How to use Microsoft Natural Keyboard

[acz]

My T41p has USB ports but no PS/2 ports.
In anticipaton of an especially long writing assignment, I wondered if I could plug in my old Microsoft Natural Keyboard, using one of those small purple PS/2 to USB keyboard adapters. Well, I get an "unknown USB device" error bubble, even after installing the Intellitype software from Microsoft, and the external keyboard never works. I tried the green PS/2 to USB mouse adapter also, just to see if that might work, but no go.

This keyboard worked just fine on my old Thinkpad T20, without any special software or drivers, just by plugging it in to the PS/2 port on that machine. In fact, I had a Y adapter that let me use external keyboard AND external PS/2 mouse.

What am I missing here?

Thank you!

[davidspalding]

At the risk of being flippant, my answer is ... a dock replicator?

Well, it would solve your issue. Then again, you can get some pretty swank new keyboards, usb style, for less than a docking replicator even from a third party (guessing here). Granted, the new Naturals aren't as nice as the original. Another idea ... do you have Bluetooth? A BT keyboard ... or just a wireless keyboard.

Those are the options that come to mind. All involve shopping. It must be Black Friday clouding my judgement.