[nabs-l] Computer keyboard trouble

[Rania]

Glad to see you were able to fix it.
Rania,
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sydney Walker Freedman" <freedmas at stolaf.edu>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 6:08 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Computer keyboard trouble


> Yes.  i did know of the laptop keys being able to switch, but i
> couldn't figure out how I had actually switched them.  I tried the fn
> key and such and then finally figured out that there is actually a
> numlock key to the left of my insert key.  :)  So, problem solved!
>
> Sydney
>
> On 4/10/09, Rania <raniaismail04 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> That's interesting. I have a dell labtop and have never herd of an FN key
>> before.
>> Rania,
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 9:40 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Computer keyboard trouble
>>
>>
>>> Sydney,
>>>
>>> Most laptops have the ability to have the keys you mentioned used as a
>>> sort of numeric pad.  You almost certainly accidentally turned this
>>> feature on by accident.
>>> How this feature is activated varies some from computer to computer.  It
>>> is even different between models from the same company.  For example,
>>> different models of
>>> Dell computers are different.  However, here is an overview of how it
>>> generally works.
>>>
>>> Usually a laptop has an "FN" key which is a sort of shift key that makes
>>> your keyboard behave differently when the key is held down.  It acts as
>>> sort of another shift
>>> key.  Normally, it provides access to keys that may not be on your
>>> physical keyboard and it also controls laptop functions as well.  For
>>> example, on my Dell laptop,
>>> pressing the LEFT and RIGHT ARROWS with the FN key down makes them act 
>>> as
>>> PGUP and PGDN.  The UP and DOWN ARROW keys with the FN key held
>>> down make my screen brighter or darker.  When I hold down my FN key, the
>>> keys you mention become a numeric keypad, but normally they return to
>>> normal when I
>>> let it up.
>>>
>>> Generally, the FN key pressed with function keys controls a number of
>>> laptop functions and particular keys.  Unless you can see your screen or
>>> have someone
>>> handy to look at it, I wouldn't experiment with these because there is
>>> usually one that turns off the sound.  However, one of these function
>>> keys, together with the
>>> FN key, likely acts as a NUM LOCK key.  In the case of a laptop, this 
>>> NUM
>>> LOCK key turns on the use of the keys you mention as a numeric pad even
>>> when the
>>> FN key is not pressed.
>>>
>>> If you have your manual or know the exact model number of your computer,
>>> you need to find out which key combination creates the NUM LOCK key.
>>> There may be
>>> a manual on your computer.  Finding that combination and pressing it 
>>> again
>>>
>>> should correct it.  If you remember when it started, you might be able 
>>> to
>>> make an
>>> educated guess as to what you pressed.  Still, your best bet is to know
>>> for certain if you can find the documentation.  On my computer, the NUM
>>> LOCK key is
>>> emulated by FN with F4.  I can accidentally hit this combination when
>>> pressing CONTROL F4, for example sinct CNTRL is right next to my FN key.
>>> I use that as an
>>> example, though, don't assume it is F4 on your computer.  <smile>
>>>
>>> I hope this background helps you find an answer.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>>
>>> Steve Jacobson
>>>
>>> On Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:10:24 -0500, Sydney Walker Freedman wrote:
>>>
>>>>Greetings!
>>>
>>>>For some reason, my laptop keyboard is acting strange.  I do not have
>>>>it set to laptop mode and have a num pad connected to it.  However,
>>>>the letters m, j, i, u, etc. are registering as numbers even when JAWS
>>>>is off.  I can't type anything properly because of this problem.
>>>>Nothing seems to be awry in any keyboard settings, so I have no idea
>>>>why this is happening or how I can fix it.  (At least I have a
>>>>BrailleNote. :) ) Any thoughts?  Thanks!
>>>
>>>>Pax,
>>>>Sydney
>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>nabs-l:
>>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/steve.jacobson%40visi.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/raniaismail04%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/freedmas%40stolaf.edu
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/raniaismail04%40gmail.com