Caps & Num Lock Buttons Do Not Work

The Caps Lock & Num Lock buttons on my keyboard do not work. Any idea what would cause this? I recently switched from Windows 2000 to Windows XP and also switched motherboards and processors. However, the caps & num lock buttons didn't work before either....They quit working a couple of weeks ago. Any idea on how to get them to work again? Or do I need to get a new keyboard?

My guess would be that it's a malfunctioning keyboard. I'd borrow one from someone first, though, before investing in a new one, especially if you're inclined to buy something more expensive than the $3 Wal-Mart special.

If you do go with a new keyboard, may I suggest Logitech? They make great products. I recently replaced my malfunctioning keyboard with their low-end wireless keyboard for $40. I absolutely love it. You could also replace the mouse and get this.

I happen to have that particular combination, although I received the mouse as a gift after purchasing the Cordless Freedom Optical (now discontinued). The newer ones apparently have a slightly different button configuration; I'm referring to the programmable buttons found on the upper- left and right sides of the keyboard.

My point is, regardless of cost, I will never go back. I've only replaced the keyboard's baterries once in over 2 years, and the mouse is rechargeable. And with the extra programmable buttons and excellent range (with fresh batteries), I say it's definitely worth it.

And with the extra programmable buttons

Can you elaborate a bit on that?

At work I use Gateway AnyKey programmable keyboards, and over the years have structured the way I do things to the point that I would be very hard pressed to get by without them. I currently have about 40 different keys (or key combinations with shift, ctrl, and alt keys) programmed with macros, and Gateway has told me that I am the only person who ever complained about over-running the maximum keyboard memory of 1024 keystrokes.

Gateway AnyKey keyboards are getting pretty hard to find -- I think they stopped making them about six or seven years ago, and I recently put into service my last spare.

Would your keyboard serve as an acceptable substitute?

tanstaafl.

Would your keyboard serve as an acceptable substitute?

I think I can safely say "No." I hear the newer versions have an extra button which allows you to program functions to each of the twelve "F" keys. But I have no idea if that programmability allows for entering a string of keystrokes. I do know that my keyboard, the older version, does not allow this.

Using the Logitech software, I have set each of the buttons (Finance, My Sites, Community, Favorites, iTouch, E-Mail, Shopping, Search, and My Home) to open the appropriate application or URL. But I think that's as good as it gets.

I'd say you have a pretty hackable keyboard there, Doug. I'd hang onto that one. And I know what you mean about fearing the loss of your device. I'm scared that when my mouse dies, I won't be able to replace it. It's Logitech's Cordless Mouseman Optical. I believe it's their first 4-button cordless optical mouse. Since then, all of their models have the thumb button on the top of the thumb rest instead of the button. This is less ergonomic to me, even though it's a nit-pick. Still, I'm thinking of picking off one of these from ebay. prices off Pricegrabber range between $38 and $70! I got my keyboard for $40!

*edit*
Now that I think about it, Doug, if your keyboard ever broke down, you should worry less about finding a replacement to match its functionality. Just get whichever suits you the best and run Girder. It can monitor keyboard inputs if you enable the correct plugin, and I'm absolutely certain you can do everything you're doing with your keyboard now and much more.

Using the Logitech software, I have set each of the buttons

I know people hate these buttons, but I think those people have only tried MS keyboards, because I like them a lot. You are a bit limited to what you can select with Logitech's software, but I still like the functionality. I only have five of these buttons, but it's nice to open my favorite programs and websites with them.

I have an AnyKey that I could conceivably send your way if you'd also send me a replacement AT-style keyboard.

If you do go with a new keyboard, may I suggest Logitech?

I'm looking for a new keyboard -- mine's covered in keyboard plaque, and it'd be cheaper to get a new one than to clean it. The problem is that I don't want to buy one without trying it. I like the feel of the one I've already got -- just the right mix between clackiness and softness.

Of course, I'd try to get another one like it, but they've stopped making this model apparently. In fact, the online retailers I've checked seem to only stock those funky whizz-bang, does everything, IR/bluetooth/softkey ones. I want a standard 105-key UK keyboard, dammit. PS/2 so that it'll work with my KVM.

Rant over.

Put it in a dishwasher. Seriously.

I used the dishwasher approach on older keyboards in the past and it worked fine. However when I did it with a cheap one a couple of years ago it killed it.

I love my Unicomp keyboard http://store.yahoo.com/pckeyboards/cusnonusen.html but it is very load, sounds like a machine gun...

Put it in a dishwasher. Seriously.

Or if you can't stomach that, dismantle it and wash the upper shell, lower shell, and all the keycaps (which pop off if pulled hard while kept perpendicular, though watch for the levelling rods under the space bar and the other big keys) in your sink using hot water and normal washing-up liquid. It's terribly therapeutic. I did that to a 10+-year-old SGI Indigo keyboard, and it came out good as new (though I should really have checked before wasting any time on it whether Linux would run on the thing).

Peter

Just get whichever suits you the best and run Girder.

Girder is a Windows app, and a significant amount of what Doug does with his keyboard is done in DOS.

Or if you can't stomach that, dismantle it

I've done this before. Drying the keycaps is a PITA. It's just that this keyboard's only worth a tenner, so it doesn't seem worth the effort.

so you don't think it would be some setting in the BIOS? It didn't happen until I cleaned 2 different buttons (P and F, I believe.) It doesn't light up either...however, when I restart the computer, it briefly lights up.

when I restart the computer, it briefly lights up.

Yeah, the lights come on as part of the keyboard's self-test -- but it doesn't necessarily mean that the buttons are working.

Yeah, the lights come on as part of the keyboard's self-test -- but it doesn't necessarily mean that the buttons are working

Yeah, tell me about it... I was typing away one morning when text quit showing up on the screen. No CAPS LOCK light, but there was a NUM LOCK light on. Reboots would only light up the NUM LOCK light. So off to Fry's for a new Logitech Internet KB, get home, climb under desk...
"Hmm what's this? KB plug fell out completely just now... Damn it does work when it's plugged in ALL THE WAY!"

"Hmm what's this? KB plug fell out completely just now... Damn it does work when it's plugged in ALL THE WAY!"

This was my first thought, but Burdell said that he'd replaced his motherboard and that they keyboard problem was before the mobo replacement and continues to happen afterward. An unplug and replug must have been a part of the mobo replacement.

I wouldn't rule out a frayed cable, though.

this is the best you can get, I believe. If I didn't have an old IBM which I love, I guess I'd be getting that one.

Just get whichever suits you the best and run Girder. It can monitor keyboard inputs if you enable the correct plugin, and I'm absolutely certain you can do everything you're doing with your keyboard now and much more.



Actually.... probably not.

One of my requirements is the ability to create macros on the fly. I have one special key (the "/" key on the number pad) reserved for temporary macros -- I might, for example, copy a contract from one radio station to another where everything is the same except the rate per commercial has to be changed on four lines. Rather than change each line, I record a macro as I change the first line, then it's macro-macro-macro and I'm done. I do this almost at an unconscious level, and that "/" key in a typical day will get a macro programmed into it and then over-written with the next macro 20 or 30 times.

I tried a software solution once, and the process of creating a macro was so convoluted that it just couldn't be done on the fly. Use the mouse to click on the program icon to bring up the program, click on a tab to get to the macro creation area, click on the icon for create the macro, write the macro, exit the program... not useful. I create a macro now by keying in "Ctrl-PrgmMacro" (located right next to the "/" key), select the key which will contain the macro, type my macro, then press the "PrgmMacro" key a second time, and it's done. Four keystrokes, plus the macro itself. With that software solution, there was also about a 1-second delay after pressing the macro key before the macro actually ran.

I really think this has to be done all in hardware to be effective.

tanstaafl.

Unicomp keyboard

Now, that does look like old IBM's, which used to sound like machine guns too. And which is what I've been using in the last 10 years Is it the same product, rebranded, by any chance?

Girder is a Windows app

Also, Widnows 2K/XP has a native tool to remap completely the keyboard. It comes with the resource kit, and I am almost sure it is free for download from MS website (technet, if I remember correctly). Unfortunately I do not have its name here and I don't remember (keymapper? Keymap?). It simply generates a customized keyboard file, which you can load as you would do with any other keyboard layout file.

Its the same product, by the same manufacturer who made the originals. They are fantastic keyboards. I recommend them without reservation. The "clackety" keyboard of the old IBM terminal variety employs the "buckling spring" keys. You can order them direct from pckeyboard.com.

Jim

Oh, well in that case, it would definitely not be an option. I wasn't aware of your behaviour

They are fantastic keyboards

They are, I totally agree. They are solid, reliable, eternal. My keyboard gives me such a sense of solidity that I just feel as if I could break any other keyboard I use. The typical "clack clack" noise may not be nice at night, but I love it.

There's no way that the Gateway, or any other keyboard for that matter, does any of these fancy features "in hardware." That' just not what hardware does. In fact, most hardware doesn't do much of anything without software.

And it's the software, whether it be an application, control panel, userland driver or some other patch into the OS, that does the fancy remaps and macros.

It does sound to me that any of the fixed-function macros can easily be done with Girder, but personally I can't stand its interface. If you thought it was hard to do anything in the tools you've already tried, then you haven't seen the mess that is Girder.

However, there are other tools available. One such tool is uICE frm MediaTexx, which among other things, supports profiling remote control devices and natively also supports keyboards. You can create any number of crazy macros or anything else for any key or combination of keys as far as I remember. It gets better, because you can have all your settings saved as application-specific profiles. So if you really needed a different set for a specific application, no problem.

The program is always resident (you'd have it start with Windows), but I don't know if it has any configuration that is "on the fly" without input into its control panel-like interface. HOWEVER.... The author is very receptive to good functional ideas, so this is something that can alwas be requested. I asked for something even before registering the program and he added it into the very next version - which was out the week after I sent the email.

And even if that dosn't work for you, I am sure there must be another program out there to allow fr on the fly editing of at least a single key for repetitive tasks. You can't be the only person who likes the feature of the product you're now using, right?

Of course, what you're describing also sounds like it would be a feature found in whatever editing application you're using to manage these contracts. I know my text editor supports all sorts of key-assignment features and macros. Plus really great search and replace that can handle dozens of documents all at the same time. YMMV of course.

Just an FYI.

http://www.mediatexx.com if you want to check out uICE.

Bruno

There's no way that the Gateway, or any other keyboard for that matter, does any of these fancy features "in hardware." That' just not what hardware does. In fact, most hardware doesn't do much of anything without software.

Actually, yes, the old Gateway Anykey keyboards did all the macroing in hardware on the keyboard. Proof of this came from weird behavior in the BIOS setup because of a macro being programmed in as a joke. I ran a computer lab a while back that was full of these things. Every admin knew the suspend macro keysequence by heart.

That would just lead me to believe that the software was on the keyboard. The logic had to be programmed in somewhere....

Yeah, Drakino is right, it's built into the keyboard.

Yes, it's software that's doing all the work, but it's software running in ROM chips on the keyboard itself.

Clearly you haven't had the wonderful experience of being tech support for a department which just got a shipment of Gateways with AnyKey keyboards. From day one, everybody began having trouble with the keyboards. "My keyboard doesn't work" was a daily problem. Everyone was accidentally hitting the Macro key as they reached for their morning coffee.

I hate those keyboards.

Clearly you haven't had the wonderful experience of being tech support for a department which just got a shipment of Gateways with AnyKey keyboards

Actually I have...I was just trying to pointing out, that there is software involved, even if it is stored in the keyboard itself. Once you know the key combination to disable macros, they aren't too much trouble.

Except that I was replying to Bruno.

That would just lead me to believe that the software was on the keyboard. The logic had to be programmed in somewhere.

True. I think Bruno is just under the impression the keyboards relied on some software PC side to work.

That was a potential benefit of them, you could move the keyboard to another system and keep all your macros.

In the era of USB keyboards and cheep flash memory, I am suprised there hasn't been a new keyboard to do this. For people on a KVM, this could be really useful.

that there is software involved

It could be done entirely in hardware. A bunch of shift registers, some latches, some SRAM, a few other bits and bobs. It'd be pointless when a PIC is cheaper, but it could be done.

I don't know. The one I have came with a computer in about 1990 or so. That may have been too early for PICs, but my PIC knowledge is admittedly lacking.

about 1990 or so. That may have been too early for PIC

The first 1-chip microcontrollers (that were designed for - surprise surprise - keyboards and stuff) I worked with came out in the early '80's.