Computer Shopper - UK (2019-10)

HELPFILE&BUSINESSHELP

ISSUE 380|COMPUTERSHOPPER|OCTOBER 2019 121

We use amini PC with our TV in the
lounge,controlled via an ageing Logitech
Cordless MediaBoard Pro Bluetooth
keyboard. Occasionally the link breaks; I
suspect because one of my children has
accidentally brushed the reset button.
Reconnecting it is usually acase of
plugging in aUSB keyboard, going through
the rigmarole of adding anew Bluetooth
device,then typing the code that Windows
displays intothe keyboard, but this time
something’s gone wrong. When it comes
to pairing, the computer is asking forthe
keyboard’s PIN code.
Ican’t find aPIN code on the keyboard,
and Ilong ago threw out any manuals it
might have come with. I’ve searched online
and can’t find any mention of what the
code should be,although I’ve tried the
basics such as 1111, 1234 and their six-digit
equivalents. Iwondered if the keyboard had
finally given up the ghost, but Iconnected it
to another computer without any problems.
Iassume that means it’s aWindows issue.
Any idea how to fix it?
Neil Rosen

The Bluetooth pairing process is designed to
discover the input and displaycapabilities of
the devices being paired. Akeyboard should

No pinneedles

identify itself as such, causing the

computer to generateaone-time

passcode rather than demanding a

(less secure) static PIN. The fact that

Windows is asking foraPIN suggests

that the process has become

corrupted forthis keyboard, with

Windows mistakenly thinking that

it’s incapable of entering acode.

You’ve ruled out aproblem with

the keyboard. Next you should rule

out awider Bluetooth problem with

the PC. Open the Start menu, typeluetooth,

run Bluetooth and other devices settings from

the results, and deletethe keyboard if it

appears under the Mouse,keyboard &pen

heading. Next, search the Start menu for

Bluetooth again, and this time choose Find

and fix problems with Bluetooth devices to

run the troubleshooter.

Unfortunately,ifthat doesn’t help it’s

likely to be avery difficult problem to solve.

Windows stores information about Bluetooth

devices in the Registry,specifically under

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\.

Information relating to paired devices is

stored in multiple Registry keys, using

unique identifiers containing the device’s

MACaddress; on the MediaBoard Pro this

is printed on alabel underneath and labelled

BT ADD.Wethink that one or more of

these keys is mistakenly identifying the

keyboard as adifferent class of device,

although we haven’t been able to establish

which keys are responsible.

In theory,searching forthe MACaddress

and deleting all of the relevant Registry keys

might force Windows to reassess the

keyboard correctly,but it might also cause

significant problems. We’d only consider it as

alast resort, and only then after taking afull

backup of the PC and saving afull backup of

the Registry to which you can revert. Buying a

new Bluetooth adaptor might work, but the

only sure-fire ways to fix the problem would

be either to buy anew keyboard or re-install

the PC from scratch.

IhaveanHPSpectre X360 15in laptop

from 2017,which is fully up to datewith

Windows updates. Ioftenuse it when I’m

sat on the sofa.Tosavemyexpensive

laptop being jumped all over by our

puppy, Iplug it intothe TV and use a

combined keyboard/touchpad, connected

by Bluetooth. The idea is that if the puppy

leaps on to my lap,the only damage will

be to this cheap keyboard. Ihappen to

have aFivePlusOne device,but from

reading rants from others it doesn’t seem

to matter which model you have.

The keyboard works fine until I

accidentally swipe in from the left, at

which point the Task View timeline pops

up,right in the middle of what I’m doing.

Every time this happens Ihavetostop

what Iwas doing and get out of the Task

View screen. While it’s easy to disable

this behaviour forabuilt-in touchpad, it

seems impossible to disable when you

have an external touchpad.

I’ve tried everything, including Registry

edits and even playing with the Group

Policy Editor,but nothing seems to solve

it. The only advice I’ve seen that might

work is to put tape around the touchpad

edges, but that would be something of a

pyrrhic victory.Any ideas?

Graham H

Save me fromthepuppy

You’re suffering what seems to be acommon

issue.The core of the problem is that while

integrated touchpads are recognised and

configured as such by Windows, external

touchpads typically come without specific

drivers and are set up as ageneric mouse,so

the configurable gesture options don’t appear.

Unfortunately,having said it’s acommon

issue,we’ve been unable to re-create

the exact problem with the range of

computers and keyboards we had

available; none of the touchpads

would respond to edge swipes. Given

this, we haven’t been able to find a

definitefixfor the problem.

Youdon’t mention which Registry

edit you’ve tried, but we found one

that disables edge swipes on a

touchscreen, while leaving gestures

enabled on abuilt-in touchpad. To try

it, open the Start menu, typeregedit

and hit Enter,then navigateto

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\

SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\

Windows. Right-click Windows,

select New,then Key, and name the

new keyEdgeUI. Now right-click

EdgeUI and select New,then DWORD

(32-bit) Value.Name the value

AllowEdgeSwipe,don’t change the data

value,then quit Registry Editor and reboot.

If this doesn’t work, you can retrace your

steps and deletethe EdgeUI keyyou added.

We’d be interested in knowing if other

readers have suffered this problem.

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