# Microsoft SideWinder X6 keyboard - unpredictable volume rocker



## Arc lamp (Sep 3, 2011)

I've got a SideWinder X6 which has a rotating knob for intuitive volume control. It's brilliant when it works, but unfortunately it also drives me up the wall because of its erratic behaviour. Here's the problem in a nutshell:

- Sometimes volume changes with a few seconds of delay. I can live with this, but it's a bit annoying nonetheless.
- When increasing or decreasing volume, even just a bit, it shoots all the way up or down, respectively. This happens at random and is most annoying when wearing headphones. Changing the volume through software doesn't help because it goes all the way up or down again until the keyboard is unplugged.
- Sometimes the volume mixer software thing and the keyboard are divorced completely, so the volume rocker can be rotated infinitely to no effect. Again, replugging the keyboard solves the problem for the time being, which probably wouldn't be so bad if my desktop wasn't in such a hard to reach place.
- I'm running Windows 7 64-bit.
- I'm using the latest IntelliType drivers (8.20.409.0). Reinstalling, uninstalling or using older drivers don't change anything.
- Control panel hardware troubleshooting fails to realize something is wrong.
- Also, some googling suggests that others have had this problem as well, so it's not a hardware failure. The google links I checked seemed to offer no solution.

Help, please.


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## Arc lamp (Sep 3, 2011)

Sorry for the double post, but for some reason I can't edit the first one.

The calculator key on the numpad seems to give the keyboard's drivers a good shaking as pressing it revives the frozen volume control for some reason. Naturally I haven't been able to replicate the uncontrollable volume increase/decrease problem now that I would very much like to, but I'll get back to you to report on whether the calculator key fixes that as well.


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## Arc lamp (Sep 3, 2011)

Okay, seems that when the volume goes all the way up or down, the drivers give up on life completely as all special features - such as multimedia keys, macro keys and the aforementioned calculator key - stop working until the keyboard is re-plugged.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Unless it changes after install, I don't see that driver version listed on their webpage: Software Downloads: SideWinder X6 Keyboard


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## Arc lamp (Sep 3, 2011)

Dogg said:


> Unless it changes after install, I don't see that driver version listed on their webpage: Software Downloads: SideWinder X6 Keyboard


That's where I got my drivers, reinstalled them two days ago.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Just checking, as the driver package is listed as Mouse and Keyboard Center 1.1 but your driver version is 8.20.409.0. So I guess that is simply the driver version contained within the software package.

In any case, two possible causes. Driver issue or faulty hardware.

Have you tested the keyboard on another PC to verify?

You could also uninstall the software package and try using Windows Update. Windows update usually catches most MS hardware.


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## Arc lamp (Sep 3, 2011)

Dogg said:


> Just checking, as the driver package is listed as Mouse and Keyboard Center 1.1 but your driver version is 8.20.409.0. So I guess that is simply the driver version contained within the software package.
> 
> In any case, two possible causes. Driver issue or faulty hardware.
> 
> ...


Downloaded Mouse & Keyboard Center 1.1. Device manager now says the driver version is 9.1.486.0. The customization interface is certainly nicer than the old one, but unfortunately this has bugger all effect on the volume problems (freezing can still be cured by launching calculator, skyrocketing/sinking volume by disconnecting the keyboard). I uninstalled it and tried using Windows Update, but all it wanted to update was Security Essentials.

I haven't tried another PC yet. All my friends seem to have the same operating system though, so if the problem is caused by a driver/OS conflict I would probably end up none the wiser.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

After a Google search, seems this problem has been ongoing for quite awhile and appears to be driver related. There are numerous threads relating to volume know issues (jumping to min/max or lag).


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## Arc lamp (Sep 3, 2011)

I meantioned that on the first post. I have tried pretty much every course of action I could find on Google, but none have helped so far. Things are not helped by some fixes working for some people but not others, and sometimes the final post of a thread is "thanks, I'll try that and get back to you" after which the person disappears for good. It would be nice to have a proper solution for once.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

I was simply trying to cover the basics.

From my experience, I will say two things. 1) issues like this which appear to affect numerous people and there are numerous fixes that only seem to work for a few people, point to one thing...bad drivers/driver conflicts 2) you are using Win7 64. Of all the driver packages available, the 64 bit versions are the most hit or miss (for all hardware).

From the several posts that I read, it was a known driver issue and it was noted several times that it would be fixed "in the next update". But that was several versions ago, and the problem is still being reported.

Take from that what you will.


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