MS Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000 Sticky/Stiff Spacebar Fix

Hi DENISEFORT,

I would recommend you to contact Microsoft Hardware support for assistance.

Refer: Troubleshooting

Hope the information helps.

I've had problems with mine after it was working fine for years.  I tried various things recommended online to no avail.  First - make sure you lubricate the post so it goes up and down with no friction.  High quality grease, perhaps a natural soap, or pick your lubricant.  Then take the little metal stabilizer bar and gently bend it so there's a bit of a curve going outward.  You're bending it (every so slightly and very gently) so its bent a little ways away from the 2 bent parts that anchor under the keyboard housing.  Don't know if bending it inward would help as well.  But it seems to be good now.  We'll see how it holds up.  Usually takes about 2 weeks for things to get sticky again.  

Its a marvelous keyboard.  Too bad Microsoft didn't make an all metal one (with a spacebar for each thumb!) for more money that would hold up for years.  Well decades.  And they should have made it in 2 piece so you could adjust it to exactly how you wanted it.  

Great design.  Software drivers work well too.  Highly recommended.  

Wow - that's an incredibly useful answer.  

Hint:  When you want help with a Microsoft problem, Google is your friend, not Microsoft.  Ever try reading a Microsoft Help file?  Its ludicrously absurd.  You can't even find error codes that the software spits out in their own Help files.   

I've had a problem like that for years with this keyboard.  It's just not a good spacebar.  It's a shame because it ruins the whole keyboard which otherwise isn't that bad.  Best solution I've found that helps a bit is this post here:

http://www.turn-a-phrase.com/ergokeyboard.html

I bought second hand one. I had the same problem and it's probably why someone sold it. I just repaired it. The reason is that the central and two side poles are too thick. Also the middle one has back and front rails which are over the top and don't help. Solution, remove the space bar with a paper clip, a spoon or another hard but not sharp tool. Take a thin nail polishing bar and scratch about 10% of plastic from around all poles of the space bar (underneath). Sand the rails down as well. Keep all in nice, round shape. Bare in mind, that at the top of the middle one on the sides there are small hatches. DO NOT modify them. Last touch is to put some Vaseline or a similar lubricant on the poles and on metal bar sliders. Put the space bar back sliding the metal bar into it's rails first. If it's still stiff, repeat the process. Time: 5-10 min. Tools: nail polishing bar, lubricant. Good luck!