# How can I make num-lock enabled by default at startup? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138 "2000-05-10T17:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138/1 "2000-05-10T17:35:19Z")
My computer at home is set to have Num-Lock ‘on’ at start-up. The one at my office is not. I like having it default to ‘on’ but I don’t know how to set it that way. The first thing I tried, of course, was Settings/Control Panel/Keyboard. There was nothing there. I’ve tried searching the internet and nothing I’ve found has helped so far (most of it’s over my head). From [brillianet.com - Business product name for sale](http://www.brillianet.com/computers/drbit/windows/num-lock/) > [@](#): > > _ **How to make num-lock enabled by default at startup…** _ > > If you want to have num-lock enabled by default in Windows 95/98 you do not have to operate with the registry database like in Windows NT. If num-lock is not enabled by default then it has something to do with your PC’s BIOS. > > The BIOS can accessed by pressing DEL, F1, ESC or something else just after you have turned on your PC. The boot-up screen tells you what you have to press… look after a message similar to “Press DEL to enter the BIOS”. > > In the BIOS you have to “browse around” and look after “num-lock”. When you find this place you can change it’s default status by following the instructions in the BIOS. > > We cannot exclude the possibility that it in some way is possible to control this in Windows. We do not know any way to do this, but if you do then please email us! Hmmmm, well this makes no sense to me. If this is really the way to go about doing this, can anyone here make this any clearer? And I don’t even want to tell you how over my head [this page](http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q177/6/74.asp) was! [This page](http://home.worldonline.dk/~petermad/con_auto/index-uk.htm), while also over my pea-sized brain, seems to indicate that there’s a line in config.sys that says “NUMLOCK=OFF”. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be as simple as changing that to read “NUMLOCK=ON”? If so, exactly how would I go about doing that? Any help would be greatly appreciated. And remember, I’m not a techie, so please feel free to talk down to me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138/2 "2000-05-10T18:03:05Z")
Do you have windows ninety-something at work, or NT? You can check by right-clicking on the “my computer” icon and selecting ‘properties’. It will say on the first page of the thingy that pops up. Windows NT and ninety-something look very similar, but in this one case, they work very differently. -waiting for your answer. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138/3 "2000-05-10T18:16:15Z")
The instructions that you quoted are correct…lemme see if I can reword them in a way that’ll make sense to you: You know how, when you turn on your computer, it lists how much memory you have and displays the logo and all that jazz? At that time a line of text should flash up on the screen (sometimes it doesn’t last very long, so watch closely) saying something like “Press \ to enter Setup.” The \ may be another key, like ESC or DEL; seems like every computer company picks a different key. When you see that message, pounce on that key like a cobra on a juicy mouse. Tap it a few times, to make sure it registers; extra presses won’t hurt anything. If your computer just boots normally, you probably didn’t hit the key quickly enough; just let it boot up, then shut it down and start over. If you did jump on the key quickly enough, you should see a Setup screen, which you probably haven’t seen before. It’ll usually be a plain text menu that you navigate through using the arrow keys. Before you press any keys, look at the screen: there should be one area that’s sort of like a legend on a map, telling you which keys are used for moving the highlight, changing settings, going to the next screen, and so on. Anyway, look for an item in Setup that deals with having Num Lock on by default on startup. The Num Lock setting may not be on the original screen, so if there’s a way to move to additional Setup screens listed in the legend, go for it. After you’ve found the Num Lock setting and changed it, look again to the legend. It’ll tell you what key to press to save and exit. Push that key. It’ll usually ask you to press Y or N to confirm that that’s what you want to do. Push Y, and your computer will boot anew, this time with the Num Lock on by default. Most important: if you hit the wrong key and change a setting you didn’t want to change, don’t panic. There will be a key listed in the legend for “Quit/Don’t Save”. Hit that key, confirm (Y/N), and start over. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138/4 "2000-05-10T18:19:32Z")
Hi, Wonko. Sorry I wasn’t clearer about that. I’m using Win95 now and am having Win98 installed on the new network we’re having put in in a couple of weeks (that’s why I copied the info from that page about 95/98 as opposed to NT). Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138/5 "2000-05-10T18:23:28Z")
Max, you posted while I was on the reply screen, so I didn’t see it before I hit ‘Submit’. Thank you! I’m going to shut down and give it a try. I’ll let you know if it works. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-num-lock-enabled-by-default-at-startup/19138/6 "2000-05-10T18:48:43Z")
I LOVE YOU, MAX! I asked the MIS guy at the last place I worked if he could tell me how to do this, and he was clueless. Some MIS guy, huh? LOL Your instructions made more sense than the ones from the above-quoted site because theirs said to look for a line that read “Press \ to get to the BIOS” and yours said “Press \ to get to Startup,” which is what my computer actually says. I did have to select “Boot Options” before I could find the Num Lock setting, but that was easy enough to figure out. I switched it to ‘On’, rebooted, and it worked. I’d could kiss you! Thank you, again.