# advent ade-ad2 new problem :)



## etchyz (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi, when i installed my keyboard and mouse everything worked fine for a couple of weeks, but now the keyboard has stopped. the mouse still works fine, but if i press any key on the keyboard the usb dongle lights up and both the keyboard and mouse freeze, leaving me having to find other ways to get around my computer. does anybody know why this is happening? i find it strange that the keyboard doesn't work, even though it used to and the mouse works fine. there must be a setting in registry or somewhere else but i don't know
help plz
thx
sam


----------



## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi Sam


I'd try these steps for a start: 
1) Check/change the batteries in the keyboard (if it requires batteries)
2) Use Vista's "System Restore" feature, using a "restore point" from prior to the keyboard's current problem [this should only help if the issue is a software/configuration mishap, because it will restore drivers and settings from the earlier date]. Go to *Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore*.
3) If # 2 doesn't help, try locating updated *Vista* drivers from Advent. There are a fair number of threads on the net that detail troubles such as yours with Vista --- http://www.w00tw00t.co.uk/support/viewtopic.php?p=7074 --- (another alternative would be to NOT use any Advent drivers at all, but go with whatever Vista wireless support is built-in).
4) A few ADE-AD2 users had luck uninstalling the "RF keyboard utility" to solve some trouble with that model, but they were using Windows XP. You certainly could experiment [if you have good backups of course  ]

Several threads from earlier this year mention that your Advent keyboard/mouse set does not seem to be supported in Vista, or that Vista drivers do not seem to be available. Whatever contact information you can find for the vendor, you should pursue. They don't seem to be easy to find, judging from the frustration level I've seen in related forum posts. 

One last quick-fix try: try installing the drivers from the Advent driver CD (hopefully yours came with one), but this time install them by right-clicking on the driver's installation file (.exe or .msi file) and selecting "Compatibility Mode" for Windows-XP-SP2. Also uninstall whatever the Advent "RF keyboard utility" is & you might find keyboard/mouse happiness.

If not, it's buyer-beware & seller-shame (they really should provide better product information at many of the sites selling that model)

Best of luck!
. . . Gary


----------



## etchyz (Jan 3, 2008)

thanks for all that help  but i've been struggling with this for quite a while and i've tried all that  i'm sure it's just a simple case of a setting somewhere that you have to flick the switch on but i just don't know
any other ideas?
thanks
sam


----------



## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again


Did you try all of the steps? Your situation seems different from many that I've heard of = for many folks, the Advent set doesn't ever work quite right. In your case, since it worked at one point, you'd want to try and re-create the setup that got you to that point. I'm a little surprised that a System Restore didn't help, it should have had a decent chance if it's a software bug. There is always the chance that the hardware is faulty, too --- so, if the Advent set has a warranty, you might be able to send it back. 

Were you able to find good contact information for that vendor? I didn't see much when I took a quick glance around.

Best of luck
. . . Gary


----------



## etchyz (Jan 3, 2008)

i still have the box, receipt and everything and can't find any information on the vendor at all...it's as if advent doesn't actually exist, it's just a secret ninja company who's products appear on the shelves then they disapear, giggling like little girls as they watch everything go wrong.
But yes i did try the system restore and i'd have thought that was the best bet too, but no it still ain't happening 
i'm still convinced it's just a setting somewhere


----------



## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again


See if you can get vendor contact information from the store/supplier that you bought the set from. In fact, if you find such information, it'd be great if you posted it here, since I imagine other Vista users of that set might be in the same boat your are . . . and they'd be very grateful to find the contact info. I didn't see much at all when I took a quick look around.

It's worth considering returning it, since the software angles don't seem to be aligning.

I'm curious to hear how it turns out.
Best of luck
. . . Gary


----------



## dalej2 (Dec 10, 2007)

Hey everyone. i have the ade ad2 issue to. i am running windows vista. i have been trying to contact or at least find advent to contact and this is as far as i have got. advent is owned by pc world who is owned by dixons who is owned by dsg retail limited. thier phone number is 08708503333. i have not been able to get them on the phone but if this is of any help or you get any further please let me know...


----------



## Franco50 (Mar 23, 2008)

Having recently bought one of these sets and been unable to get the thing to work at all I came across this forum after Googling my problem. I'm running a PC with Vista Home Premium and according to the Advent manual the ADE-AD2 should work with this OS. When I pluggled in the USB dongle, Windows recognised it and loaded the drivers - so far so good, but now I cannot get the dongle to recognise the keyboard or the mouse. I press the dongle's ID button and the LED flashes red, I press the ID button on the keyboard - nothing happens, dongle keeps flashing red. I then press the dongle button again followed by the mouse ID button - again nothing and the dongle keeps flashing red! I have tried new batteries in both mouse and keyboard which hasn't helped. One thing I did notice, which may or may not be normal, when I place the switch on the underside of the mouse to 'ON' I would have expected the optical light in the mouse to come on even though it hasn't yet been recognised by the dongle - my mouse doesn't do this and seems totally dead even after using two sets of batteries. Anyone had a problem similar to mine?


----------



## dalej2 (Dec 10, 2007)

Hi Franco50, 
You appear to be one of the lucky ones in that your computer even recognised the dongle and installed the relevant drivers. People who i have spoken to who have got it working say that you need to keep your finger pressed on the button for sometimes one mintue to get the thing to connect. it is also a good idea to press a button on the mouse and keyboard when it is searching for it. Keep the button depressed for a while and hopefully it should find it.
Hope this works for you otherwise i would suggest taking it back to the shop and getting a different one. i have just bought the Labtec ultrathin keyboard and mouse and it works like a dream
GOOD LUCK, you may need it...


----------



## Franco50 (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi Dale. I gave up on this a while back and the supplier took it back. As that was my first experience of a wireless keyboard I was reluctant to try another so I ended up buying a slim aluminium cabled version.:wave:


----------



## dalej2 (Dec 10, 2007)

Sorry i did not get back to you sooner i only just saw the post. Well i hope that your new one is working well!!!


----------



## Jonah8208 (Jun 6, 2008)

OldGrayGary said:


> Hi Sam
> 
> 
> I'd try these steps for a start:
> ...


Just bought one of these for a customer, was so nice I got one myself then I found this whilst looking for 3rd party customisation for the hot keys - I am a lazy git yer see.

Anyway both mine work fine on XP, Vista, Ubuntu and Win2000 with no supplied "drivers" installed at all. So I restored the Win XP and Vista boxes and tried with the drivers, XP was fine, Vista no good compatability issues but yer know - why am I not astounded at the lack of Vista support...sigh.

Anyway back to the Vista box, restored again, keyboard and mouse initialised without drivers works no problem.

OK so the drivers are for XP and screw up when used with Vista but no drivers are no problem must be some other issue. After a while it occured to me its RF interference - device driver goes wild etc - after 5 minute intervals...hmmmm. I then put a wireless card in the Vista box and tried that - no problem, then I put my bog standard wireless phone base station near the pooter and suddenly the keyboard / mouse is intermittant. Reboot and all OK again so I am not 100% convinced but I reckon it is outside RF interference of some sort, the "every 5 minutes" led me to suspect a regular synch signal was causing the reported problems - gonna check some more stuff but I suggest unplugging all wireless stuff phones, printers, the lot - then see if the keyboard / mouse works OK and let me know?

BTW I have no red laser light in the mouse either which I thought was odd but the mouse works, maybe its a stealth laser LOL

Its just a USB RF Transmitter, it does not need any drivers to work with XP or Vista that stuff is only to run the hot keys which I am not interested in. *** are "Advent" anyway?

hth


----------



## andy9376 (Jul 1, 2008)

Hello everyone, 

Everyone has been saying that they have had problem with the keyboard and mouse on vista. I am having the same problem running the two on windows xp. The problem is that i cant even get them both to work in the first place, how do i turn them both on? ... and why dont i need any frivers or even a receiver, it all seems a bit strange to me???

If it helps i want to run them off my laptop as i want to link my laptop upto a large television and type away from my laptop. please help!


----------



## Jonah8208 (Jun 6, 2008)

OK update time

After a few days my keyboard and mouse broke down, I uninstalled the drivers put wired PS2 ones on then my PC would not boot I had to use an image to restore it. As it was a test box anyway it was not a great problem but very annoying. So I tried again got the thing working then deliberatley uninstalled the drivers and no boot turned out to be corrupted MSFT files in Sys32. Next the customer I supplied one for called to say - guess what. Luckilly I had a recent backup image of his c drive also.

Result both Advents are in the bin, these things look great but are badly flawed I mean how hard is it to make a keyboard work with standard windows ffs?

I got a Saitek Eclipe II keyboard and mouse instead.

Jonah


----------

