Need computer help..

[isaku5]

A few months back, I actually purchased a new laptop. Everything is going well with one exception: several keys have four characters on them. My computer savvy friends and I have tried accessing the third and fourth characters by using ''ctrl'' and ''alt''. So far, nothing has worked. I should point out that these characters are not needed on a daily basis, but would certainly expand my options.

The laptop is an HP model with the Vista O/S . Any ideas??

 

[RubyCharm]

Check if you have the "Num Lk Scr Lk" key on the upper right hand corner of your laptop (I have a Sony Vaio laptop with an English keyboard and that''s the key that I use to switch back and forth between different characters located in the same key).

 

[isaku5]

Date: 4/18/2009 7:17:54 PM
Author: RubyCharm
Check if you have the ''Num Lk Scr Lk'' key on the upper right hand corner of your laptop (I have a Sony Vaio laptop with an English keyboard and that''s the key that I use to switch back and forth between different characters located in the same key).

Thanks, RubyCharm, but I don''t see either anywhere on the keyboard.

The obvious answer would be to look it up in the Instruction Manual, but it has mysteriously disappeared.

 

[Feralpenchant]

Depending on what brand of laptop you have, sometimes there is a "function" key. It will only say "Fn" on it, and the lettering may be a different color. If some of the keys have icons on them that are the same color as the "fn" key color, you can press Fn + that key. Lots of times these keys will turn on/off your wireless connection, webcam, or put you into sleep mode.

I don't know anything about Vista, though. Only Windows.. And I have an Alienware, which probably no one on PS has, unless they're diamond junkies AND video game junkies, like me

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 4/18/2009 7:35:47 PM
Author: Feralpenchant
Depending on what brand of laptop you have, sometimes there is a 'function' key. It will only say 'Fn' on it, and the lettering may be a different color. If some of the keys have icons on them that are the same color as the 'fn' key color, you can press Fn + that key. Lots of times these keys will turn on/off your wireless connection, webcam, or put you into sleep mode.

yep
Some also have alt+fn when there is 2 the same color as the function key.

 

[isaku5]

Date: 4/18/2009 7:53:50 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 4/18/2009 7:35:47 PM
Author: Feralpenchant
Depending on what brand of laptop you have, sometimes there is a ''function'' key. It will only say ''Fn'' on it, and the lettering may be a different color. If some of the keys have icons on them that are the same color as the ''fn'' key color, you can press Fn + that key. Lots of times these keys will turn on/off your wireless connection, webcam, or put you into sleep mode.

yep
Some also have alt+fn when there is 2 the same color as the function key.

Thanks so much. I have to leave the computer now, but will try the suggestions and report back.

 

[aveda6]

hi...what type/model HP is it? I can probably track down the manual for you and let you know...

 

[isaku5]

Date: 4/18/2009 8:00:41 PM
Author: isaku5

Date: 4/18/2009 7:53:50 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 4/18/2009 7:35:47 PM
Author: Feralpenchant
Depending on what brand of laptop you have, sometimes there is a ''function'' key. It will only say ''Fn'' on it, and the lettering may be a different color. If some of the keys have icons on them that are the same color as the ''fn'' key color, you can press Fn + that key. Lots of times these keys will turn on/off your wireless connection, webcam, or put you into sleep mode.

yep
Some also have alt+fn when there is 2 the same color as the function key.

Thanks so much. I have to leave the computer now, but will try the suggestions and report back.

I just tried the fn + character hoping for the third, fourth or fifth one to show and got the one I''d get if I was just typing the lower left character.
Then I tried the alt+fn and got a beep but nothing else.

If all else fails, I can call the local Future Shop where I bought it.

Thank you both for your help.

 

[isaku5]

Date: 4/18/2009 8:51:22 PM
Author: aveda6
hi...what type/model HP is it? I can probably track down the manual for you and let you know...

Hi Aveda. It''s an HP laptop with a 17" monitor. It has HP Pavillion dw 9500 on the bottom if that helps.

Don''t go to any trouble until I can talk to the Help Dept. at FS. If they sold it, they should be able to tell me what to do, or find out and let me know.

 

[Lexie]

Here is the TouchPad and Keyboard manual for the HP dv9500 series notebooks (with Windows Vista OS).

Hope that helps!

 

[Lexie]

Hm.. out of curiosity, does your HP happen to have a Japanese keyboard?

I''ve been looking at pictures of the dv9500 notebooks, and that particular model is the only one that has some keys with three/four characters.

 

[isaku5]

Lexie, you are a doll

. Thanks so much for your help.

No, no Japanese keyboard on this particular one...I have an oddball, perhaps. That''s okay, my mother sometimes said I was, so maybe...

 

[Feralpenchant]

Looks like the HP manual told you do pretty much what me and storm said, haha.

Hope you figure it out.

 

[isaku5]

Date: 4/19/2009 4:27:53 PM
Author: Feralpenchant
Looks like the HP manual told you do pretty much what me and storm said, haha.

Hope you figure it out.

I know

. I spent so much time looking for ''hidden gems'' in there that I didn''t have time to call FS today.

Tomorrow, I''m planning to take the laptop down to them and watch their reaction

. I''m wicked, I know, but when so many computer experts, much smarter than I, can''t figure it out, a girl has to resort to extreme measures.

Maybe, I''m just dyslexic in Japanese?