question External Keyboard sleep in Windows 10?

[Stereodude]

So I've never seen this one before... I have a Microsoft Wired 200 USB keyboard plugged into my Yoga 3 Pro running Windows 10. It seems like the keyboard sleeps or goes into some sort of low power mode after 5 seconds of not typing. The 3 status lights (numlock, caps lock, and scroll lock) will turn off (if the corresponding feature is enabled) until a key is pressed. I bought several identical model keyboards that I've used with Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines and haven't seen this behavior to date.

None of this would be an issue aside from the annoyance of the lights turning off and on, but it seems like it has missed the first key I've pressed once it's gone into the low power state at least a few times. Has anyone seen this before? I tried a little Googling, but didn't seem to find any similar reports.

 

[Mercutio]

Maybe look under Advanced Power Settings, at the USB Selective Suspend? On a white box system, I might be inclined to go look for a firmware USB power management setting, but I doubt the Yoga would have such a thing.

 

[Stereodude]

Maybe look under Advanced Power Settings, at the USB Selective Suspend?

That setting didn't change the observed behavior. Unless it needed a reboot to become effective. I guess I could try swapping this keyboard for one at home to make sure it's not this specific keyboard.

 

[Stereodude]

So I haven't swapped the keyboard or tried another one, but I think I've found the pattern to when it misses key presses. If you're trying to type something right at the 5 second mark as it's going to sleep it will miss the key press.

 

[Mercutio]

Does the Yoga have multiple USB ports? What if you went to a powered USB hub and then to your keyboard?

 

[Stereodude]

Does the Yoga have multiple USB ports? What if you went to a powered USB hub and then to your keyboard?

It has two USB ports (both 3.0). Swapping the keyboard to the other port didn't help. My powered USB 3.0 hub is supposed to be delivered by Amazon today. I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

 

[Stereodude]

So using the USB 3.0 hub didn't change the behavior. I'm going to try one of my identical model keyboards that I have at home and see if it behaves the same way.

 

[Stereodude]

I tested a different identical model MS Wired Keyboard 200 with the Yoga 3 Pro at home yesterday and it did not power off or sleep after 5 seconds. So I took that "good" keyboard into the office to try it. It still works fine with the USB 3.0 hub and other peripherals here. Now I'm going to take the "bad" keyboard home to try it with other computers. All signs point to a defective keyboard.

 

[Stereodude]

Well, you got me... The "bad" keyboard works normally with my personal laptop and HTPC (both Win 7). It doesn't power down after 5 seconds and lose key presses. To make sure it didn't magically fix itself during the drive home or carrying it to the car I tried it again with the Yoga 3 Pro and it still does the 5 second sleep thing. I can't explain why this particular keyboard behave this way, but an older one doesn't. :dunno:

 

[time]

Did you forget your monthly chicken sacrifice?

 

[Stereodude]

Did you forget your monthly chicken sacrifice?

Must have...

 

[Stereodude]

So in the process of building my new HTPC I happened to connect the troublesome 5 second sleep keyboard to it. It's an H97 chipset board. It has Windows 8.1 x64 installed on it. The keyboard does the same 5 second timeout on it. However, when it's running Memtest86+ the keyboard stays powered. The keyboard is only temporary, so it's not a big deal, but I thought it interesting that another system shows the same behavior.