Some keystrokes are changed to numbers

[NRGeti]

What would make the right half of my keyboard output numbers instead of the actual letter key? For example, "u" output "4".

It happens on only one user account; the others type correctly. I have checked for viruses but everything looks clean. Is there some kind of macro or reset function that could have done this?

The PC is an IBM Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.

 

[KRPGroup]

Maybe his profile has numloc enabled on bootup.?

 

[NRGeti]

Thanks.
You are exactly correct. All of the keys that are yielding numbers have a number symbol in the lower right of the key top. Momentarily toggling the NumLock key however has no effect on what is being typed for the numbered letter keys for any of the users.

I haven't dealt with NumLock for many years. Now I need to figure out how to reset it.

I found an MSDN article that refers to this problem. It says to edit a registry key and change the InitialKeyboardIndicators to 0. But this doesnt' work either.

Is there another setting that effects the NumLock key?

 

[linney]

See if any of the "numlock" links apply, they may not, I haven't looked at them for a while too?

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_numlock.htm

line #4, right hand panel:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

How to Set the NUM LOCK State at Logon in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314879&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

How to Set the NUM LOCK State at Logon Using a Logon Script

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q262625/

http://www.falsinsoft.altervista.org

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/154529?FR=1

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/217884/EN-US/?FR=1

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/262625/EN-US/?FR=1

Num Lock
thread779-966474

 

[NRGeti]

I found out that even though I reset the registry key value to 0, it is reset to 2 by the next time I boot.

I can toggle off the NumLock after the PC boots but it appears that some program for the one user having problems is changing the registry.

I will continue to investigate.

 

[NRGeti]

OK. I fixed the problem. I had to use the Thinkpad key combination, SHIFT+NumLock, to turn off NumLock, then edit the registry key, InitialKeyboardIndicators, and set the value to 0.

The next time I booted, it worked.

My guess as to what happened is that the user accidently turned on the NumLock key before he shut down and that value got saved in the registry.

 

[TheLad]

I have seen this with Thinkpads when an external keyboard is connected to it (whether via a docker or direct into a USB port). The Numlock gets enabled as a result of the keyboard being attached, but does not get disabled when the laptop is off the docker without the keyboard attached. A bit of a pain the the royal seat really

-----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
-----------------------------------------------------