Dell KB213 Multimedia Keyboard - Need instructions

Did you try out a different keyboard?

Did you try out a different keyboard?

Not sure how that is relevant to the problem, but yes in fact I am using a Logitech keyboard in any case. But I still paid for the Dell keyboard as part of my package and I would still like to know how to use the damn thing even as a spare or on another computer :(  Right now, it seems useless to me....

The reason why it would be relevant is because the keyboard might [Admin NOTE: Profanity removed as per TOU] and to make sure that you didn't change the keyboard layout on windows 7. There are no such drivers for this keyboard so your pretty much stuck with what you have

Not sure I understand. The machine is a brand new one running Win 8.1. The keyboard drivers loaded OK when I first plugged it in. The basic keyboard works fine except that there are many symbols on many of the keys that I have no idea how to "access". Furthermore, what is 'printed' on many of the keys is NOT what you get when you press that key. It's like the keyboard and the key labels are from different  universes.

" Some keys have as many as 4 different symbols on them"

Is this the keyboard that you have? because i don't see more then 4 different symbols on them.

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cYuA%2B9ddL._SL1500_.jpg

This keyboard has more symbols then your keyboard

http://www.zolid.com/uk-intl-kb/UK-Intl%20WEur%20kb%20(v2.0).png

But anyways give this a shot and see if this helps

http://www.askvg.com/fix-cant-type-and-other-symbols-in-windows-8-incorrect-character-appears-on-screen/

P.S the reason why I had to highlight the webpages is because it will bring the massive picture to this thread which will make the post extra long.

Here is a picture of the keyboard. Not sure how visible it will be but I am limited to upload size.

You will see, for example, that in the lower right next to the shift key, where a standard keyboard expects to find the / and ? keys, that this one has a É. Problem is, when you hit the É key it gives the standard / or ?. I wouldn't know how to access the É character even if I wanted to (other than ASCII as I have done here). 

And look to the key immediately to the left of that one - it has 4 symbols on it. on the lower part of the keycap it has a  . and a  >. This is what types out when you press the key unshifted and shifted.

But the symbols on the upper half of the keycap are the " and another . and yet I can't figure out how to access either of them even if I wanted to.

And indeed if I WANT to use a quotation mark (") the I have to press the other É key in the row above and slightly to the right of the one in the bottom row (i.e. where you EXPECT them to be on  standard quertyy keyboard). Indeed, THAT key gives me the usual quote and apostrophe. 

So, many keys do not print what they say, and the symbols on many others aren't even accessible by any methods I have tried.

And therefore as it is, the keyboard is pretty useless to me since I am not a proficient touch typist and I actually have to look at the keys to know what I am pressing and what I am getting. In this case, what I press and what I get are miles apart.

Did you ever get an answer to your question? I have the same system and keyboard. This keyboard is very different from any keyboard I've ever seen! The ? key is on the top row above 6(!!!!!!!!!)

I'm not a touch typist myself, but I think a touch typist would actually have more trouble and would probably go insane trying to use this keyboard.

So far, I think I've figured out that the Alt Gr key accesses the bottom right of each key with four symbols (eg< >|~`¬) The shift key seems to access the top left of the four (eg ' " : Ç  ¨ + \) . The unshifted keys appear to be the bottom left of each (eg , . ; ^ = /). The right CTRL key seems to access SOME of the top right symbols (eg ― ~ )The key to the left of the backspace key has some kind of symbol that looks Arabic or something. Some of the symbols (é É Ù ù )appear to be European, although I don't what language Ù or ù are from.

Veeery maddening when you think that we have bought what is advertised as a top of the line system and received a $20 keyboard that is so difficult to use (and very LOUD too). Clearly not a case of getting what you paid for!

Let me know if you have heard any more from Dell or elsewhere (I haven't called Dell yet myself).

Think I've found the answer. In the bottom right corner of the screen is a keyboard toolbar that toggles between ENG US and ENG CMS (Canadian Multilingual Standard) when you left-click on it. Unfortunately, the symbols printed on the keys correspond only to the CMS layout. The ENG US layout appears to put the keys back where you would normally expect to find them (great for touch typists - not great for the rest of us).

I am buffaloed, not so much by the keyboard but by Dell's apparent total lack of documentation to explain it. Or possibly, to replace it with a US keyboard. I plan to contact Dell Support shortly. If I get satisfaction, I will let you know.

Possibly of interest: Recently acquired my new XPS 8700 to dual-boot with Linuxmint 17 (it's working) and about to start using for experimental development with VMWare. I too have been reluctant / embarrassed to admit a trivial keyboard issue was hampering me, having started computer programming with IBM in 1961.

Didn't work for me, and no new driver available either.

Maybe they should supply us with stick-on decals for the US layout! [still have no idea what that figure on top right of key to left of backspace key is!!]