Transitioning to PC - having button-mapping issues.

Sorry,

I have used a few Logitech mice on the PC with Mass Effect.  I like the mice well enough, and have customized them and used them for all 3 games, so it works.

The profiles work, sometimes.

When launching, it feels like there is a 50-50 chance of it recognizing the profile and using it.

I always, after launch, go to the Key Bindings screen, and "Re-Bind" one of my special keys to see if it works.  If it doesn't, alt-tab, checking the profile, and alt-tabbing back, then check the keybinding again has worked in the past.

Most of the time a 2nd launch will do the trick.  (Quit the application, and re-launch it)

On rare occasion a 3rd launch will work.

On my laptop or something is bad, I remap all the special keys on my mouse to keyboard functions, perhaps k or l if it's something "new" or one of the standard buttons if I just want powers 1-3 to be quickly accessible.

I do not know about your keyboard, but I bet similar gymnastics will be required.  Verify the binding, and once both mouse and keyboard work, do not quit until you are done.

If it has software, you can try remapping those special keys to standard keys.

While you are at it, you might want to look into this:

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/347/index/9742953/1

Then you can set specific keys for sprint, Use/Open, Revive, etc... Instead of everything being tied to the spacebar.