Fn button on a laptop

Kage

Golden Master
Messages
13,873
Hi,

My dad has a laptop which has a Fn key on it.
The fn, when held is supposed to change one key for another when there are two on each one. Like for example pressing Q could also be 1 when Fn is pressed.

One problem though, Fn has now switched so that you have to hold it down to get a letter, or otherwise you get a number, and thats really annoying when your trying to type.

Any help will be appreciated on how to fix this :)
I've tried going into Windows keyboard settings and all sorts...
 
actually... thats how mine is... my ibm thinkpad... I was using a dock though.. and those few letter keys with blue numbers on them... thats the ones that do that... its weird.. I think I have to reinstall Windows XP on mine without the dock to make it work again.. not sure though, havnt tried cuz my LCD is broken on it.. lol
 
Yeah, those are the problem alright. It just started happening, and there seems to be no way of making it okay again.

Opps...
I definetly wouldn't want to re-install XP on it. I don't trust that laptop...
 
Well...

Fn keys are programed thru the software you're running at the time.
Some of my word processor programs respond differently to the same FN+key. I've found if I start getting bad or unwanted results from the key strokes that reinstalling the programs set it all straight. Some stuff I use let you set the key strokes to do certin things but those are limited to functions in the program. Those are called macros.
What program are you using that is giving you these undesired outputs?
 
All of them.

Even when typing in serial codes for programs to activate them in the installers, the Microsoft Word Processor, to Wordpad, and Notepad. Thats why I thought it must be a universal setting, and not for one prog. Though I could try re-installing Word to see if this has any effect.

Thanks for the replies :)
 
Also...

My Toshiba Trecra has in the bios a setting that controls the Fn+key output. One setting is Fn+key is alpha and the other is Fn+key is numeric. Might want to scope out your bios...
 
The only thing in bios settings that applys to the Fn. key is "Fn Key Lock" and it's disabled.. I tried changing it... doesnt help.. I have Win 98/Win XP dual boot.. 98 came on the laptop and I installed XP after hooking it up to a dock.. so.. I think it has soemthingto do with the dock.. but even when I detach the dock, it still does it.. :-/
 
Whats a dock?

I've checked in bios by the way, and nothing there about it. Theres also nothing in Windows, like i tried going to Reigon and Language in Control panel.

The only way to fix it it seems is to put the usb keyboard into it, which works, but its a bit annoying if you want to type something small for example.

Oh well. Thanks for tryin :)
 
with my laptop there are different functions you can get by pressing down the fn+key, for example fn+ left and right arrows change the volume, fn+F2 gives me the battery life etc, etc.
 
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