Installing Japanese Keyboards on Windows XP

Instruction for Windows XP with Service Pack 2.

1. Navigate to Start > Control Panel > Keyboard
2. On the Hardware tab, click Properties (note that the current driver is probably "Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard")
3. On the Driver tab, click Update Driver...
4. The Hardware Update Wizard launches. When it asks if Windows can connect to Windows Update to search for software, select "No, not this time" and click Next
5. Select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)" and click Next
6. Select "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install" and click Next
7. Uncheck "Show compatible hardware"
8. Select "Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109 Key)" from the manufacturer "(Standard keyboards)" and click Next
9. Click Yes to continue with the installation when the warning about installing incompatible device drivers appears
10. Click Yes to continue with the installation when the warning about replacing PS/2 mouse port drivers appears
11. Click Finish and reboot

Instruction for Windows XP Pro

This assumes you are using a PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse. Other types will have to make a different selection from the list of standard keyboards.

1. Go to Control Panel->Printers and Other Hardware->Keyboards
2. Click on the "Hardware" tab and the keyboard connected to the system will show.
3. Click on the "Properties" button and another window displays the keyboard properties
4. Click on the "Driver" tab
5. Click on the "Update Driver" button on the Driver screen
6. The "Update Driver Wizard" will run.
7. Click the "Install From a Specific Location" button (NOT AUTOMATIC) and the "Next" button.
8. Click the "Don't seach. I will choose the driver to install" option and the "Next" button.
9. On the next screen, uncheck the "Show compatible hardware" checkbox and choose the Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109 Key) from the list of "(Standard keyboards)".
10. Ignore warnings and reboot.

Installing Japanese Keyboards on Windows 2000

Please fallow the following steps carefully.

1. Control Panel, Regional Options
2. General tab, under Language settings for the system
3. Tick Japanese, set it as default if you want to run native Japanese apps (eg Office 97/98). It sets code page 932 as the default -- this may break other things if you are not careful!
4. Insert Windows CD, reboot, etc.
5. Control Panel, System
6. Hardware tab, Device Manager
7. Find your keyboard device (probably says PC/AT Enhanced PS/2 Keyboard)
8. Double click to bring up the properties
9. Driver tab, Update Driver
10. Next, then Display a list of known drivers
11. Show all hardware of this device class
12. Manufacturer: (Standard keyboards), Device: Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109 key)
13. Ignore the warning and hit yes
14. Install the driver, reboot, etc etc ...
15. Control Panel, Regional Options
16. Input Locales tab, click Add
17. If you want to use Japanese: Language=Japanese Keyboard layout=Japanese Input System MS-IME2000
18. If you want to use another language: Language=your language layout=Japanese
19. Or do both and switch between them.

So perhaps it as not quite as simple, having written down the steps. Caveats: I don't know what happens if you use a USB keyboard instead of a PS/2-AT one. There is also only one layout under W2K, as opposed to several under NT.

You can change the user interface language of IME 2000 between Japanese and English. Go into the IME properties box and it's on the first screen. The usefulness of this is debatable, but hey.

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