Windows 10: A solution to get older abandoned legacy Microsoft MOUSE and KEYBOARDS to work in Windows...

I have an old corded Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse that I love and decided to bring out of retirement for another chance at glory. I was dismayed to see that it wouldn’t show up in the latest Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center. I just had an empty grey screen to look at, which luckily didn’t reflect my falling tears. A quick search in Google showed I wasn’t alone. So now it was either start a bi-weekly support group or find a way to make it work. Lucky for me some other guys already basically came up with a way to make it work!


I was hoping to add this reply to an existing thread from mid-2017where the 2 guys posted a few lines about how they got it working but that thread is locked.



I thought I’d start a new one that also hopefully has enough keywords to catch other people searching with similar problems.



BEST SOLUTION. WORKING IN JAN 2019 WITH WINDOWS 1809


I did just like Steve and Giorgio did in the other thread I linked above, BUT with the latest Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center v11.1.137.0 so you get all the current mouse and keyboard models, PLUS the old faithful ones! Please don’t waste your time and OS compatibility by installing 10+ year old software like IntelliPoint that is sure to just bring new headaches to deal with.


This method works fine, just like they mentioned for version 3.2 of Mouse and Keyboard Center. Everything works like middle mouse wheel speed, button assigning including shortcut keys and macros, DPI sensitivity for each of the 3 buttons, app-specific settings etc.

It didn’t let me assign anything to the little grey button on the top right at the back but it was an unassignable button in the old software and OS too that just opened the Games Explorer in Vista. And the front side one was a macro recording button or something and it’s also unassignable.


I’m hoping this mod is persistent through the next update of the Mouse and Keyboard Center! I imagine an update would happen when they add new models for sale so there’s a high chance the ‘IPointDevices.xml’ or ‘ITypeDevices.xml’ could be overwritten. If so, it’s as simple as just copying the 50+ lines for your device from the old XML file, back into the new one.


Since this works quite easily, I’d have to assume that this would work with other legacy mice and keyboards that Microsoft has for some reason stopped supporting. Very annoying.


And please, no canned posts offering generic info and pleading for a thumbs up. It’s beautiful outside. Go for a walk instead



Sorry if there’s too much info here. I tried to write it to help people of all technical levels. I could potentially make a video if anyone really needs it but I think what’s here should be easy enough to follow

1. 
   Close your Mouse and Keyboard Center if it’s running.
   
   
2. 
   Firstly I downloaded some of the last known working versions of the software that supported my Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse, which was 2.1 and 2.3. Both of these contain the drivers, XML settings, and pics to use in the latest version.
   Files were called this. Links will be below these steps.
   MouseKeyboardCenter_64bit_ENG_2.1.177.exe
   MouseKeyboardCenter_64bit_ENG_2.3.188.exe
   
   
3. 
   We need access to the files in the downloads WITHOUT having to install them. This is easy as they are a self-extracting zip packaged as an exe file. I used WinRAR to extract them but you can just as easily use the free 7-zip or PeaZip or something (use a portable version if you don’t want to install them).
   
   
4. 
   (This step probably isn’t totally necessary but I think it’s better to have the proper driver)
   From Device Manager, I clicked on my mouse that just said ‘HID-compliant mouse’ and said to update the driver and pointed it to the extracted folder and it found it straight away. Went from the crappy MS 2006 driver to an MS SideWinder 2013 driver. It still didn’t show up in the Center so have to do the next step.
   
   
5. 
   Now you have to copy the ‘sidewinder’ folder to the current install.
   From the from the extracted 2.3 install exe. In the ‘..\MouseKeyboardCenter_64bit_ENG_2.3.188\mousekeyboardcenter\setup64\files\models’ folder, copy the folder called ‘sidewinder’
   (you’ll see the other sidewinderX3Mouse folders etc but just grab the sidewinder one)
   and copy it to the ‘models’ folder of the currently installed ‘Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center’ folder which should be in its default location of ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center\Models’.
   
   
6. 
   Next bit requires copying some lines from one XML to another. It sounds harder than it is. Just imagine copying a paragraph of text from one document to another. READ THE TIPS BELOW IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE THIS MUCH BEFORE.
   In case you mess up, make a backup copy of the current used file called ‘IPointDevices.xml’ in the ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center’ folder.
   Now open the ‘ipointdevices.xml’ from your extracted ‘..\MouseKeyboardCenter_64bit_ENG_2. 3.188\mousekeyboardcenter\setup64\files‘ folder and copy the whole section of text that starts with <Device, which in mine goes for 53 lines, ending in </Device>
   
   <Device ID="47" Type="Mouse">
   <Name>SideWinder Mouse</Name>
   …..
   …..
   </Device>
   
   Paste this anywhere in the current ‘IPointDevices.xml’ file in ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center’ folder.
   VERY IMPORTANT! Make sure to paste it after another </Device> line. That is code for signalling the end of a specific mouse section that starts with <Device>. If you try to past in the middle of another mouse’s settings, then it won’t work, and nor will the mouse you pasted the data into.
   
   TIPS
   When you try to open an XML file it will normally default to open in Internet Explorer or Edge. You can just open them in Notepad by right-clicking and choosing ‘Open with’. I would recommend downloading Notepad ++. It’s small and free and you can even get a portable version so you don’t have to install anything. Then you just drag the XML file into the open window of Notepad ++.
   When you try to save your edits in a file in the Program Files folders you’ll need admin access. Some text editors freak out when you try to save your changes. Notepad++ asks if you want to switch to admin mode so that’s cool. The other way is to copy the file to your desktop or somewhere, edit it, then copy the edited version back in and replace the previous one, saying yes to the prompt that comes up.
   
   
7. 
   That’s it. Start your Mouse and Keyboard Center and your mouse should show up and you can change settings.
   
   

Just to check, I extracted the IntelliPoint setup file ‘C:\Downloads\IPx86_1033_8.20.468.0\ipoint\setup\files’ and found it has a ‘models’ folder and ‘ipointdevices.xml’ and ‘itypedevices.xml’ files.

You may be able to add an even older missing model from the IntelliPoint days into the current Mouse and Keyboard Center program. Comment below if anyone has success with that.




Below are a list of mice and keyboards that I noticed were missing from the newest v11 software by comparing the ‘models’ folders from previous install files. The names may not be 100% correct as the folders and names in the XML files may be shorthand for the full product name Microsoft used.

It’s at least a start and having all the names here may help search engines point people to this post so they can hopefully find some help! Good luck.



Missing mice from v2.1 to v2.3

Wireless Optical Mouse 2.0

Trackball Explorer

Trackball Optical


Missing mice and keyboards from v2.3 to v11

Comfort Optical Mouse 3000

Compact Optical Mouse 500 v2.0

Digital Media Keyboard

Digital Media Pro Keyboard

Natural Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard 7000

Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000

Notebook Optical Mouse 3000

SideWinder Gaming Mouse (I only got this one to work as I don’t have any other hardware to test)

Wheel Mouse Optical

Wireless Entertainment Keyboard 7000

Wireless Entertainment Keyboard 8000

Wireless Laser Keyboard 7000

Wireless Laser Mouse 5000

Wireless Laser Mouse 7000

Wireless Laser Mouse 8000

Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 4000

Wireless Optical Mouse 2000

Wireless Optical Mouse 3000

Wireless Optical Mouse 5000



Missing mice and keyboards from IntelliPoint to v2.1

Comfort Optical Mouse 1000

Compact Optical Mouse

IntelliMouse

IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0

IntelliMouse Explorer For Bluetooth

IntelliMouse Optical

Internet Keyboard

Keyboard Elite for Bluetooth

Keyboard with Fingerprint Reader

Laser Mouse 6000

Mobile Memory Mouse 8000

Natural Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard 7000

Notebook Optical Mouse

Optical Mouse

Optical Mouse By Starck

Standard Wireless Optical Mouse

Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer For Bluetooth

Wireless Keyboard

Wired Keyboard

Wireless Laser Mouse 6000

Wireless Laser Keyboard 5000

Wireless Laser Keyboard 7000

Wireless Mobile Mouse

Wireless MultiMedia Keyboard

Wireless Natural MultiMedia Keyboard

Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000

Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000

Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse

Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000

Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth Keyboard

Wireless Photo Keyboard


:)

 

Is Microsoft Keyboard and Mouse center needed for Win10?

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. I understand the inconvenience caused and will assist you.

I suggest you to follow the steps below and check if it helps:

Step 1: Run Hardware Troubleshooter.

• 
  Press Windows + C.
  
• 
  Type Troubleshooting and click on it.
  
• 
  On the left pane click on View all.
  
• 
  From the list click on Hardware troubleshooter.
  
• 
  Follow on screen instructions to complete.
  

Hardware troubleshooter will detect minor issues and try to fix them, automatically.

Step 2: Install the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard center in compatibility mode with Windows 8.

Download Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard center
from link below.

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/sculpt-ergonomic-desktop#support

Refer (Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows)

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/older-programs-compatible-version-windows

Note: This link also applies to Windows 10.

Hope the information is helpful. Feel free to
write to us for any other assistance with Windows, we’ll be glad to assist you.

 

keyboard and mouse not working

Hi Chrystal,

For us to properly isolate the issue with your keyboard and mouse, we would like to know the following:

• Were there any changes made on your computer prior to the issue (e.g., updates, software installation)?
• Are you using a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse?
• Have you tried using a different keyboard and mouse? If yes, how was it?
• Have you tried using your keyboard and mouse to another computer? If yes, what is the result?
• To make sure that we have not missed on anything, what troubleshooting steps have you done so far?

As an initial troubleshooting, we suggest that you try updating your keyboard and mouse drivers to resolve the issue. You may also check and follow the troubleshooting steps in this
article.

We look forward to your response.

 

Microsoft 5050 Wireless Keyboard & Mouse Not Detected


Hi,
I have a new Microsoft Mouse & Keyboard 2000 now.
Tried what you suggested with an old keyboard, connected the new one and it's a bit better.
I stll get an error saying the 'MKCHelper.exe' file is missing.
I still can't uninstall/reinstall Microsoft Mouse & Keyboard Centre, as it says it is on the PC, but is not listed in the list of software to uninstall.
When I slow the wheel scroll speed down, it works fine, but when I restart the PC I have to do it again, as it speeds up so much I can't control it.