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.

--

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
    2017-05-21T16:28:21+00:00

    The code for Initialkeyboardinticators was not 0, but a string: 2147483648.  No idea how to change this to get the NUM LOCK to default on at boot up.  Thanks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-06-27T13:49:59+00:00

    Richard Urban - I followed the same instructions someone else wrote and had the same issue you had. This is what I found and copied paste for future reference. ”.  (there is not a choice to modify and change in the initialkeyboartindicators I copied and pasted what it shows when you right click initial…)

    The correct one to click is (Default) and type a 2 there. It is the first item above the "initialkeyboard...blah blah blah.

    I plan to report this error to Microsoft, as well as explain to them that their making us go through all these loops and circles is not what will make customers happy.  They need to make it easier to accomplish these types of tasks.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-07-10T20:10:47+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.

    --

    Richard Urban

    Microsoft MVP

    Windows Desktop Experience/Security

    I do not agree: I always properly shut down my PC while num-lock is turned on but when I start the computer again num-lock is always turned off.

    I checked InitialKeyboardIndicators value and in my computer it is the same as BJ55's computer.

    Thank you very much for your time, best regards.

    Riccardo

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