UK keyboard layout driver?

[Smirnoff]

XP Pro, SP3

A friend who is new to computers was puzzled that he couldn't access the @
sign and kept getting " instead.

I explained that he had his comp configured for a US keyboard.

Went into Regional Settings but found there was not a UK option for Input
Language or keyboard layout.

Have done a bit of Googling but the only solutions I can find involve some
kind of registry hack.

Tried MS Knowledge Base but nothing obvious there.

Is there a site that simply allows you to download and install a UK keyboard
layout driver?

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

XP Pro, SP3

A friend who is new to computers was puzzled that he couldn't access the @
sign and kept getting " instead.

I explained that he had his comp configured for a US keyboard.

Went into Regional Settings but found there was not a UK option for Input
Language or keyboard layout.

Have done a bit of Googling but the only solutions I can find involve some
kind of registry hack.

Tried MS Knowledge Base but nothing obvious there.

Is there a site that simply allows you to download and install a UK
keyboard layout driver?

On my machine I can see numerous keyboard layouts for the English language,
starting with English (Australia) and ending with English (Zimbabwe). You
might have missed it or else your friend's machine has been tampered with.
What about your own machine, can you see it there?

If it is really missing then you have two options:
a) Put the missing file back again. I do not know how to do it.
b) Roll your own keyboard, using the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator
(http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/msklc.mspx). This is an extremely
powerful tool but it is not exactly intuitive in its use. Post again if you
need detailed instructions. There is no need to hack the registry.

 

[Doum]

(e-mail address removed) écrivait

<snip

HUH? Dont they speak English in the UK? How can a key LABELED AS @
give a " when it's pressed? This dont make sense, unless the
keyboards are labeled differently in the UK. (in that case, just get
a US keyboard -OR- You do know the key caps can be removed and swapped
around. Maybe someone is playing a prank on you too? Check to be
sure the keys are labeled correctly.

If this dont solve it, I'm clueless what your problem is. When you
press a key labeled @ it should type a @.

When I press the key labeled @ on my keyboard, I get 2, if I press Shift-@,
I get " and if I press Right-Alt-@ I get @.

Why do you say it doesn't make sense? It all depends on what keyboard
language profile is in use and has nothing to do with what's printed on the
key.

 

[Smirnoff]

On my machine I can see numerous keyboard layouts for the English
language, starting with English (Australia) and ending with English
(Zimbabwe). You might have missed it or else your friend's machine has
been tampered with. What about your own machine, can you see it there?

If it is really missing then you have two options:
a) Put the missing file back again. I do not know how to do it.
b) Roll your own keyboard, using the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator
(http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/msklc.mspx). This is an
extremely powerful tool but it is not exactly intuitive in its use. Post
again if you need detailed instructions. There is no need to hack the
registry.

Yes, I see different input languages available on my machine but my friend's
has English - US and that's all.

He has the comp at the moment and I believe it's an HP, so will check model
number and see what's available on HP's download site.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

HUH? Dont they speak English in the UK? How can a key LABELED AS @
give a " when it's pressed?

What *any* key produces when pressed is a function of the software you
have running, and it can all be changed. For example, you can have a
regular English QWERTYUIOP keyboard work as a Dvorak English keyboard
or work as a French keyboard, etc.

It's a very common problem that someone has a US keyboard but is
running it as a UK keyboard, or vice-versa.

Smirnoff says he couldn't find the choice of a UK keyboard setting,
but almost certainly he just did something wrong in looking for it.
It's there.

This dont make sense, unless the
keyboards are labeled differently in the UK.

Yes they are, but that's not relevant.

(in that case, just get
a US keyboard

To most typists, what it says on the key is hardly significant. They
are touch typists--their fingers know how to type and what key they
press isn't determined by looking at the keys

-OR- You do know the key caps can be removed and swapped
around.

The issue here is what character is produced when you hold down Shift
and press 2. Besides what I said above, changing keys can't possibly
help with this.

Maybe someone is playing a prank on you too?

No way. This is very simply the difference between US and UK settings.

Check to be
sure the keys are labeled correctly.

If this dont solve it, I'm clueless what your problem is. When you
press a key labeled @ it should type a @.

Again, that is *not* correct.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Yes, I see different input languages available on my machine but my
friend's has English - US and that's all.

He has the comp at the moment and I believe it's an HP, so will check
model number and see what's available on HP's download site.

Keyboard languages are visible here in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ContentIndex\Language

but there are additional locations where details are held. If you cannot
find the reason why English (UK) is not visible then option b) from my
previous post would be an attractive solution to your friend's problem. It
would let him roll his own keyboard within an hour or so.