wrong then I would get an error in Admin as far as this service is concerned, but it is reported as \"started\".

All of the values are correct according to MicroStupid.. including the HidServ=20 value…etc

I even did a search to make sure the file is there, and it is there, as a matter of fact, it’s the one from SP3.

Is it possible that it could be the sound card drivers instead? Maybe I will install the latest ones from DELL, but I really don’t want to start farking around there if I don’t have to.

I have seen this movie before, and it always turns out the same…

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:35 pm

Running out of ideas.. Do you have the volume icon in the taskbar ? Does the mute button on the keyboard work ? Did you try uninstalling IntelliType (the volume keys should work w/o extra software) ?

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:20 pm

Volume icon is in taskbar.

Mute key does work. (as do all the rest)

And no, none of the “extra” keys function without the software.

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:52 pm

Odd, the mute & volume +/- keys should work w/o out-of-the-box w/ XP SP3 since these keys are defined KB HID Usages (IDs 0x7F, 0x80, 0x81). It's possible that MS implemented these as consumer usages (making the KB a composite HID device) requiring a driver. Can't tell w/o the hardware tho. The only other suggestion I can offer is to update your computer to the latest drivers possible (sound, BIOS, gf/x, etc.) You could also try to pester MS support since it's their hardware and software not working right

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:21 pm

I have already been down the OEM help route, that’s the only reason I posted, I have exhausted all the possibilities. (well almost, without going to extremes, which always lead nowhere anyway)

And you will get a kick out of this…

Microsoft says it’s a DELL issue, and DELL says it’s a Microsoft issue.

Also, is it worth looking for conflicts at those addresses?

Spidey · Post by **Spidey** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:11 pm

I got them working, and I deserve a big DUH, while checking the reggie I was overlooking the fact that the “type” was not REG_EXPAND_SZ but REG_SV instead…duh!

Thanks Grendel…it was after going over your posts that I caught the error.

And do not ask me why the service was reported as “started” ????

Volume Keys Don’t Work

Volume Keys Don’t Work

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