Corsair K95 RGB keyboard lights up but cannot type or keys do nothing (p/n ch-90002227)

3-4 days ago by godson sent me a message that his Corsair keyboard, the fancy K95 RGB, isn’t working the way it was supposed to work. (scroll to the bottom if you only want the solution and not the waffle)

When I asked him what he meant, he responded that the key lights are lighting up, but the keyboard itself isn’t typing or the keys aren’t working. I figured it was either a firmware update that went wrong or the unit has a mechanical fault and has to go back to the supplier.

Unfortunately for my godson, they warranty expired (when he got it, he paid 3k ZAR for it) and to top it off the suppliers are closed until the end of the current COVID19 21-days lockdown.

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Keyboard Shortcuts Keys

What is a Keyboard Shortcut?

In computing, a keyboard shortcut is a set of one or more keys that invoke a command in software or an operating system.

They are typically an alternate means for invoking commands that would otherwise be accessible only through a menu, a mouse, or an aspect of the user interface. These shortcuts can expedite common operations by reducing input sequences to a few keystrokes.

These shortcuts can provide an easier and quicker method of using computer programs. These commands are commonly accessed by using the [Alt] key (on PC computers), [command key] (on Apple computers), [Ctrl], and [Shift] in conjunction with a single letter.

These shortcuts are for the following programs and applications.

  • Word
  • Windows
  • Internet Explorer
  • File Explorer
  • Windows System Commands
  • Firefox
  • Excel
  • Mac
  • Finder
  • Chrome

 

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Join the Battle for Net Neutrality

Save The Net

Sept. 10th is the Internet Slowdown

Cable companies want to slow down (and break!) your favorite sites, for profit. To fight back, let’s cover the web with symbolic “loading” icons, to remind everyone what an Internet without net neutrality would look like, and drive record numbers of emails and calls to lawmakers.
Are you in?

battle3

If you woke up tomorrow, and your internet looked like this, what would you do?

Imagine all your favorite websites taking forever to load, while you get annoying notifications from your ISP suggesting you switch to one of their approved “Fast Lane” sites.

Think about what we would lose: all the weird, alternative, interesting, and enlightening stuff that makes the Internet so much cooler than mainstream Cable TV. What if the only news sites you could reliably connect to were the ones that had deals with companies like Comcast and Verizon?

On September 10th, just a few days before the FCC’s comment deadline, public interest organizations are issuing an open, international call for websites and internet users to unite for an “Internet Slowdown” to show the world what the web would be like if Team Cable gets their way and trashes net neutrality. Net neutrality is hard to explain, so our hope is that this action will help SHOW the world what’s really at stake if we lose the open Internet.

If you’ve got a website, blog or tumblr, get the code to join the #InternetSlowdown here: https://battleforthenet.com/sept10th

Everyone else, here’s a quick list of things you can do to help spread the word about the slowdown:http://tumblr.fightforthefuture.org/post/96020972118/be-a-part-of-the-great-internet-slowdown

Raspberry Pi: Everything You Need To Know

Raspberry Pi is a computer the size of a credit card that’s so simple, anyone can program it. Designed as an introduction to science, technology, engineering, and math for UK grade schoolers, its $35 price tag has made it appealing to hobbyists all over the world.

Despite its diminutive device, Raspberry Pi is powerful enough to process many of the same programs as PCs, from word processors to games. Its small size also makes Raspberry Pi ideal for programming connected home devices—like the aforementioned print server, which has given us the power to make every computer, laptop, and cell phone in our network printer-compatible.

The Story Of Raspberry Pi

Eben Upton first came up with the idea for Raspberry Pi in 2006, when he and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory were frustrated by the dwindling number of students, and the poor skill levels of those students, entering the program.

While current students entering the program often had Web design experience, programming experience was becoming very rare. Upton’s concern? That the price and sophistication of modern computers had made them overly complicated for kids to experiment with.

In the ’70s and ’80s, kids could use an Amiga or Commodore 64 to boot into a programming environment. In later decades, Upton speculated, parents had more reason to forbid the same kind of experimentation on increasingly advanced family PCs. Plus, as computers became easier to use, programming them became more complicated, and tinkering with their inner workings became far less necessary.

Upton wanted to create a cheap, easily programmable computer that would bring back the experimental spirit of an earlier era of computing, by making a device cheap enough so anyone could tamper with it without fear of expensive mistakes. From 2006 to 2008, the official history goes, Upton and his colleagues worked on the prototype that would eventually become the Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi Foundation was established in May 2009, and the first shipment of Raspberry Pis became available in April 2012.

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Testing the ol’ tablet

About a month ago I finally decided to join the tablet club.

I had a look at a couple of models and finally decided on the Samsung galaxy tab 8.9. There are several reasons for this but I won’t bore you with the details of my research.

I opted for an Android powered device because I am really fond of the operating system. I have even gone as far as buying my first Android Apps powered application. The application in question is PrinterShare. A must for any serious android user. I used the free version of the app for about a week and after some thought I decided to purchase the full version. The price was R100 which totally worked for my pocket.

The main reason I got the tablet was so that I can have a light, powerful, QWERTY device that I can modify to my hearts content. Obviously after unpacking it I had to see if I could get Icecream Sandwich working on it because the Samsung comes with Honeycomb by default. After a little playing I got it up and running on my tablet. Man oh man, Icecream Sandwich really looks sexy on this little bitch. Unfortunately, it was a little on the unstable side so I opted back for Honeycomb. I cannot wait for them to sort the teething problems out so that Samsung can release an official release.

Oh, it seems that I have to cut this post short as my godkids are finally done with their homework and their uncle has promised them a swim in his pool.

Which reminds me, another reason for the tablet is total internet freedom.

Well, they just jumped in and I gotta join. To be continued…

Gigabyte 3D Mercury Chassis

I got my i7 a couple of months ago and with it, a stock standard heat-sink with the stock standard fan.

My chassis (Gigabyte Aurora 3D) is far from small. All in all, it is a very decent computer chassis. Lots of space, clear paths for air and not a far way from pretty, either. This chassis has served me really awesomely the past couple of years. My dev PC specs are:

  • Gigabyte Z68X-UD4-B3 Motherboard
  • Intel i7 2600 3.7GHz CPU
  • 16GB DDR3 Memory
  • 9 x 2TB Data & 1 x 500GB O/S drive
  • nVidia GTX285 GPU
  • Secondary PCI Yamaha Sound Card
  • Blu-Ray Optical Drive
  • 2 x 24″ Samsung BX2450 LED (L/R side screens)
  • 1 x 40″ Sony Bravia CX52|40 (Main/Middle Screen)

 

That’s without the power supply and chassis. The old chassis was a Gigabyte Aurora 3D chassis. I’ve always been a firm believer of Dry Cooling when it comes to computers. Sure, liquid cooling has been around for a while but I’ve never really trusted it. However, since I’ve gotten the i7 my CPU use to idle at roughly 70-85 degrees Celsius. This is obviously an insane heat for an idle CPU. When I play push the box it shoots up to 90-101 degrees Celsius. Fast forward to the weekend past and I came to the conclusion. It’s time for a liquid cooling solution as the dry cooling isn’t cutting it.

I started my research on-line to see what was available. The chassis I wanted was unfortunately 11k, which I would rather spend on strippers than my computer.

After some scratching, I decided on the Gigabyte 3D Mercury chassis. This chassis included a liquid cooling solution. I placed the order yesterday morning and 3k later I had my chassis. I finally got home from work, more excited than a paedo at a pre-school, itching to build my pc into my new box.

2 hours and 2 blunts later I had the case built. I figured that, I might as well show the world my new chassis. So, without further ado, here’s the pics:

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