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How can I prevent Windows from reacting to pressing the "Search" button, so only my NaturalPoint software reacts to this button press?

For years I've always mapped the "Search" button on Microsoft's keyboards to a function in NaturalPoint's SmartNav software, but in the last few weeks, holding the "Search" button also launches a Windows Explorer folder (to, you know, search).

Similarly, if I try to map any of the nearby "Web/Home" and "Mail" keys to my SmartNav function, each key will perform its Windows 7 function and activate the SmartNav function.

SmartNav still appears to remap some other keys as expected (these include ScrlLk, and several keys on my number pad -- /, * and 5).

I'm using Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000 v1.0 on a fully Windows Updated Windows 7 Service Pack 1 with NaturalPoint USB Drivers x64 2.50.0000 and SmartNAV 3.20.037.

My guess is this worked with the initial disc-install of Windows 7 but started behaving badly once I ran Windows Update, and I didn't notice for a several weeks since I wasn't using my SmartNav during that period.

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1 Answer 1

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Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center offers the ability to disable the Search key, which solves this problem.

To do so:

  • Press the Windows key

  • enter "mouse and" into the field at the bottom left (it initially contains the text "Search programs and files")

  • click "Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center" near the top left of the screen

  • Click "Search" in the middle of the "Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center" dialog

  • Click the "Disable this key" radio button

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  • Welcome to Superuser, please be aware 1 line answers are commonly frowned up on in the community :( consider expanding your answer so we have more content to look at
    – 50-3
    Oct 7, 2013 at 19:49
  • Thank you for taking the time to answer your own question. If you could, add something to explain how to find this program, if it needs to be downloaded. But even a one line answer is better than no answer, of course.
    – Kevin Panko
    Oct 7, 2013 at 20:15
  • Sorry it's a bit late, but here's a slightly expanded discussion.
    – Nathan Frost
    Jan 24, 2014 at 22:32

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