Thinkpads Forum

I have a problem with number lock and not being able to disable it on my Thinkpad 600E..

I never use number lock so haven't noticed that the key combination to toggle it on/off doesn't work.
But connecting to my Thinkpad from my pc (using XP's Remote Desktop and WiFi) set's my pc's keyboard setting of number lock enabled as my Thinkpad keyboard's setting.

No probs til i'm back using the Thinkpad keyboard and with number lock enabled.
Found the IBM page documenting turning the various number lock etc on/off and tried it's keyboard combination of Shift-NumberLock (pretty obvious heh!) but still number lock remains toggled on.

My solution- i found a VB script (just two lines of code) which when run on XP will toggle the number-lock on/off.
(Of course if i remember to turn my pc's number-lock off then no probs).

Solution found but problem not resolved....

I notice on my (recently aquired) Thinkpad that some keys have been presumably refurbished with stickers replacing worn key symbols.
Maybe it's not a repair job but a non UK keyboard?
Would i be able to toggle number-lock on/off with a different language defined as it's keyboard's default layout?

Any one else had the same problem?

Nuff questions...

warwound.

From the key markings it is apparent that the key combo for num-lock is Function-Num Lock/ScrlLk

However it's wrong.. The correct combo is SHIFT, not Function

On my 660e at least

Also on my 600E it defaults to num lock off unless I plug in an external keyboard or keypad (i ahve both) in wihch case it boots in numlock on

For older versions of windows there is a DOS routine called TOGGLE

The program can turn a key on, off or toggle it

Here's a link to the IBM support page - http://tinyurl.com/ah7cq - where it states:

The indicator on the ThinkPad system will be lit green when the function is enabled.
Press and hold the Shift key and then press the NumLk key to change the Num Lock setting.

No need to repeat the fact that it doesn't work.
I also tried all other 'obvious' key combinations but not a single one would toggle the number lock on my 600E on/off.
Neither Shift, Ctrl, Fn, Alt or the AltGr keys did anything in combination with the NumLk/ScrLk key.

Here's the VB script that i found on the internet - as you can see just two lines of code to toggle number lock on/off.

set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.SendKeys "{NUMLOCK}"

I have this code saved as numlock.vbs and created a shortcut to it which i placed in my Start Menu.
Gave this shortcut the short-key combination of Ctrl-Alt-N and it works perfectly!

I'm still curious as to why the actual key itself can't be used but it's no problem.

warwound.

wa8yxm wrote:From the key markings it is apparent that the key combo for num-lock is Function-Num Lock/ScrlLk

However it's wrong.. The correct combo is SHIFT, not Function

On my 660e at least

I think if you look at the key markings closely, you'll see that the lettering of NumLk is white and not the blue coloring which indicates it is to be used in combination with the Fn key. At least, that's how my 600X keyboard is marked, and I don't remember it being different on the 600E that I had before it.