[Robbi]

I recently received an older mac mini from my dad as a gift and with it a mac keyboard (aka this, but it's a corded keyboard) now i find that when i try to use the fn key or any of the function1-12 keys (for volume, pause, play etc) it refuses to work as expected, whether i press the fn key or not... these special functions do not work...

i tried to manually set some key board short cuts to use the fn key and when i pressed the fn key it didn't even recognize it as being a real key... it's driving my insane because i can't forward delete, pause, play, fast forward, rewind, volume up/down or mute...through use on my keyboard...and i have two eject buttons....? the f12 key ejects just the same as the eject button...

the mini is running 10.4.11 and it also sports a mighty mouse

I know that the fn key isn't a must for use...and i can use the function 1-12 keys just the same their normal functions... but i want so badly to be able to do this... i've been playing with my dad's macs for the past year or so... and now the first one that i actually get.... doesn't work with it's keyboard correctly...

don't get me wrong... i love my PC's, but i'd like to learn to use a mac... having my mac work properly XD... any assistance is appreciated...

[ibook_steve]

Two things:

1) Try another keyboard. Maybe it's just this keyboard.

2) I'm using Snow Leopard, so it has changed, but in your OS, there should be an option in the Keyboard preferences to choose whether to use the F keys as F keys or as hardware control keys when holding Fn. Try toggling this option.

Steve

[ChrisF]

That keyboard was introduced after 10.4.11 so there won't be drivers in the Mac Mini for the extra buttons. You'll need to upgrade your operating system to 10.5.x or 10.6.x (Snow Leopard). Note that Snow Leopard can only be used if the Mini has an Intel CPU rather than a G4.

[Robbi]

have already tried toggling that option in keyboard preferences... and it had no effect at all...

the mini is running on a G4 and i don't really have the money to upgrade to 10.5 nor do i want to (for computer speed and HD space reasons).

so basically... you're telling me that i'm stuck with this as it is b/c there aren't any secondary drivers i could install or anything of that nature...?

[EndlessMac]

I think Chris is right about not having the drivers for the newer keyboards since you are using OS 10.4.11. You can either get the previous generation keyboard on eBay or buy from another company besides Apple if you want to use some of the fancy function keys. Logitech and Macally make keyboards for Macs and they should have drivers that will work on OS 10.4. Buying a new or used keyboard will be cheaper than upgrading your OS.

[Robbi]

well that's dumb... apple should have the drivers available for download, for backwards compatibility purposes... but why do that when they can continue to out older macs, to force people to spend even more money on them, to get a new computer or OS... nothin but a cash grab if you ask me...