[NFBCS] Is It Possible to Configure a New Laptop without Sighted Help

[Steve Jacobson]

Nicole,

I used to pay extra to get some of the configuration done before I brought my computer home, but I was able to do it myself on my most recent Dell laptop and Micro Center desktop as Chris described.  I would add a couple of things to what Ryan said about function keys, though.  It is possible you will need to get help if you have to change the BIOS, but on my last two computers there was a setting within the Windows keyboard settings that I was able to change to restore the function keys to their original purposes.  Since this was the case for me on two different brands of computers, it may be something that is getting more common.  Also, before I changed my function keys back, I found that only the unshifted function keys were performing local functions.  In other words ALT F4 closed applications for me without using the FN key.  I mention this not to say Ryan is incorrect, rather only to point out that there seems to be some variation on this between brands and models.

On my most recent laptop, there is no imbedded Numeric Pad available, which is something I have used from time to time with my screen reader in the past.  What I mean is that the FN key along with the keys that are normally under my right hand formed a numeric keypad.  Shifting to the laptop keyboard layout for my screenreader gets around that, but it took me some time to get used to it.

Another surprise I had with my most recent laptop is that there was no Applications key.  I didn't worry about this too much because SHIFT F10 almost always performs the same function.  However, with a little experimenting, it turned out that the FN key together with the Right CONTROL key works as an applications key.  It didn't seem to be clearly marked that way.  

Again, it is hard to know what you will run into, but I do think it is safe to say you can get things running independently as long as you keep some of this in mind.  It might be worth taking a little time with Narrator on another computer if you haven't used it much lately, but also know that the version of Windows you get on your new laptop may be older than what you have on your desktop.  It is frustrating, at least to me, that we can now set up a computer reasonably easily but managing the audio devices can now be a royal pain sometimes.  Be prepared for at least a dialog or even a somewhat inaccessible window the first time you plug in headphones.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Nicole Torcolini via NFBCS
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2020 1:15 AM
To: nfbcs at nfbnet.org
Cc: Nicole Torcolini <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
Subject: [NFBCS] Is It Possible to Configure a New Laptop without Sighted Help

            If you buy a laptop with Windows already installed, is it
possible to get the laptop running without sighted help? Is there a way to
start narrator when the laptop first starts?

 

Nicole

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