Windows 7: Ms paint

In windows 7 prof. (64 bit) I do not have a place to choose to insert the printscreen.
there are two choices. It allows me to go to a file and get it.
It does not allow me to paste the clipboard.

anyone know how to do this?

I am thinking that perhaps the printscreen key itself needs to be activated? I have a new Pavilion dv8t and you know what it's like to learn EVERYTHING about a new piece of hardware. I have never heard of having to activate a key but what do i know?

So, any suggestions from anyone?

It was one thing that actually worked well all the time in XP prof. was the printscreen into paint! doggone it why can't they just leave well enough alone?

Does anyone know how else to get a printscreen say into an email? or into a file to use as an attachment?

thanks much,

As an alternative you can paste the prt screen into a Wordpad or Word document, save that and attach the saved file. And did you try "Paste" in Paint?

No.
There is an alternative to PrintScreen: All Programs => Accessories => Snipping Tool. The advantage is that you can select the area to copy to clipboard, instead of dumping the whole screen/window

as i explained i am only able to get to the one choice under the paste option. I normally would choose to just paste it as you said. The only option i have is to go get a file...not what i want to do. i want to paste the printscreen. usually for a tech support person that wants to see what i am seeing.

any ideas why it might be greyed out?

thanks, jackie

Silly suggestion: the 'Print Screen' is effectively 'in upper case' (you need to hold Shift and hit the PrtScr/SysRq key). If you don't use Shift the screen is not copied to clipboard, which would explain why Paste is greyed out (as there is nothing to paste).

It could be shift, it could also be Fn. Why don't you try Paint again after copying some other way.

Pressing the Printscreen key should copy the entire screen contents to the clipboard (Alt-Printscreen copies the currently active window) then you should be able to open any graphics capable program and press Ctrl-v to paste the contents of the clipboard.

If Ctrl-v doesn't work or the paste option of a program is greyed out then the clipboard is empty. You need to determine why.

Are you able to highlight text in a document, press Ctrl-c, then go to another doc and press Ctrl-v to paste it there? That will tell you if your clipboard is functioning. If that works then it may just mean that the Printscreen key on your keyboard isn't functioning.

Can you try a different keyboard?

I agree with strollin. Just Press Print Screen, open Paint and press CTRL+V and tadda, your screenshot gets pasted there.

However, if you hold Alt, then Print Screen, then you paste than on Paint using CTRL+V, only the active Window during the time you took the screenshot gets pasted. Snipping tool is a great option too.

Thanks all,
I have sent your replies to my techies with my new HP Pavilion laptop. I am hoping they will find the solution that fits this laptop.
YOU ALL are wonderful to send ideas that can be tested.
I will post again if the tech support folks can't help.
I suppose i could try another keyboard but seeing it's a laptop I am not quite sure if my other USB keyboards would work ok and over ride my laptop keyboard or not. It sure is a straight up learning curve with this new windows 7 plus new laptop and all new programs...lots to learn.
thanks again
jackie

Just for the record: PrtSct & Paint have been around since at least Win98, possibly Win95