Need some help with a keyboard. My old keyboard was a wireless keyboard and it was in failing heath so I decided to change it out. The new keyboard uses a USB port vs wireless.
The system is WIn 11. The new keyboard is great except for the F-Keys. HP has defaulted the F-Keys to things like speaker on, volume up, volume down, etc. I’ve Googled this issue 43 times and can’t figure out how to change the F-Keys back to regular F-Keys.
Google says to use the ‘FN’ key and the ‘LOCK’ key, then sometimes it says the ‘FN’ key and the ‘LEFT SHIFT’ key, then ‘FN’ and ‘CAPS LOCK’ then ‘FN’ and ‘ESC’ then stand on your head and stack BB’s.
I FINALLY got it to work BUT in order for it to work I have to hold down the ‘FN’ key and press the F-Key I plan to use. With my old keyboard I just pressed the F-Key and it worked. No hold two keys together and no stacking BB’s.
There’s got to be an answer and I’m sure it has something to do with the ‘FN’ key and the ‘LOCK’ key but I’ll be darned if I can get it to work.
I’m an amateur radio operator and use the F-Keys to program in my call sign, signal report and other communications in morse code. Very handy rather than having to key all that stuff with a keyer.
Well, I have a Microsoft keyboard on the desktop but for me, I can lock the Function key in place, and disable all those preset keys. by Clicking Esc then F-Lock. That seems to permanently lock the FN and let me use F1, F2 etc how I want and not how Microsoft wants.
But I think you can go into the BIOS and toggle the FN key to always be locked too. (edit: I just tried that on my HP Laptop and can Disable the Action Key Mode and render the function keys back to their normal state)
Try searching Action Keys or Action Key Mode for more help - I think that’s what they call those (not always) helpful keys these days.
I’d forgotten the F keys were there. I can only vaguely remember using them… was it in the DOS days? Good for you, taking advantage of them.
My keyboard issues are two: I absolutely HATE Caps Lock, as I hit it when I don’t want it and that screws me up. And I utterly DESPISE ScrLk for the same reason. So I disabled them. I don’t know how I used to do that, I set it up years ago and how is lost in the mists of time. But something undid that recently and I had to start over. I ended up installing KeyTweak. So far, all is well.
I have no idea if this fits your need, but it does fit mine.
About 8 or 9 years ago, I searched and searched to find a keyboard WITH a scroll-lock key. I have a monitor/keyboard/mouse switch that uses the scroll-lock key to switch between 2 computers. It used the key because it is so useless these days.
But that was when I was still using a Microcr-p Windoze computer fairly often. Now I turn it on once a week at the most. I believe I have gone 3 weeks without cranking it up. Now I just wrestle with 2 of everything for an hour or so and turn the thing off/put it away.
For the CapsLock, I used to pull the key cap off, carve a small piece of wood to support it and glue it back into a solid position!
I just tried your suggestion (Esc and Lock) and now the factory set functions nor my F-Keys work. Now I have to try to figure out what I accidentally touched to make them semi-work.
Yea, I tried the BIOS deal based on a Google search and never could find the Action Key Mode. Also I like to be ultra conservative when messing around with the BIOS.
Further research done: I found the author is a local guy, from Salina, and it is written with our place in the title! The author is in his 80’s and still participates in poetry gatherings in Salina.
We have seen bobcats, deer, coyotes and turkey in the pass but never saw a monkey!
Oh, forgot cattle and horses when they move cattle from pasture to pasture.
Oh No! I hope I haven’t messed up your settings completely with that idea!
Re: Bios, yeah, it’s probably not in every system. It probably depends on if the action keys are part of the original system or not. One of my computers (the one I built) doesn’t have it, the HP does so I thought it was worth a try.
I’m with you in thinking there has to be a solution but I’m tempted to say it’s buying a different brand of keyboard.
Funny you should mention that as I figured keyboards are cheap why not get a replacement. So off I go to both HP and Amazon with the model number and would you believe both sites collectively have roughly two dozen keyboards with the same model number? Looking closely at the key setup none of them resemble my old keyboard. They key layouts are totally different. Some are even missing the FN key or the Lock key.
For what little is is worth I use an old Microsoft ergonomic keyboard. My only complaint is that the letters wear off the keys. Eventually.
That picture is of the keyboard on my old system that never gets turned on. The one on my active system is only about a third as bad. That model was discontinued, but I have two (don’t ask) of the newer version waiting in boxes. I have no reason to think the letters will wear any better.
