Turn NUM LOCK on at start-up

Anonymous
2009-12-27T01:45:17+00:00

How do you edit InitialKeyboardIndicators in the registry editor so num lock is on at start-up? One instruction I read said to change the value to 2.  The number that is already present is 2147483648 which I have no idea what it stands for!  Can anyone help me out here? Thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2009-12-27T08:21:38+00:00

By default the numlock status is the same as it was in when you properly shut down the computer. If it was on when you shut it down it will be on when you again turn the computer on.

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Richard Urban

Microsoft MVP

Windows Desktop Experience/Security

"BJ55" wrote in message news:b6f5c70d-a053-431 1-946d-ba9e8879f644...

How do you edit InitialKeyboardIndicators in the registry editor so num lock is on at start-up? One instruction I read said to change the value to 2.  The number that is already present is 2147483648 which I have no idea what it stands for!  Can anyone help me out here? Thanks

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Anonymous
2010-06-04T13:27:04+00:00

I haven't read through every reply, but just in case there has not been an answer for this, here is what you do.

By default, NumLock, CapsLock, and ScrollLock are set to off on power up in WindowsXP.  If you want to modify this to allow one or all of them to be on by default at power up, follow the below instructions.

  1. Click Start
  2. Click Run
  3. Type RegEdit
  4. Expand to HKEY_Users
  5. Expand .Default
  6. Expand Control Panel
  7. Expand Keyboard
  8. Find sting value InitialKeyboadIndicators. (By default this will be set to '0' which means Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and Caps Lock are all turned off.)
  9. Double click the "InitialKeyboardIndicators" string value and make the following changes.
  • 0 - Turns off Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock
  • 1 - Turns on Caps Lock
  • 2 - Turns on Num Lock
  • 3 - Turns on Caps Lock and Num Lock
  • 4 - Turns on Scroll Lock
  • 5 - Turns on Caps Lock and Scroll Lock
  • 6 - Turns on Num Lock and Scroll Lock
  • 7 - Turns on Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock

Exit the Registry. When you restart, the new setting will take effect

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-22T01:15:56+00:00

    markhoppe wrote:

    > My Windows 7 must forget that I have on the number lock on,as I have to always

    > turn it on after boot up. I tried changing the number to 2 no difference. Tried

    > everthing that I read on Internet current user & local user settings. Cant find

    > anything in the control panel keyboard either.

    Windows 7, like its predecessors WinNT, Win2K, WinXP, and

    Vista, by design, ignores the BIOS settings for the NumLock key as a

    standard security feature. (I'm afraid I can't remember the "security"

    issue initially being addressed. And some say it was a "feature"

    intended to accommodate laptop users who had trouble entering passwords

    with the NumLock on.) By default, the NumLock key is turned off as

    Windows 7 starts, and keeps it off until someone logs in and initializes

    a user profile. Windows 7 will remember the NumLock's last state,

    meaning that if you log out with the NumLock on, it will automatically

    turn on the next time you log in; If you log out with the NumLock off,

    it will be off the next time you log in.

    If one needs the NumLock on _before_ logging in, a registry edit

    can be used to change Windows 7's default behavior (Article is about

    WinXP, but works for Windows 7, as well):

    How to Set the NUM LOCK State at Logon in Windows XP

    http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314879

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-21T23:05:39+00:00

    My Windows 7 Pro must forget that I have num lock on because I have to turn it on every time.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-21T22:45:17+00:00

    My Windows 7 must forget that I have on the number lock on,as I have to always turn it on after boot up. I tried changing the number to 2 no difference. Tried everthing that I read on Internet current user & local user settings. Cant find anything in the control panel keyboard either.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments