Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard and the Wretched F-Lock

[mathman]

All,

I am running Windows 7, and currently using a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard 1.0a. This keyboard has a rather disconcerting feature called the "f-lock", which is a key that you must press if you wish to have access to the function keys F1 thru' F12.

The problem with this f-lock key is that, after you boot up, you must explicitly press it on in order to access the standard function keys. Absolute nuisance.

There is a registry hack type of workaround that has been circulated but this is for Windows XP, and does not work for Windows 7 or Vista.

Does anyone know of a solution that is specific to Windows 7 ?

Thanks and regards,
Andrew Fortune,
Melbourne,
Australia

 

[not so gray matter]

This may help you:

Microsoft Keyboards - F Lock Key Info

 

[mathman]

notsograymatter, this is the registry-based hack that I was referring to. I have not been able to get this to work on Windows 7.

 

[oogleman]

May help you.
Resolve unexpected Function (F1 - F12) or other special key behavior

I'm having trouble with same multimedia keyboard since going over to win 7, the My Documents etc key/s in a row on top of keyboard wont take me to "My Documents"
Have tried re-assigning keys via keyboard settings but still no joy.

 

[mathman]

oogleman, thanks but you don't understand what my problem is. I am trying to set up my keyboard so that when I start up my machine, the F Lock button is ON by default.

The aforementioned "fix" (mentioned by notsograymatter, above) does not work in Windows 7.

 

[Darician]

I've always found in my experience in XP, Vista, and 7 that Windows will generally remember the settings at which I leave my keyboard with. If I leave the F Lock Key on, then it will remain on after I reboot and until I turn it off. Same with Num Lock.

 

[mathman]

I've always found in my experience in XP, Vista, and 7 that Windows will generally remember the settings at which I leave my keyabord with. If I leave the F Lock Key on, then it will remain on after I reboot and until I turn it off. Same with Num Lock.

Unfortunately, not so with the Microsoft keyboards. Microsoft seems hell-bent on forcing you to manually turn on the F-Lock each time you boot up.

 

[Darician]

I have a Microsoft Wireless Desktop Elite keyboard at home and a couple of Microsoft Digital Media keyboards around with F-Lock Keys and as long as I leave F-Lock on before rebooting, then after a reboot, I will find it on. I have yet to find a specific setting that will trigger the F-Lock to turn on however within the Microsoft Keyboard software.

 

[mathman]

You are lucky. My Multimedia Keyboard is set on waking up with F-Lock OFF, no matter what.