You know those keyboards that have those “Ever So Convenient” (cough) shortcut keys on the top? The row of cheap plastic buttons that usually sit above the F1-F12 keys that create quick, convenient shortcuts for people who don’t know how to use Windows? You know, like the ones on this keyboard?
Is their any way, short of say, buying another keyboard, to disable these? I am SICK of these buttons. Completely fed up. On my particular keyboard, the shortcuts for restart computer and shutdown are directly above the PAUSE button. No more then a centimeter apart. And I cannot count the number of times I have been playing a game, and my hands dart over the keyboard to hit PAUSE and I miss slightly and instead end up shutting down the comp.
I know that a new keyboard really doesnt cost that much, and I could go out and buy one quite easily. Eight dollars, perhaps. But thats missing the point. This is WAR, and taking the easy way out sounds, you know, wussy.
So. Anyone know a way to disable these?
(sidenote, because I’m PISSED. ) Ya know, its AMAZING how incredibly quick and all-powerful the interupts from that keyboard must be. If I hit CRTL+ALT+DEL while playing a video-game, the thing would probably stutter for about 4-5 seconds before switching out and bringing up the task manager. On the other hand, If I so much as tap this keyboard restart shortcut, the monitor just goes black. ZAP. As if I suddenly lost power. GRRRRRR.
You don’t specify your particular version of Windows, so I can’t be highly specific, but from the Device Manager, you can uninstall the current keyboard driver, then reboot. Windows will detect it again as new hardware. Instead of allowing it to automatically reinstall it, you’ll manually install the driver for something like a standard 101-key keyboard or other generic keyboard driver.
Most of these kinds of keyboards also allow you to change the functions of the various buttons, and possibly disable them. Look in Control Panel > Keyboard.
Haw haw, I did the same thing! I was working on my friend’s computer, and I just hit the button and–whoosh! Work destroyed! :mad:
I ended up just making a cover out of paper for the button so I couldn’t actually hit it. Crude but effective. One other thing you could do is just pop the button off the keyboard.
Similar thing on my dad’s keyboard… except here, the ‘power off’ key is just under the ‘delete’ key. On one occasion, I managed to shut down the computer 5 times in the span of 10 minutes while chatting… I told my dad about it, and he guess what he says? “Why do you use the del key so much?” :smack:
Fortunately, I don’t need to use his computer more than once a month or so…
I had a Compaq computer that had such bottons. It gave you an icon in the corner next to the clock that allowed you to reprogram the buttons - you should be able to reprogram them not do anything if yours is similar.
Another option would be to take the keyboard apart and sever the trace using an X-Acto knife. (this would be prettier once you reassemble the keyboard.)
But accidentally hitting F1 (help) instead of F2 (edit formula) when I was working in Excel was driving me mad. It would take 30 seconds or so for the help screen to pop up, and I couldn’t exit out of it. So I’d sit there, waiting for the help box to pop up so that I could minimize it and get back to business.
Of course, once I popped the key off, I kept hitting F3 instead of F2 until I got used to hitting the key on the “end” instead of one in. Thankfully that one was quicker to escape from.
Well, its Windows XP. I tried uninstalling the drivers, but after a restart the damnable buttons still seemed to work. Under keyboard properties, the only things I can seem to mess with are the speed options ( key repeat, cursor blinking, stuff like that) and an option to uninstall the drivers. Current drivers are listed as "standard 101/102-key or Microsoft PS/2 keyboard.
I’m dinking around a bit, then getting out the screwdriver and exacto knife.
Well, before you go playing keyboard surgeon, look on the underside of your keyboard, and post the model number. I’ll see if I can dig up some information on disabling or reprogramming those special function keys. AFAIK, the scan codes that those keys generate (there’s only one keyboard interrupt, INT 9) aren’t natively understood by Windows, so there has to be another layer in there, I believe.
Did you uninstall the manufacturer’s driver and then let Windows install the default drivers?
If you never did install the manufacturer’s drivers and/or never installed their software you might want to go to their site and get whatever they have available for XP. I just am getting into using my Logitech “fancy ass” keyboard and it worked when I plugged it in, so I never got the Logitech drivers. But from what people tell me, all of the buttons are configurable.
Its Model Number EZ-9910. Made in China! I searched around a bit, and found a website selling it. Here it is . The stupid keyboard. I like the part near the top where it says " this is the keyboard designed for the way you really work."
Likewise, I then did a search for drivers. I found some here and some here. I tried both, and they both allow a little GUI screen that allows one to configure the shortcuts for the hot-key buttons. However, the kicker is that the GUI only allows certain buttons to be configured, namely back, forward, stop, www, email, favorites, refresh, search, Word, Excel, PowerPnt, and Calendar. No shutdown/restart.
If you check the applications that start up each time you boot the computer (using msconfig) you’ll see the program which enables these easy-access buttons. It’ll be pretty easy to identify, but if not check this site to track it down.
When you’ve identified it, uncheck its box and reboot the computer. Problem solved.
I’m going to give you advice. Your first reaction is probably not going to be favorable, but roll it around in your mind for a bit.
Go on eBay and score yourself a used iMac (USB) keyboard.
•they’re extremely minimalistic. some of the early ones didn’t even have the “middle section” with Page Up, Home, Insert, etc. keys and instead outsourced the most commonly used ones to a few weird locations, dispensed with the rest, and hopped straight to the far-right keypad keys. don’t get one THAT old, you can’t do a Ctrl-Alt-Delete on them, no “middle section” delete key. but only mildly more bulky and more common on eBay are the more recent ones which are standard keyboard layout. but no “gizmo” keys like you’re describing.
• they’re tiny. there’s about a sixteenth of an inch of plastic around the periphery of the keys and that’s it.
•the Macintosh “Command key” maps under Windows to being the Windows key.
• it doubles as a two-port USB hub, and your XP/W2K box will recognize both the keyboard and the hub, so you can daisy chain low-power peripherals off your keyboard
• they’ve actually got pretty decent keyboard texture. that’s assuming you don’t favor the old IBM clacky-clack keyboards or otherwise are accustomed to very springy or very stiff keys.
• they’re built like a tank and will outlast your computer. and the next computer. and the next computer.
