Num Lock on Keyboard

O

Omaha Tony

New problem just started and don't know why. When I boot up my PC, the "num
lock" light was always automatically on, allowing me to use the numeric keys.
It wont come on automatically any more. I have to turn it on manually evry
time I boot up the PC. What has caused this change and how can I get it back
to what it used to do. Thank you.

Tony
 
M

mm

New problem just started and don't know why. When I boot up my PC, the "num
lock" light was always automatically on, allowing me to use the numeric keys.
It wont come on automatically any more. I have to turn it on manually evry
time I boot up the PC. What has caused this change and how can I get it back
to what it used to do. Thank you.

Tony
Click to expand...

Isn't this a job for tweakui? A free download. Specify XP.

I don't have it installed right now or I would check.
 
C

chas2209

Omaha Tony said:
New problem just started and don't know why. When I boot up my PC, the
"num
lock" light was always automatically on, allowing me to use the numeric
keys.
It wont come on automatically any more. I have to turn it on manually
evry
time I boot up the PC. What has caused this change and how can I get it
back
to what it used to do. Thank you.

Tony
Click to expand...

Hi
There is usually a setting in the Bios to set Num Lock on at boot up

chas2209
 
B

boatman312

Isn't this a job for tweakui? A free download. Specify XP.

I don't have it installed right now or I would check.
Click to expand...
Also, there's usually an option in the motherboard bios setup for the
numlock status.
 
R

Russ SBITS.Biz [SBS-MVP]

If the BIOS suggestion doesn't work I've seen this on some windows XP
Systems
Here is a Registry Hack that turn on Numb Lock

Open NotePad.exe Put
---------------- Start -------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard]

"InitialKeyboardIndicators"="2"

----------- End -------------

And save it as NumbLock.reg
Run it on the PC
and it should turn on your Numb lock for you
Russ

--
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Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
Microsoft Certified Small Business Specialist
24hr SBS Remote Support - http://www.SBITS.Biz
Second IT Opinion http://www.personalitconsultant.com
Free Trial Microsoft Online Services (BPOS) -
http://www.microsoft-online-services.com
 
S

SC Tom

mm said:
Isn't this a job for tweakui? A free download. Specify XP.

I don't have it installed right now or I would check.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought, too, but I can't find a numlock listing.
I know on my PC, XP remembers the shut down state- if it's off when I turn
the PC off, it'll be off when next I boot up, even though I have it set to
on in BIOS.
 
J

Jose

That's what I thought, too, but I can't find a numlock listing.
I know on my PC, XP remembers the shut down state- if it's off when I turn
the PC off, it'll be off when next I boot up, even though I have it set to
on in BIOS.
Click to expand...

There may not be a way to set it in every BIOS. The BIOS settings
will get overridden
first by XP, then by the user profile when the user logs in. The XP
default is all indicators
off.

Let's say you could not change it in the BIOS - what would you do?

You could change it in .DEFAULT, but that would only apply to newly
created users, so that isn't
quite right.

XP remembers (possible changes) the setting when a user logs off or
the system is shutdown
and applies it again when the user logs in. This is why the BIOS
setting may appear "not to work" or
the keys seem to keep changing. Nothing is broken, they are behaving.

You will have the same settings when you login that you had when you
logged out or shutdown. Another
user may have different settings.

Each user has their own setting in their profile.

You can adjust the default setting for each newly created user profile
or for an individual
profile by adjusting the value of:

InitialKeyboardIndicators

For the current user the location for InitialKeyboardIndicators is:

HKCU\CONTROL PANEL\KEYBOARD

Here are all the values for InitialKeyboardIndicators:

* 0 - all indicators off
* 1 - Caps Lock on
* 2 - Num Lock on
* 4 - Scroll Lock on

Or, combine them by adding the values to some other number:

* 3 - Caps Lock and Num Lock on
* 5 - Caps Lock and Scroll Lock on
* 6 - Num Lock and Scroll Lock on
* 7 - Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock on

For all (new) users, the location for InitialKeyboardIndicators is:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\CONTROL PANEL\KEYBOARD
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Omaha said:
New problem just started and don't know why. When I boot up my PC, the "num
lock" light was always automatically on, allowing me to use the numeric keys.
It wont come on automatically any more. I have to turn it on manually evry
time I boot up the PC. What has caused this change and how can I get it back
to what it used to do. Thank you.

Tony
Click to expand...


By default, the NumLock key is turned off as WinXP starts, and
keeps it off until someone logs in and initializes a user profile. WinXP
will remember the NumLock's last state, meaning that if you log out with
the NumLock on, it will automatically turn on the next time you log in;
If you log out with the NumLock off, it will be off the next time you
log in.

If one needs the NumLock on _before_ logging in, a registry edit
can be used to change WinXP's default behavior:

How to Set the NUM LOCK State at Logon in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314879


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
T

Twayne

In
Omaha Tony said:
New problem just started and don't know why. When I boot up my PC,
the "num lock" light was always automatically on, allowing me to use
the numeric keys. It wont come on automatically any more. I have to
turn it on manually evry time I boot up the PC. What has caused this
change and how can I get it back to what it used to do. Thank you.

Tony
Click to expand...

The tickmark to start with NumLock turned ON is missing in your CMOS BIOS
settings. Add it back and all should work UNLESS
the coin-sized battery on the motherboard is failing. A symptom of that is
usually incorrect date and time displays in the TaskBar.

Twayne
 
T

Twayne

In
mm said:
Isn't this a job for tweakui? A free download. Specify XP.

I don't have it installed right now or I would check.
Click to expand...

No, it's a simple boot time setting.
 
T

Twayne

In
Jose said:
There may not be a way to set it in every BIOS. The BIOS settings
will get overridden
first by XP, then by the user profile when the user logs in. The XP
default is all indicators
off.

Let's say you could not change it in the BIOS - what would you do?

You could change it in .DEFAULT, but that would only apply to newly
created users, so that isn't
quite right.

XP remembers (possible changes) the setting when a user logs off or
the system is shutdown
and applies it again when the user logs in. This is why the BIOS
setting may appear "not to work" or
the keys seem to keep changing. Nothing is broken, they are behaving.

You will have the same settings when you login that you had when you
logged out or shutdown. Another
user may have different settings.

Each user has their own setting in their profile.

You can adjust the default setting for each newly created user profile
or for an individual
profile by adjusting the value of:

InitialKeyboardIndicators

For the current user the location for InitialKeyboardIndicators is:

HKCU\CONTROL PANEL\KEYBOARD

Here are all the values for InitialKeyboardIndicators:

* 0 - all indicators off
* 1 - Caps Lock on
* 2 - Num Lock on
* 4 - Scroll Lock on

Or, combine them by adding the values to some other number:

* 3 - Caps Lock and Num Lock on
* 5 - Caps Lock and Scroll Lock on
* 6 - Num Lock and Scroll Lock on
* 7 - Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock on

For all (new) users, the location for InitialKeyboardIndicators is:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\CONTROL PANEL\KEYBOARD
Click to expand...

That's excellent information, Jose! Thanks.

TWayne
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Twayne said:
The tickmark to start with NumLock turned ON is missing in your CMOS
BIOS settings. Add it back and all should work ...
Click to expand...


Not so.

WinXP, like its predecessors WinNT and Win2K, by design, ignores
the BIOS settings for the NumLock key as a standard security feature.
(I'm afraid I can't remember the "security" issue initially addressed.)
By default, the NumLock key is turned off as WinXP starts, and keeps
it off until someone logs in and initializes a user profile. WinXP will
remember the NumLock's last state, meaning that if you log out with the
NumLock on, it will automatically turn on the next time you log in; If
you log out with the NumLock off, it will be off the next time you log in.

If you need the NumLock on _before_ logging in, a registry edit can
be used to change WinXP's default behavior:

How to Set the NUM LOCK State at Logon in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314879


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Twayne said:
No, it's a simple boot time setting.
Click to expand...

Only if one is running Win9x or earlier.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 

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