This post is moving to my other blog here.
The Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 Keyboard is a very nice keyboard – short movement, slightly curved, wired (no annoying batteries!), USB, … and definitely my keyboard of choice… except for one thing: the ‘c’ or ‘n’ keys stop working occassionally, as experienced by many users of this keyboard. Here are two ways that will usually fix the problem:
- The unorthodox but quick method: give the keyboard a whack or a drop: hold it about 5 inches above the desk, not exactly parallel/flat, and drop it so that one corner hits first and it bounces around.
- Unscrew the back of the keyboard, pull off the back, separate the plastic, gently dust it, and put it back together.
These two actions just listed generaly do the trick, but the problem, according to this post, is due to static build-up on the inner plastic. Changing drivers, USB ports, cables, etc. isn’t going to fix this problem. Unfortunately, neither is buying another Comfort Curve 2000 keyboard. So as a last resort:
3. Buy the Microsoft Comfort Curve 3000 Keyboard instead.
powerphil 
> isn’t going to fix this problem. Unfortunately, neither is buying another Comfort Curve 2000 keyboard
Huh? Even if you buy/install a brand new keyboard… you’ll have the same problem as before???
That’s correct; if you buy a new Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 keyboard, it will have the same design fault.
unorthodox but helpful. For me it has been the Tab key.
I’ve had the same problem since I bought this keyboard. It used to happen once every few months before, but now it happens almost daily. So the Curve 3000 doesn’t have this problem?
Thanks for the suggestions btw.
hello there, i have comfort Curve 2000 alot time now, like 1 month now when i startup PC at window desktop screen i try to type sometimes and keyboard is tottaly Frozen wont type anything, the light from num lock is open but wont respond, if i replug it or restart PC works just fine for some days then again the same things… could this problem caused due to static build-up ?
used updated drivers nothing changes.
now i’m testing a new keyboard.
I experience the same problem sometimes, with mice and keyboards, and I suspect its got something to do with the USB driver needing to have the device plugged in cleanly after Windows has fully started up. It also seems to happen more when I boot from hibernation. I don’t think the problem you described is with the keyboard because I have noticed different mice having the same problem. I just unplug and plug the USB devices back in and all is good.
changed keyboard and the problem disappeared now i can say for sure that the problem was for keyboard.
Just wanted to say THANK YOU!! I love my keyboard and it’s been acting up for weeks now. The whole thing would just stop working. I would unplug it and plug it back in and it would work for like 5 minutes and then nothing. I uploaded a new driver still didn’t fix the problem. After a lot of searching I found your site and did exactly what you said to do and it’s now been working for two hours. YAY!! Thanks again. 🙂
Here is my theory for the problem which i had, old motherboard and comfort curve keyboard 2000 was working, new Motherboard and comfort curve keyboard works BUT until it gets Frozen some random times., USB Drivers Updated- Keyboard Drivers Updated.Facts:it does the same at the other USB Ports. Personal Research, my new motherboard buyed at 2012, happens to be enchanted with Electro Static Protection at USB, found some information, the electrostatic protection was at Motherboards since 2009, Expect USB , which was added at 2011, my new motherboard is Gigabyte B75-D3V using another Keyboard atm and works perfectly.Comfort curve 2000 works on older PCs, so my theory is that it has to do something with electroStatic Protecton at USB and this Keyboard. you will see with small green letters USB Port Protection at the electro static Part.
http://www.gigabyte.com.gr/products/page/mb/ga-b75-d3vrev_10/overview/
Wow, a life saver!
My keyboard broke down yesterday, so I immediately bought a new one (one has to work). I couldn’t find the same one though, so I bought the comfort curve 3000. It just arrived and I immediately tried it. But to be honoust, I don’t like it. The keys are fine (really nice), but the lay-out is slightly different and the board itself is raised at the back. That really doesn’t feel good at my hands.
So I just browsed to see if I really can’t find the 2000 keyboard somewhere, and I bumped onto this article. Just a slap at the back and the problem is solved! Absolutely marvelous! Thank you so much 🙂
Curve 3000 has the same problem. Two days ago got stuck with a couple of keys and fixed it by whacking it with the palm a couple of times. Today it did again and had to whack it harder.
If this starts to be a regular occurrence it will be a shame! the keyboard is very nice to type on….
I’m a big fan of this keyboard… unfortunately, the new Comfort Keyboard 3000 has a different (and much worse) layout: keys are smaller, and the curvature is different… oh Microsoft, why discontinue what is the best existing keyboard ever?
please check andrew’s answer on the refered post http://www.fixya.com/support/t3015431-microsoft_comfort_curve_2000_v_1_key
omg solution #1 fixed it on the first try. thanks! here’s me typing a bunch of c c c c c c c c c c just to prove that it works.
I too bought a Comfort Curve 3000 (wireless). I returned it because – however the adjustable feet were placed – it wobbled on the desk (i.e. poor build quality is not a great place to start).
But to be honest, I was pleased to return it as the function keys did not have the 4-4-4 layout with gaps that allow your fingers to find certain keys without looking – and several other things just were not as pleasing as the 2000 model. Fortunately, I don’t have the problem you report with m, n keys etc.
I didn’t believe in the “UNORTHODOX” way. But let’s give it a try, and it was awesome solution. Mine stop working ‘0’, ‘,’ and ‘\’ keys. I was thinking to open the keyboard and clean it, but I was getting lazy just to think it.
COOL. Thanks for your help powerphil.
Just for the record, I bought these keyboard like 5 to 7 years ago for my home, but I also got another keyboard as a present. So I use few days and then put it back in the box. Today I need a keyboard and surprise, some keys didn’t work, I seems to me it’s not normal use that breaks the keys, it’s something else.
genius – just gave it a good slap and my nnnnnnnnnn and mmmmmmm is working. brilliant!
I too have one of these keyboards and think it’s great. Until today, when I discovered the ‘No n’ problem had appeared out of nowhere. Finding a lot of posts that indicated static was to blame, I tried breathing down between the keys – moist air conducts, right? And it’s the beginning of Autumn, when the air starts to become colder and drier.
Couple of HHHuuuuuuuuu s and – bingo n n n n n n n!
Fab!! it worked! I haven’t been able to put the umlaut over the e in my name for months, as to be able to I have to have the Num Lock activated on the keypad and then press Alt 137 = ë
Happy, happy!!!!!!! 😀
Hey – You know what, giving it a good sharp whack with palm of my hand (not too hard) worked! …Was the “G” key, in my case. …But Thanks for the tip!
July 2016 – Same keyboard, same problem (return key, this time) searched the web for a couple of hours and found your “give it a whack” solution. I used the palm of my hand on the bottom and cursed it mightily at the same time. Success! Thank you for remembering how we fixed TVs back in the 60s. “Plus ça change…”
Hahah I can’t believe giving it a whack was actually the solution. My Left CTRL, Left Windows and Left ALT keys have now been restored. Thanks so much :)))
so first my right arrow key, then my left arrow key were unresponsive. almost went out to buy another.I thought your post and solution was just dumb. until I tried it. well actually I tried what Paula wrote above: just give a good wack to the back of the keyboard under general area of the keys that are not working, and bingo. Now I have my arrow keys back. weird, but it worked.