Since upgrading to Windows 8, my volume keys and mute key do nothing when pressed. I have a MS Natural Ergonomic 4000 keyboard. I went ahead and downloaded the latest drivers, it detects my keyboard fine, but they still don't work. 

All of the other supplemental keys on the top of my keyboard do work. Calculator, mail, search, web/home, my favorites, they all function fine. It's just the volume and mute keys that don't work. 

I've read the knowledgebase on this, I'm not using any kind of USB hub, and the buttons worked fine in Windows 7 before I upgraded.

I had the same problem. Here is the solution:

http://www.forumswindows8.com/general-discussion/keyboard-volume-keys-not-working-windows-8-a-822.htmStart--Enter regedit--Find

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\ in the Regedit--Create an item named as System, if there is one originally, you do not need to create.-- Change the value of DWORD to 0 in DisableTaskMgr. And then reboot your computer."

This works for me :)

• Proposed as answer by Jeremy_WuMicrosoft contingent staff Monday, November 05, 2012 8:38 AM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:51 AM

I had the same problem. Here is the solution:

http://www.forumswindows8.com/general-discussion/keyboard-volume-keys-not-working-windows-8-a-822.htmStart--Enter regedit--Find

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\ in the Regedit--Create an item named as System, if there is one originally, you do not need to create.-- Change the value of DWORD to 0 in DisableTaskMgr. And then reboot your computer."

This works for me :)

• Proposed as answer by Jeremy_WuMicrosoft contingent staff Monday, November 05, 2012 8:38 AM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:51 AM

I had the same problem. Here is the solution:

http://www.forumswindows8.com/general-discussion/keyboard-volume-keys-not-working-windows-8-a-822.htmStart--Enter regedit--Find

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\ in the Regedit--Create an item named as System, if there is one originally, you do not need to create.-- Change the value of DWORD to 0 in DisableTaskMgr. And then reboot your computer."

This works for me :)

Volume up/down works fine...

But now play/pause works only sometimes... ? Bevor it works fine.

And the mute-button works also only sometimes. As an example. I press 5 times the mute-button. It may be that the first one works, and then the fifth again...

How can this be???

Me... again...

It works fine if i have some programs active. For example: If i start ccleaner and the program-window is the active one, everything works.

On the destop volume up/down works. Mute sometimes...

Edit: It could be the admin rights. If i start a prog with adminrigts, it works...

I have to test it...

Edit2: Its not a problem with the admin rights. A test with the local admin-account has the same effect.

• Edited by Orthos Sunday, November 04, 2012 2:46 AM
• Proposed as answer by Jeremy_WuMicrosoft contingent staff Monday, November 05, 2012 8:38 AM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:51 AM

Me... again...

It works fine if i have some programs active. For example: If i start ccleaner and the program-window is the active one, everything works.

On the destop volume up/down works. Mute sometimes...

Edit: It could be the admin rights. If i start a prog with adminrigts, it works...

I have to test it...

Edit2: Its not a problem with the admin rights. A test with the local admin-account has the same effect.

• Edited by Orthos Sunday, November 04, 2012 2:46 AM
• Proposed as answer by Jeremy_WuMicrosoft contingent staff Monday, November 05, 2012 8:38 AM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:51 AM

Me... again...

It works fine if i have some programs active. For example: If i start ccleaner and the program-window is the active one, everything works.

On the destop volume up/down works. Mute sometimes...

Edit: It could be the admin rights. If i start a prog with adminrigts, it works...

I have to test it...

Edit2: Its not a problem with the admin rights. A test with the local admin-account has the same effect.

Hi Orthos,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this keyboard with Windows 8. I had exactly the same problem as you and it was annoying me like hell :).
I tried reinstalling the "Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard center" from the download sites numerous times, but it didn't solve the problem.

The following fixed it for me:

1. Go to the Start menu and search for Run. Enter.
2. Type services.msc, a list with all Services opens.
3. Look for the "Human Interface Device Access" service.
4. On my PC this was not running and configured to be Manual started.
5. I rightclicked it, selected properties, changed the startup type to "Automatic" and started the service.
6. After that it worked!

Best regards,

Heine

• Proposed as answer by _Heine Monday, November 05, 2012 5:50 PM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:51 AM

Hi Orthos,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this keyboard with Windows 8. I had exactly the same problem as you and it was annoying me like hell :).
I tried reinstalling the "Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard center" from the download sites numerous times, but it didn't solve the problem.

The following fixed it for me:

1. Go to the Start menu and search for Run. Enter.
2. Type services.msc, a list with all Services opens.
3. Look for the "Human Interface Device Access" service.
4. On my PC this was not running and configured to be Manual started.
5. I rightclicked it, selected properties, changed the startup type to "Automatic" and started the service.
6. After that it worked!

Best regards,

Heine

• Proposed as answer by _Heine Monday, November 05, 2012 5:50 PM
• Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Thursday, November 15, 2012 8:51 AM

Hi Orthos,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this keyboard with Windows 8. I had exactly the same problem as you and it was annoying me like hell :).
I tried reinstalling the "Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard center" from the download sites numerous times, but it didn't solve the problem.

The following fixed it for me:

1. Go to the Start menu and search for Run. Enter.
2. Type services.msc, a list with all Services opens.
3. Look for the "Human Interface Device Access" service.
4. On my PC this was not running and configured to be Manual started.
5. I rightclicked it, selected properties, changed the startup type to "Automatic" and started the service.
6. After that it worked!

Best regards,

Heine

Hello _Heine,

thank you for you reply. Now it is better, but still some programs dont like the multimediakeys. I really dont know why.

Maybe the driver is the problem or it is not only one problem. It could be 2 problems at the same time. I still work on it.

Marc

For all Windows 8 German-Users: "Human Interface Device Access" is "Zugriff auf Eingabegerte".

Hey, just wanted to say thanks. Your solution worked like a charm!

You are great Heine. It solved my problem and works perfect. Thanks

• Proposed as answer by Aliiiiiiiii Thursday, November 29, 2012 9:35 PM
• Unproposed as answer by Aliiiiiiiii Thursday, November 29, 2012 9:35 PM
• Edited by Aliiiiiiiii Thursday, November 29, 2012 9:36 PM Volume button not working

You are great Heine. It solved my problem and works perfect. Thanks

• Proposed as answer by Aliiiiiiiii Thursday, November 29, 2012 9:35 PM
• Unproposed as answer by Aliiiiiiiii Thursday, November 29, 2012 9:35 PM
• Edited by Aliiiiiiiii Thursday, November 29, 2012 9:36 PM Volume button not working

You are great Heine. It solved my problem and works perfect. Thanks

This worked for me

_Heine's solution worked for me.  Thanks!

Thanks man! Same situation and this resolved it for me!

[Look for the "Human Interface Device Access" service.]

Best regards,

Heine

Thanks, this was the issue for me!

THANK YOU HEINE!  Worked perfect for me!

Thanks it worked for me, now my keys work and i dont need to reformat the computer!!!(:

Perfect! It worked on my logitech keyboard

Brilliant!  Thanks so much Heine.  This had been bugging me for months but is now fixed!