Thinkpads Forum

Hi Guys, Currently I am using a Logitech wireless keyboard and there is NO "Fn" key. I always have my T61P lid closed. Every time when I wake up the T61P I have to open the lid and press "Fn" + F4 keys. So I kind wonder if it is possible to wake up the T61P(with Windows XP) without opening up the lid.

Any ideas? Thanks:D

This is actually a question I would really like to know an answer to.

The Thinkpad customizer utility allows one to replace many Fn key combinations (including Fn+F4 which sends the computer to standby). But as far as I know, waking up is still only done with Fn (just Fn, no need to press anything else), or the power button.

Sorry for digging up this thread but I'm setting up my desk which includes a T60, external monitor, USB keyboard and BT mouse. I used the keyboard customizer to assign the Fn key function to the right Ctrl key. It works as expected. I can use Ctrl+F4 to switch to the standby.

Funny thing is, I *am* able to wake the laptop up without touching it, just by hitting any key on the external USB keyboard.

Could it be some BIOS power management setting? I don't recall changing anything related to this there. Or maybe it works for T60 but not for T61? I doubt it.

I haven't tried but I guess hibernation would be a bit more tricky as the machine is actually powered off in this state.

Interesting things, yak.

When you say that you assigned Fn to right Ctrl - do you mean that you just assigned all the individual key assignments to use Right Ctrl, or do new versions of the Keyboard Customizer actually allow you to globally assign a key to function as Fn?

I cannot seem to be able to wake my laptop with the USB keyboard, but I should look into the BIOS and see if there are any settings there to do so.

BTW, do you have a docking station? Is the keyboard attached directly to the laptop?

dr_st wrote:When you say that you assigned Fn to right Ctrl - do you mean that you just assigned all the individual key assignments to use Right Ctrl, or do new versions of the Keyboard Customizer actually allow you to globally assign a key to function as Fn?

Sorry, I should be more precise. I've assigned all the individual Fn- shortcuts separately.

dr_st wrote:BTW, do you have a docking station? Is the keyboard attached directly to the laptop?

No, the keyboard is connected directly to the laptop but I've just tried connecting it using a simple passive 4-port USB hub and it works too so it should work with a docking station too. The LED on the hub went off when the laptop entered standby and then immediately on when I pressed a key on the external keyboard (after which the laptop went back to full power on).

One note. Waking up works only if the keyboard wasn't disconnected since the laptop was switched to standby mode. So for example if I enter the standby, take the laptop with me and then come back and reconnect it, I will have to open it to turn it on.

Yeah, I already saw the photo of your setup in the other thread, so that answered my question regarding the dock. For me it currently doesn't work, no matter where it is plugged, so I'm thinking I will go into the BIOS and investigate (but it will have to wait, since I am in the middle of work, and don't want to turn my machine off).

I found something.

At least here on Vista, the keyboard stops waking the laptop up if I go to the device manager, then to the HID-Keyboard properties and disable the "Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby" option on the "Power Management" tab.

Here's a similar screenshot I've found online:
http://www.gigabyte.de/FileList/FAQ/old ... ager-3.gif

Actually, on my German Vista, the option says "Ruhezustand" (hibernation) instead of "standby", but it affects the standby (not hibernation) anyway.

Speaking of hibernation, I'm not able to bring the laptop up from it using the external keyboard no matter if this option is set or not.

I also didn't find anything related to keyboard wake-ups in BIOS settings.

Oddly, here on XP, I don't have the Power Management tab in any of the mouse/keyboard-related device in the device manager.

This is odd. But I think we're on the right track here so you may want to investigate further, maybe there's some software that has to be installed on XP. Here's a short article I've found about enabling this in Vista:
http://www.officialwindowsmagazine.com/ ... board.html