Solved eh? reverse functions on keyboard?

[pawz7]

Hi everyone, thought I would run this past you, hoping there is a simple explanation which will leave me feeling silly but enlightened. We have been given a fairly old Gateway laptop running XP. We get faulty machines on their feet again and pass them on to folk who need one - it is our hobby.
No mention of faults with this one, except the DVD didn't work ( it does). The lady had upgraded and had no further use for this one. We got rid of her account, downloaded some utils from the web, fussed and fiddled about, just to test the machine out, and all seemed fine. Wireless worked - everything worked. Fine. So I then did a factory reset, and that went as it should as well. However, when I got back into the desktop and tried to get the wireless connected, it kept failing. Put ethernet on and tried again, ethernet OK, but still wireless could not connect. Switched from Windows wireless manager to the Intel utility and in that, when you put the key in, you can see it in plain type. What I found was that the keyboard is giving the characters for each key as if the Function key was being depressed - when I did depress the Function key and typed, then I got the characters I was wanting, and the wireless connection was made without further problem. I am sure this was not happening before I did the reset as I had been on the web, typing into the search box without any problems - so what has happened? Is there something I need to press along with the Function key to get the keyboard back as it should be please?

 

[Boozad]

Try hitting the Num Lock key.

 

[maxie]

Hi there ... You might need to Reinstall the Function key software .. That should correct the problem

 

[pawz7]

Try hitting the Num Lock key.

On the Gateway it is 'scroll', and there is an icon of a lock on the key; pressed that + Fn and the light for scroll lock went out and the alphabetical letters are back. Thank you Boozad, I figured it would be something like that, and I would have found it with a bit of fiddling and staring at the keyboard no doubt, but sustained toothache robbed me of any willingness to get stuck in, so thought I would lean on you instead - and you have pointed me right - THANK YOU! I can put this to one side now and go onto the next machine.

Hi maxie, thank you for your advice. I was not aware there was such software. Will tuck your advice away for future reference

 

[Boozad]

You're welcome mate, glad you got it sorted.

Would you mind marking the thread as solved in case anybody with the same problem in future stumbles across it?

 

[maxie]

Hi Pawz7 .. Yes there is software for the Function keys .Cannot say what it is called though with out knowing the exact Model .. The main thing is you got it sorted .. Thanks to Boozad good advice