# Kind of a silly computer problem. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589 "2007-12-19T16:54:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/1 "2007-12-19T16:54:31Z")
I would like to take a screen shot on my computer. In the past I would just click the prtscn button and the go to paint and click past (I think, I haven’t need to do this in a while so it could be an I D 10 T failure and I’m just misremembering) I need to do this again last night and now nothing happens. When I go into Paint the paste option is grayed out and nothing is on my clip board. ☹ Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks much ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/2 "2007-12-19T16:56:41Z")
Try shift + printscreen. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/3 "2007-12-19T16:56:58Z")
Try to hit CTRL-PrtScn at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/4 "2007-12-19T17:14:13Z")
Thanks for the fast replies but unfortunately neither of them work. Any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/5 "2007-12-19T17:18:15Z")
[QUOTE=t-mobileguy] Thanks for the fast replies but unfortunately neither of them work. Any other ideas? [/QUOTE] [http://www.printdesktop.com/](http://www.printdesktop.com/) ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/6 "2007-12-19T17:27:06Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix] [http://www.printdesktop.com/](http://www.printdesktop.com/) [/QUOTE] Thanks drachillix, A few questions you may or may not know. Will this just print my screen to a printer? (If so it’s not quite what I’m looking for I need to edit the picture in paint or the like) And I would still kind of like to know what’s going on with my prtscn button. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/7 "2007-12-19T17:31:10Z")
I’ve used PrintKey 2000 on my laptop to do this function: > **[Google](https://www.google.com)** > > Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/8 "2007-12-19T18:14:33Z")
[QUOTE=t-mobileguy] Thanks for the fast replies but unfortunately neither of them work. Any other ideas? [/QUOTE] What OS are you running? ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/9 "2007-12-19T18:38:48Z")
[QUOTE=Iggins] What OS are you running? [/QUOTE] Windows xp pro ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/10 "2007-12-19T19:04:48Z")
One idea, maybe you’ve installed [Print Screen Replacement](http://www.tucows.com/preview/422903) or something similar, and forgot about it. This utility makes print screen a one click operation. It drops a screen shot directly into a chosen folder, no need for pasting into paint. Maybe there’s a file called \*\*SC\_1.jpg \*\* sitting in your pictures folder. (And if you haven’t installed it, you ought to.) ---
**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/11 "2007-12-19T19:06:41Z")
Do you have any browser windows open? Some sites try to prevent you from cut-and-paste by clearing the clipboard every 0.1sec or so with a JavaScript call. Try closing any browser windows you don’t need, or disabling JavaScript, and see if you can cut and paste then. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/12 "2007-12-19T19:18:32Z")
This is gonna sound crazy, but on my work XP pc, the key combination is alt-print screen. Have you installed a new keyboard? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/13 "2007-12-19T20:17:37Z")
I’m a Mac user so there’s no reason I should know this, but I think **stolichnaya** is correct, the Windows keystroke is ALT printscreen, not Ctrl or Shift. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/14 "2007-12-19T20:22:09Z")
It’s Alt-PrintScreen for the current window, PrintScreen for the entire screen. The capture utility I use is MWsnap, free (as in beer). Can’t say it’s better than the others, which I haven’t tried, but it is very good. ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/15 "2007-12-19T23:09:50Z")
Thank you all for trying to solve my weird problem. I now know I can down load a program that will let me capture the screen but I would really like to know what’s going on. [QUOTE=stolichnaya] This is gonna sound crazy, but on my work XP pc, the key combination is alt-print screen. Have you installed a new keyboard? [/QUOTE] Sorry to everyone who suggested alt+print screen, it’s a no go. I have installed a new keyboard. It’s a Microsoft wireless multimedia keyboard and mouse model 1014. Everything else works just fine. again thank you all for the help ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/16 "2007-12-20T00:37:39Z")
Then I suggest you need to go to Microsoft support, you can’t be the only one to have bought that keyboard. There’s probably a KB article on the issue. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/17 "2007-12-20T05:32:17Z")
Did you try fn-PrintScr? I don’t really expect it to work, but it is worth a try. Also, check out the settings in the keyboard’s Control Panel applet. I know some MS keyboards let you map the Internet keys (email, browser, etc.). Maybe there is a setting or mapping for Print Screen. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/18 "2007-12-20T05:53:13Z")
Does [this MS article](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894513) address your problem? ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/19 "2007-12-20T06:57:12Z")
I’m surprised nobody suggested this, but the keys you want to press are **Windows key** +Print Screen. Or at least that’s what’s worked on every Windows 2000 or XP machine I’ve ever used. ETA: Huh. ALT+Print Screen seems to work for me, too. I never knew that. Your problem could be something else then, but Windows Key+Print Screen is at least worth a try. ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589/20 "2007-12-21T00:32:28Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] Does [this MS article](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894513) address your problem? [/QUOTE] opaa!!! mhendo gets the prize! it was my F lock key that was messing things up for me. Thanks to everyone for all your help. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kind-of-a-silly-computer-problem/430589.md?page=2)