disable contorl-a keyboard shortcut - desperate

[Guest]

Its a serious problem. When I'm typing a document or email message the whole
message disappears frequently for no apparent reason. I finally figured out
that I was acidentally sending a control-a because the side of my left index
finger had touched the control key as I struck the key. Once I do, all of the
text is highlighted and the next character I write overtypes it, and this can
not be undone.

I spent the whole aftertnoon today trying to follow some instructions about
using the Group Policy Manager to edit control key settings, only to discover
an unstated assuption - it seems to be for XP Professional, and I am using XP
Home.

I'm using a fully up to date XP Home system (its a Media Center, if that
matters) Versio 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600, Product ID
76487-OEM-0011903-00803.
This is with Office 2003 Professional, fulll updated.

I have to believe that there is some hack I can use to either turn off the
control-a select-all keyboard shortcut or make a different key, one that is
not right next to the control key, have this meaning.

If it means editing a Registry key I feel compotent to do this if someone
tells me which key and which new value.

All help is appreciated.

 

[paulmd]

Its a serious problem. When I'm typing a document or email message the whole
message disappears frequently for no apparent reason. I finally figured out
that I was acidentally sending a control-a because the side of my left index
finger had touched the control key as I struck the key. Once I do, all of the
text is highlighted and the next character I write overtypes it, and this can
not be undone.

ctrl-Z doesn't work?

I spent the whole aftertnoon today trying to follow some instructions about
using the Group Policy Manager to edit control key settings, only to discover
an unstated assuption - it seems to be for XP Professional, and I am using XP
Home.

I'm using a fully up to date XP Home system (its a Media Center, if that
matters) Versio 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600, Product ID
76487-OEM-0011903-00803.
This is with Office 2003 Professional, fulll updated.

I have to believe that there is some hack I can use to either turn off the
control-a select-all keyboard shortcut or make a different key, one that is
not right next to the control key, have this meaning.

If it means editing a Registry key I feel compotent to do this if someone
tells me which key and which new value.

All help is appreciated.

The only way I can think of is is to gently pry off the offending ctrl
key on the keyboard. This is fairly easy with a flat blade screwdriver.

 

[Guest]

I just tried it and it did, but lots of times it hasn't, which is even
wierder. Do you happen to know if there is a way to dispaly the clipboard
pane in outlook, I can't seem to find that either.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Its a serious problem. When I'm typing a document or email message the whole
message disappears frequently for no apparent reason. I finally figured out
that I was acidentally sending a control-a because the side of my left index
finger had touched the control key as I struck the key. Once I do, all of the
text is highlighted and the next character I write overtypes it, and this can
not be undone.

I spent the whole aftertnoon today trying to follow some instructions about
using the Group Policy Manager to edit control key settings, only to discover
an unstated assuption - it seems to be for XP Professional, and I am using XP
Home.

I'm using a fully up to date XP Home system (its a Media Center, if that
matters) Versio 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600, Product ID
76487-OEM-0011903-00803.
This is with Office 2003 Professional, fulll updated.

I have to believe that there is some hack I can use to either turn off the
control-a select-all keyboard shortcut or make a different key, one that is
not right next to the control key, have this meaning.

If it means editing a Registry key I feel compotent to do this if someone
tells me which key and which new value.

All help is appreciated.

Controlling the control & capslock keys:
remapkey.exe (Win2000 Resource Kit)
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/ctrl2cap.shtml

This, of course, fixes only the symptoms. To fix the cause
I recommend that you consider learning how to touch-type,
because you will then have your eyes on the screen rather
than on the keyboard. The productivity gains of touch-typing
are enormous and I cannot understand why most people
leave this skill to typists.

 

[Guest]

Thanks pegasys, but this doesn't help - I need to control that particular
combination or move it somewhere on the keyboard far away from control.

I learned to touch type very nicely at Pasadena High School in something
like 1963, and generally type without looking at the keyboard - I would have
the problem of the base of my left pinky brushing the control key if I was
looking at the keys.

 

[paulmd]

Thanks pegasys, but this doesn't help - I need to control that particular
combination or move it somewhere on the keyboard far away from control.

I learned to touch type very nicely at Pasadena High School in something
like 1963, and generally type without looking at the keyboard - I would have
the problem of the base of my left pinky brushing the control key if I was
looking at the keys.

This is an ergonomics issue. You may want to get a wrist support pad.
They are a bit ackward at first, but you can quickly adapt. The hand
position you describe spells carpul tunnel syndrome to me.

PS.

Reread Pagasys's responnse, he has a link to a key remapper.

 

[paulmd]

I just tried it and it did, but lots of times it hasn't, which is even
wierder.

It likely depends on how much you typed before you noticed. In most
programs you can press ctrl-z repeatedly, sometimes you can configure
how many operations to keep track of before you can't undo.


Do you happen to know if there is a way to dispaly the clipboard

pane in outlook, I can't seem to find that either.

The clipboard is controlled by windows. Though some programs override
it to handle multiple selections.

 

[Spikey]

character I write overtypes it, and this can

not be undone.

Try Edit menu - undo typing. Works in Word. Edit -undo works in notepad.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

The links I gave you let you move the Ctrl key somewhere else.