Forum Discussion
Steelseries Merc Keyboard - Extended Keys unwanted new behaviors.
Here was my fix for this, after uninstalling the update(s) that blocked Alpham and realizing that's going to be a never ending task as cumulative updates keep rolling in (even with the wusho... "don't install this update" utility). My solution was to reinstall/install the driver but under a different name.
Here were my steps (some may be skippable).
All Settings -> System -> Update & Security -> Recovery -> Advanced Startup, continue prompts to use option 7 to start Windows without signed driver enforcement
After reboot, in your C: programs (x86) > Ideazon > Zengine > copy the Kernel2k directory to preserve an original untampered version.
In the Kernel2K dir, rename every file that starts with Alpham*/alpham* to something else (ex. Alpham1.sys => Merc1.sys). Open the renamed .inf file in a text editor (Sublime, etc) and do a similar find and replace on "Alpham" replacing with "Merc" (or whatever you used), replace all.
In device manager for the keyboard -> update driver -> Browse Computer -> Let me pick -> Have Disk -> Browse -> manually select your newly renamed .inf file. Click ok or whatever on the "Unsigned driver Warning".
It'll install the same drivers as Merc164.sys and windows won't flag it as contraban, the red Z will go green and yay - I play games again without buying some $200 orbweaver, taking 3/4 my gaming time uninstalling updates, or attempting to forego updates from now until forever. Solution might require restarting in the Recovery -> Start without driver signing enforcement after a reboot, but that's tolerable until a better option exists.
- How did you update the security catalog with the new hash?
I'm getting "The has for the file is not present in the specified catalog file. The file is likely corrupt or the victim of tampering."
Too bad I can't just tell it that the tampering is intentional!What Ty Acker posted above works perfectly! Here's some minor clarifications based on my execution of it:
First, disabling signed driver enforcement only works until the next reboot; I'd wait until just before driver installation to disable it. (Once your driver is installed, you will no longer need it disabled, so future reboots won't re-disable your keyboard). A good step-by-step guide is here: http://packard-bell-uk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38288
Next, you need to create a new cat file from the edited .inf file. After renaming the alpham files to merc, delete the alpham12.cat (or after the rename, merc12.cat... it's the Security Catalog file). Now we need to generate a new security catalog for our edited .inf file using inf2cat from the Windows Driver Kit (found https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=845980). Of note, it's going to give you a number of warnings during install that you won't be able to develop drivers since you don't have an IDE installed. Just OK through them... you're not developing a driver.
Of note, make sure you add the WDK installation location to your PATH variables. Type path in search and select "Edit environment variables for your account" then select Path in the top window and click edit. Click new then add the directory of your inf2cat.exe file. Mine was in D:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x86. Hit enter, then OK all open windows.
To actually generate the .cat file, open a Command Prompt and type:
inf2cat /driver:"path" /os:10_X64, 10_X86
where "path" is the directory of merc.inf. So, for me it was inf2cat /driver:"D:\Program Files\Ideazon\ZEngine\Kernel2k" /os:10_X64, 10_X86
Now that you have the .cat file created, disable signed driver enforcement and use Ty Acker's process to actually install your drivers.
Final note: In device manager, my merc was showing up under Human Interface Devices, not Keyboards. You should install your new driver for both "Ideazon Merc MM USB Human Interface Device" and "Ideazon Merc USB Human Interface Device"
Thanks again to Ty Acker for sharing his solution!
