Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 4000

[Rob Williams]

Microsoft recently announced an update to their Wireless Optical Desktop 4000 with the primary difference being updates for Vista and also the inclusion of a Laser mouse. We are taking a fresh look at this updated product to see if it's worth your $80.

You can read the full review here and discuss it here.

I enjoy my MS wireless optical desktop 4000 and I have one on my Dell Laptop and just installed one on my new HP Vista PC. However on the HP the desktop 4000 will not allow the PC to go into sleep mode automaticly. There is no option in Device Manager to allow putting the PC to sleep. The option to not allow wake up this there but not the option to put the PC to sleep. Anyone have a fix?
THanks,
John

Okay, Did another Google search and found there is NO fix for this problem on Vista as per http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913405
John

[MacMan]

Great article Rob.

Even though I doubt I will ever buy that particular Microsoft keyboard combination, I still enjoyed the piece. I enjoyed it because I have been using Microsoft mice and trackballs for about six years now. The software is not the greatest perhaps (but hey, its Microsoft, what did you expect?) but I have found them to be rugged and reliable..

I Infact, the mouse I am using now I have been using since 2001.... six years and still going strong! I see no need to buy another since this one works as good as the day I bought it.

[imjohn]

I've been using the 4000 for about a month now and am very satisfied . . . when it works.
Lately I've been having problems with signal reception from both the keyboard and the mouse. Occasionally I get a warning pop-up stating that the keyboard signal quality is low and giving me the option to troubleshoot or ignore. I've tried both and either way the pop-up disappears and the keyboard continues to work ok. When I go to the Microsoft Keyboard program, it shows my wireless battery and signal quality as both being good. So, even though the keyboard warnings are annoying it continues working ok.

NOT SO with the mouse. I never get a warning about the mouse's signal quality; however, I'm having a problem with the mouse functions. The main problem is with left-clicking (single or double). That signal is not being received and nothing happens. I've moved the receiver onto my mouse pad between the keyboard and the remaining mouse area and I still have theproblem if I move the mouse a short distance from the receiver (like 5/6"). (It does not occur all the time, but way too often.) When I notice that nothing is happening, I can move the mouse next to the receiver and it receives the left-click ok.

I open the Microsoft Mouse program and it informs me that the battery level is good and the signal level is high, but the problem remains. Even though I'm told the batteries are ok, I replaced them anyway . . . to no avail.

Anybody have any ideas ?

John

I've been using the Microsoft desktop desktop 4000 for a little more than a mouse. and suddenly it died. the keyboard's fine. but the mouse is on, batteries are fully charged and the connection is perfectly fine. but why can't it move.?!

Hi,
I got exacly the same problem with my Wireless Laser Mouse 6000. Sometimes the left-click does not respond and my Windows XP seems to be locked. I tried to google a solution for that without success. If you have any ideas to solve this problem, I will appreciate.
Thanks

Jean-Raoul

[Rob Williams]

Sorry I can't help you guys... I gave this kit to a family member once the review was done and it's still kicking. Sounds like some foolish problem though... one that we've just happened to somehow avoid.

You mentioned in the review a lag in the scroll wheel that causes the page to keep scrolling after you stop moving the wheel. I have noticed that in other MS mouses, and it seems to be a function of the software. I found that the mouse worked fine once I uninstalled the software program that came with the mouse (or if I never installed that software).

[Rob Williams]

Ahh good catch. Next time I seem to have that problem, I will uninstall the driver and see if that fixes things. Still, a foolish workaround though. The drivers should make the experience better, not worse.

[lil_ri_redhead]

I just received the microsoft wireless laser desktop 4000 with the laser mouse 5000. I got the mouse to work but cannot get the keyboard to work. I am running windows xp pro if that helps. I have uninstalled twice and reinstalled it, also tried different usb ports which didn't help.
I would appreciate any help.

[Rob Williams]

Hmm, that's interesting. The keyboard doesn't work at -all-? It should have come with a purple USB-to-PS/2 converter... I would try that out and see if you are still stuck with the same problem. If so, chances are that the keyboard is DOA.

[lil_ri_redhead]

it didn't come with one. all i got was the receiver, keyboard, mouse, software and the batteries.
Thank you for all your help though.

[Rob Williams]

Ahh, interesting. Most USB keyboards I've had have included the adapter, but I suppose since this one runs through it's own receiver... it's a different story. If you have the packaging from another USB keyboard, it might have the adapter. Still not sure that will help though. Hope you can get this sorted out.

[Jon]

Hey everyone, I just bought a new keyboard and mouse it's a MS Wireless Laser Desktop 4000. I bought it saturday and hooked it up and found out the the volume buttons on it don't work. So i took it back to Wal-Mart ( fall apart ) and got the some one, It does the same thing.

I have Windows XP Home, I have uninstalled & reinstalled so many times and it still don't work, Ran spy bot, ad-aware and avast and still NO VOLUME buttons, i know that there and 4 other ways of turning up and down the volume but it's the case of i bought this for $70.00 and everything should work on it....

Is there anything else i can do be4 i have to take this one back??


Thanks,
Jon