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
    2015-09-30T20:02:33+00:00

    It reverts to a value of 2 because that is the way the indicator is set (ON) when you logoff, shutdown or restart.

    If you want the value to be zero, turn all indicators OFF, then restart and login again then check and it will be zero.

    If you are using Windows 10 why are you looking/posting in the Windows 7 community?

    The Windows 10 community starts here:

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/support

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-09-30T19:52:55+00:00

    That makes sense so what you describe is normal.

    The values in HKEY_USERS do not come into play here at all.

    Every user has their own section in the registry.

    When a new user is created, the values in HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT are copied into the new registry section created for just that new user - then those values in HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT are not looked at again so it doesn't do any good to change things there - unless you want to adjust or change the default settings for the next new user that might get created.

    If your BIOS says Num Lock is on, that should be lit up when you power up the system...  it may blink as the BIOS goes through the POST (Power on Self Test) then it will stay on... until Windows starts to load which hopefully won't take long.

    When Windows loads the LEDs may blink again and when Windows finally settles down (but you have not logged in yet), the Num Lock will be OFF since that is the default settings for Windows.  So will Caps Lock and Scroll Lock - they will all be off since that is the Windows default settings.

    When you login the Num Lock (and other LOCK keys) will assume the state it was in when you logged off last (or shutdown).

    To test, when you are logged in look at something like the Caps Lock indicator.  If it is off, turn on Caps Lock, then restart the system (with Caps Lock on).

    When Windows loads, Caps Lock will be off (the default settings are all OFF), but when you login, the Caps Lock will be ON since it will assume the state it was in when you logged off, shutdown or restarted.  If you don't want Caps Lock on, turn it off, then restart and it will be OFF the next time you login.

    Sometimes it gets confusing if you have only one user and Windows is set to login automatically, then you might not ever notice the state where all the indicators are off - or it will just be a blink because Windows won't stay there long since it is going to log you in automatically.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-09-30T19:37:44+00:00

    Hi ,

    I've tried everything as told with both values and it still doesn't work. It looks like Microsoft overlooked something in the process of upgrading to Win10.

    ...50 value differs from 2 value. In binary the last byte is displayed as 00 00 while 2 value is 32 00. So it does matter.

    Dan

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