# Computer help needed: The left SHIFT key mutes my computer! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288 "2003-08-11T00:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/1 "2003-08-11T00:39:04Z")
I don’t really know what to say other than that, it’s just driving me crazy. Basicly, I can’t type anything while I listen to anything on the computer, because every time I hit the left SHIFT key, it mutes and un-mutes my computer. What in the world would cause this, and what can I do to fix it? Please, keep in mind that I know nothing at all about specifics about computers, so please go into some sort of detail if you have an idea, heh. I’m on Windows XP by the way, in case you need that information. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/2 "2003-08-11T00:48:25Z")
Sounds like the Pepsi Syndrome. Have you spilled anything near the keyboard lately, or is it unusually humid where you are? A little moisture can change the codes being sent by a key. I spilled some water in my keyboard once, and one of the keys started printing the time & date! It was fine after it dried out though, so try propping it up in front of a fan overnight. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/3 "2003-08-11T00:50:55Z")
Are you sure it’s muting the computer, or is it just cutting the sound in and out? ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/4 "2003-08-11T01:03:11Z")
No, my keyboard is perfectly fine, as I take VERY good care of it, so it can’t be anything like that. Also, yes it is muting my computer. I press it, the mute box is checked, press it again and it goes away. Also, the word mute pops up when I press it, lol. I’m thinking it might be something called a Hot Key, where somehow that key has been programmed to mute my computer. I have no idea about that though, it’s just what someone mentioned to me a while ago. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/5 "2003-08-11T01:18:17Z")
Yes, you definitely have “hotkey” software loaded, such as that made by Netropa that comes with a lot of low end keyboards that have programmable buttons on them. Run your mouse cursor across the icons in your system tray (lower right by the time display). If any of them popup text indicating this kind of software, right-click the icon and chose Exit or Close, then open up the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs and look for an entry similar to the name you found on the icon in the system tray. Then uninstall it. If you don’t have an icon in the tray, post here and we can try to walk you through a registry edit that will surely stop the program from loading. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/6 "2003-08-11T01:23:27Z")
Hey Doc…it hurts when I do this! There should be a program to configure your keyboard. Just do a file search for those terms and it should display. ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/7 "2003-08-27T03:46:57Z")
Ok, thanks for the responses. I still haven’t figured it out yet, so if you want to walk me through this, I’d be very happy for it! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/8 "2003-08-27T04:15:21Z")
Are you sure that your ALT key isn’t stuck? Try pressing and tapping it a bit and see if the problem still persists. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/9 "2003-08-27T07:55:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Horseflesh \* > \*\*Yes, you definitely have “hotkey” software loaded, such as that made by Netropa that comes with a lot of low end keyboards that have programmable buttons on them. > > Run your mouse cursor across the icons in your system tray (lower right by the time display). If any of them popup text indicating this kind of software, right-click the icon and chose Exit or Close, then open up the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs and look for an entry similar to the name you found on the icon in the system tray. Then uninstall it. > > If you don’t have an icon in the tray, post here and we can try to walk you through a registry edit that will surely stop the program from loading. \*\* Or if you still want your keyboard buttons to work, just take out the SHIFT=MUTE hotkey. ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/10 "2003-08-27T15:18:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joey P \* > \*\*Or if you still want your keyboard buttons to work, just take out the SHIFT=MUTE hotkey. \*\* But how would I do this? ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/11 "2003-08-28T23:49:41Z")
I chatted with **Brentlumkin** through Yahoo a few days ago and talked him through uninstalling the software. He reinstalled it fresh but the same thing kept happening. The keyboard is a Gateway Millenium Keyboard and looks like [this](http://support.gateway.com/s/KBDMouse/7003197/700319701.shtml). The problem is that the software Gateway provides only allows you to configure the top row of special buttons; you aren’t given the option of mapping anything else. The buttons arranged at the edge of the gray semi-circle are hard-coded to do one thing, such as mute, volume up/down, etc. If anyone else has one of these keyboards (and the Millenium Keyboard software installed) and knows if there are registry or ini file tweaks that can change the mappings of any other buttons, please share. Otherwise I am assuming that the keyboard has a short or some other thing wrong with it that makes the left shift key send out the same scan code (in addition to shift) as the special mute button at the top of the keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-help-needed-the-left-shift-key-mutes-my-computer/194288/12 "2003-08-29T23:12:28Z")
Thanks a lot, and if ANYONE else here can help me, then please do.